***Chapter Nine***
**Damaged Defeat**
Gemma departed in the way she arrived, a dust storm. She had disappeared as quickly as she had appeared. Her arrival put a new angle on everything, it explained some things, but as usual in a Slayers life there were always more questions than answers. However, they had to deal with the here and now, the last few hours still didn't make clear why they were there, and why they had been spared from a fiery death. Most of what Gemma had said made sense, but how far they could trust her was another question. More questions were the last thing that either wanted, or needed.
"Rather an enlightening conversation I'd say." Spike was the first to comment on the events.
"Most enlightening, but what the hell did it mean?"
"Which part?" Spike asked her.
"Take your pick of the bunch."
"Well what about the most obvious luv. The bit about you becoming the First Slayer, or whatever the bint meant."
"If it involves becoming like the original, I'm definitely not interested in the job vacancy." Buffy spoke with hard undertones in her voice. "If it means taking control of the Line from the Council, then that's a job I'd take great pleasure in doing!"
"And may I ask how in bloody hell are you expected to do that?" Spike replied.
"I don't know, but if I have to I will, by any means."
"Now that's how I like my girl to talk." Spike moved behind her, putting his arms around her.
"A Hero and her Champion. You're in this as well, you know! No backing out now!" Buffy put her arms around his encircling arms, she realised just what an anchor of support and love he'd become to her over the last few months. If this was part of his redemption, then she would do everything she could to help him regain as much of his humanity as she could. "What do you think she meant when she said I'd hadn't truly accepted my Champion?"
"I'm not sure sweetheart." Spike quietly replied to her question, but Buffy could feel the tension immediately strain his body, as she had said the words. She knew that maybe he did know, but just wasn't ready to share it. Funnily, if this had happened a year ago she just would have beaten it out of him, and then probably fucked his brains out to make it up to him. However, that was then and this was now, which meant part of that 'now' was trusting him, that he would tell her when he was ready.
"What about the part of being patient, I suppose I'll just have to take a number and wait." Buffy tightened her hold on him.
"They say patience is a virtue you know." Spike muffled through her hair, as he placed a kiss on her head.
"Virtuous! You! Ha, tell me another one!" Buffy broke out into deep howling laughter.
"Never had any complaints from you love, on my virtue or lack of it!" Spike took the opportunity to change the mood and direction of the conversation. If they hadn't already had a bad day, he wanted to distract her, if only for a little while, and deepen their new relationship. So taking matters into his own hands, he went about seducing his girl.
Picking her up, he carried her through the room and proceeded to dump her onto the bed. Spike moved so quickly it was just a blur to Buffy, he straddled her at the waist, leaning over her he bent down and began his gentle art of foreplay. He persuaded her to open her mouth to his own and began to kiss her lips, lightly pressing his own to hers, darting his tongue out at times, and teasing her own as their kiss deepened. Spike took his weight onto his forearms as he melded his own hands to hers, locking them together. Buffy could feel the cool touch of his flesh penetrate her growing warmth, her own skin giving rise to his, the contrasting body temperatures moulding as they burned together.
Slowly, as they lingered over each other, the tempo of their joining rose to a higher pitch of need and want. It moved into a greater fevered encounter of longing to consume each other. He took the front of her gown and gripping the edge's he slowly tore the fabric down the middle in two. Buffy shuddered as her lover moved his hands back to her bared breasts, he massaged the two mounds within his hands, his eye's connecting with hers demonstrating the love and lust that they contained within them. Gently he enfolded them with his hands, sending tingles of delight along Buffy's nerves, causing her nipples to peak in response to his touch. Arching his back forward, he took one of the peaks into his mouth, he suckled the flesh, drawing it up into his mouth as he made claim to it, gently biting on her. Not content with this, Buffy lay her hands on his head, applying pressure she guided his head to her other breast, she wanted to feel him all over her body, one place wasn't enough for her, she felt a hunger for him that was intense, and she wanted more.
Spike complied with her silent request, he could taste the hunger of his lover as she moaned and shuddered with each stroke of his tongue. Slowly he made his way down her body, he tasted her skin with his lips as his tongue slid along the flesh, until he reached the apex of her mound, which he outlined with the tip of one of his fingers. Not being able to stand the intensity of her feelings she turned the tables on him, she swiftly bucked him off her body, slamming him onto his back. She grabbed the top of his pants that hung on his lean hips, and let her fingers invade the waistband. She hung her thumbs out on the outside of the rough fabrics, and slid her hands around the fabric until they joined in the middle, just above his zipper. Moving above him this time she straddled him, rising above him she took the button that held the top of his pants together, she felt the cool metal under her thumb as she encircled it with her finger. Buffy looked at Spike, as he struggled for breath, caught up in the anticipation of her releasing him from the tight confines of his pants.
"Buffy, undo them."
Spike spoke in a hushed voice, as he verbalised what he wanted from her, his blue eye's shone with pleading. He needed to feel her make the connection with him, he craved it, he needed her to release him. Bit by bit she pulled the material away from the button, pulling apart the fabric, continuing her excruciatingly slow movements. Slowly she pulled the zip down. She ran her hand, inside the fabric, smoothing her fingers over his pelvic bone, she hooked her thumbs in the side of his pants, as she pulled them down.
"Lift." The single word was uttered, and he immediately complied with her request. She pushed them down until they reached his knees, and lay herself over him, sliding over him until they lay hip to hip, shoulder to shoulder. She could feel his raging erection pressed flat against her mound. Teasing him, she pulled her knees up while still laying over him, her toes entwined in his pants she pulled them the rest of the way down, until they slid off his feet. As she removed them his flesh sprang between her open legs, settling in between her moistened flesh, causing it to slide in between her folds. An unmistakable moan could be heard escaping his lips, as his flesh was encased by the warmth and moisture that seeped from her body. She could sense his delight in her provocation, and continued to rock her body backwards and forwards. Enabling the rise in her own pleasure he slid over her clit, causing tight sensations of pleasure to build in her body, bringing her closer to nirvana.
She felt his abdominal muscles contract and tighten, in sequence with her movements. She slowed down her rocking motion and slid her body downwards, never taking her eyes off him, she stopped just above his groin. Taking his hardened shaft between her hands, she slowly began to rub the wet flesh between her fingers, fluctuating the pressure that she placed upon it. She bent her head slowly enfolding him in her mouth, tasting the tip of him and running her tongue along the ridge, in tight little circles, that were making him unable to think or concentrate beyond the here and now. Slowly she built up the pressure her mouth was placing on his flesh, and traced the vessels that jagged his skin, as she felt him shudder under her mouth.
Spike watched on as she gave him one of his favourite types of kisses, he looked on as her head bobbed below him, fascinated and captivated with her movements. Unable to stand it for much longer, he entwined his hands in her hair, placing them around her skull he motioned for her to stop. She pulled her head away from him and looked at him, Spike bent down and kissed her passionately on the mouth, before he pulled her back to lay flush with him once again. He rolled her over, this time it was his turn to taste her intimate flesh. Before she could say a word, or take a breath, he lay on top of her. He moved between her legs, pulling at her knees as he slid down her flesh, pulling them to a bent position. He opened her moist flesh with the tips of his fingers, and allowed his tongue to find it ways amongst the folds. He teased the bud that he found and suckled it as he did her breasts, torturing the tip with his tongue and tasting the flood of her body. Gently he probed her with his fingers, brushing her inner walls and feeling them contract in need for more of his touch. He gave her what she craved as he moved his mouth in tune with his fingers, causing the coil within her to tighten with each sweep of his flesh against hers.
Unable to contain her need for release anymore, she screamed out her pleasure as she came. Spike continued to dispense a devastating orgasm to her, he dragged it out for as long as he could. Feeling her muscles begin to relax, he glided himself back up to her torso, and rolled them over. Taking the dominant position, Buffy straddled herself over his shaft, guiding it into her she allowed her body to slowly engulf him. She shallowly rocked herself up and down, rotating her hips to expose as much of him as she could to her inner walls. Slowly she deepened her thrusts, swallowing up all of him to his base, breathing in and out with every rise and fall of her body. Spike grabbed her hips, encouraging her with his hands to quicken her pace. He pushed his own hips up to drive himself even deeper into her body as they moved together, colliding flesh upon flesh as they devoured each other within the heat of their fervour.
Closer and closer they drove each other to the edge. Spike placed his thumb over her clit, and strummed her into another obliterating orgasm which consumed her. Spike followed her into the deep abyss that now surrounded them. He felt her muscles contract and flutter around her, as he allowed himself the release hr sought. Buffy felt the moment Spike let himself go, she felt her warmth flooded with a cool sensation that was totally him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angel walked into the foyer of the motel where the group of Slayers now called home, he looked around to see the filth of the room in which he stood. Memories flooded his mind of places he once called home, many worse than this, and many better depending on his financial situation at the time. Being homeless, or 'lost' as he would have rather called it, made this place seem like a palace to him. He shook the memory from his mind, reminiscing was not why he was here, and he new better than to try and remember what his life once was. It was all different now, for better or worse.
Stepping up to the front desk he laid his arms on the desk, the woman that sat behind the desk continued to watch the soap opera playing on the T.V. She clearly wasn't interested in the potential customer that stood in front of her. Angel sharply hit the bell that sat before her. She turned her head to observe the male standing in front of her, Passing her glance up and down, sizing him up. Not perturbed Angel stared at the woman with blank look not wanting to give anything away.
"You wanna room?"
"In this fine establishment, no." Angel leaned into the desk, "I'm looking for some acquaintances of mine, man late 40's glasses, brown hair, about so high", Angel lifted his hand to indicate Giles height, "Younger people, red haired woman..."
"Look's like he's got his head stuck in a book?"
"The older one?" The clerk nodded her head. "What about the woman?"
"What, run out on you did she?" the clerk asked Angel.
"Who?"
"Redhead? Silly girl! Look like you could show a girl a good time?" The smirk on the woman's face was so loud, that Angel just wanted to wipe it from her face.
"Where is she?" The tone in Angel's voice broke any aspirations that the hotel clerk may have held out for the man in front of her.
"Okay, mister!! Just don't want any trouble! You break something you pay for it, you understand!" She quickly retreated further behind the desk. "She's in 26, but she's sharing with a girl, so don't stress alright!"
Angel quickly vacated the office, and moved towards the room that the clerk said that Willow would be in. He had no desire to confront the Watcher yet, he was more likely to rip his heart out and make a meal of him, than sit and rationally listen to the man. Stopping in front of a faded red door with two rusted numbers that resembled 26, Angel knocked. He was confronted by a well-built brunette. Immediately his vamp sense went off alerting him to the presence of a Slayer. He took a step back as he could see that she was having the same reaction to him. Jerking herself to the side of the door she quickly found her weapon of choice, a sword. Lifting up her arms she put herself in an attack stance, Angel couldn't believe his luck, he'd come here to help find a Slayer, only to be confronted by the next generation. That story was getting old and tired!
Fortunately Willow came out of the bathroom to find her girlfriend, with a sword between her hands, looking like she was just about to decapitate her only chance of finding Buffy's remains. "Kennedy! No!" Willow cried out behind her, grabbing the sword from Kennedy, she disarmed the girl, "Angel, go see Giles, he's next door!"
"So you're Angelus?" Kennedy couldn't help but ask the obvious.
"Sometimes." His answer drew a questioning 'Don't tell her' from Willow.
Willow pointed in the direction of the door on the left, and promptly slammed the door. Angel stood alone on the concrete in a crappy motel, in a crappy town, he didn't really want to help these people, they'd never done him any favours. The only thing that made him come was Buffy, no other reason. Taking the hint from Willow he moved along to the next room, knocking on the door he waited for a while, and knocked again, this time the door opened to find a very worn out looking Giles, badly needing a shave, and hair cut.
"Gee Giles's my man, you're looking well! Training the new Slayer's keeping you in shape then?" Angel just couldn't help himself, Giles looked like shit, and he couldn't stop himself at having a dig at the man for old times sake.
"Very funny Angel!" Giles moved back further into the room, opening the door wider so as to let the vampire in, "Oh yes, come in. I suppose."
"Don't need an invite Giles's you should know that! Getting sloppy in your old age then?"
"No Angel, he isn't and neither am I!" Willow made her presence known to the two men.
"So I hear. Quite the strong witch these days, or so I hear. Or should I say remember?" Angel let out a small laugh. "But enough veiled threats. Let's get down to the reason I'm here instead of L.A. doing my paying job."
Giles moved over to his cupboard and removed two glasses. Taking a cheap bottle of whiskey in the other hand, he poured two large shots of the drink. He handed one to Angel, nodding his head, he took the drink, and sat down on one of the old chairs that surrounded the double bed in the room, for what would appear to be a bonding session with the man. Willow took a seat next to Angel, and if anything put herself forward as a barrier between the men should anything happen, and Angel appeared to be in a right mood.
"So you can't find Buffy?" Angel asked the obvious question.
"No, not a trace. I've tried everything!" Willow answered for them both.
"Tried what?" Angel asked.
"Everything I could think of, and tried everything that I could get my hands on." Willow looked down at her shoes, she felt like a failure, despite trying everything.
Angel just sat there, looking from Willow to Giles, both seemed so out of their depth on this one, which was something he'd rarely seen, since he'd known them both. He took the glass and threw the contents down his throat. Not even giving a grimace to its cheap, ghastly taste, even the pigs blood he fed on tasted better.
"What do you expect me to do?" Angel asked them both.
"I thought that was plain enough Angel. Help us find Buffy's remains, so we can give the girl a decent burial." Giles spoke, his voice thick with regret and sorrow for the young woman-pseudo daughter he'd lost.
"I don't know how you except me to help, especially when you tell me Sunnydale is now just a big hole in the ground." Angel put his glass out to Giles for more of the whiskey, "If Buffy got buried or burnt in the fireball, what makes you think that there'd be anything left?"
"That's what we don't know. Can we find something of Buffy to bury? We need to for Dawn." Willow pulled a face as Giles poured both of them another drink, she'd watched Giles begin to drink too much, "Well maybe just not for just Dawn, but the rest of us too."
"And you need me to do it."
"Yes!" The reply from Giles was quick and straight to the point. "Can you? Or should I say will you?"
Angel sat back into the chair that was biting into his back, he felt the bile rising to his throat, in response to what they were asking. It meant that he had to use his resources at Wolfram and Hart, which could bury him deeper into their axis of control, but it needed to be done. Taking out his mobile phone he dialled the office, waiting for the phone to be picked up he,placed the empty glass on the floor, and walked to the window, he looked out and watched as the neon sign with the motels name flickered.
"Eve," Angel pulled back the curtain further to watch the people in the car park move about, "Yes, I know I'll be back soon. Is Wesley there?" Angel paused in his conversation, "Wesley, I need you to do something?" Another pause. "We need to find Buffy?................Yes I know she's dead.......But I need to locate the remains.....Can we is the question?......................Who?............Oh.....No, no....Okay are you sure?....................When?......................Okay do it!"
Willow and Giles watched on as Angel had his back to them, he appeared to be organising his resources to aid in their search. Angel flipped the cover on his phone, effectively cutting off the conversation. It was clear from the look of disapproval on his face he wasn't happy.
"Can you help?" Willow dreaded to ask what need to be asked.
'Yes I can, but it won't be easy, and it may mean doing things my way." Angel looked at Giles, drowning out any hope that he would lead the search for Buffy. "You may also not like the way I'm going to do it, but it must be done, my way or no way."
"I think that we can live with that can't we Giles?" Willow stood up besides Angel, "What do you need for us to do Angel?"
"Not get involved!"
"May I ask why not?" Willow asked Angel, she'd do anything to help, anything to find her friend for her sister.
"Because these people are out of your league Willow, and they are dangerous." Angel spoke softly, just above an audible level
"You mean Dark Magik," Willow swallowed the fear that had lodged in her throat.
"Yes"
Giles didn't even bother to question how, or when, or why Angel had contact with these people. He didn't even protest the use of dark powers to find Buffy, the only thing that mattered to him was finding her, and he would not stand in Angel's way.
He was a defeated man and he knew it.
**Damaged Defeat**
Gemma departed in the way she arrived, a dust storm. She had disappeared as quickly as she had appeared. Her arrival put a new angle on everything, it explained some things, but as usual in a Slayers life there were always more questions than answers. However, they had to deal with the here and now, the last few hours still didn't make clear why they were there, and why they had been spared from a fiery death. Most of what Gemma had said made sense, but how far they could trust her was another question. More questions were the last thing that either wanted, or needed.
"Rather an enlightening conversation I'd say." Spike was the first to comment on the events.
"Most enlightening, but what the hell did it mean?"
"Which part?" Spike asked her.
"Take your pick of the bunch."
"Well what about the most obvious luv. The bit about you becoming the First Slayer, or whatever the bint meant."
"If it involves becoming like the original, I'm definitely not interested in the job vacancy." Buffy spoke with hard undertones in her voice. "If it means taking control of the Line from the Council, then that's a job I'd take great pleasure in doing!"
"And may I ask how in bloody hell are you expected to do that?" Spike replied.
"I don't know, but if I have to I will, by any means."
"Now that's how I like my girl to talk." Spike moved behind her, putting his arms around her.
"A Hero and her Champion. You're in this as well, you know! No backing out now!" Buffy put her arms around his encircling arms, she realised just what an anchor of support and love he'd become to her over the last few months. If this was part of his redemption, then she would do everything she could to help him regain as much of his humanity as she could. "What do you think she meant when she said I'd hadn't truly accepted my Champion?"
"I'm not sure sweetheart." Spike quietly replied to her question, but Buffy could feel the tension immediately strain his body, as she had said the words. She knew that maybe he did know, but just wasn't ready to share it. Funnily, if this had happened a year ago she just would have beaten it out of him, and then probably fucked his brains out to make it up to him. However, that was then and this was now, which meant part of that 'now' was trusting him, that he would tell her when he was ready.
"What about the part of being patient, I suppose I'll just have to take a number and wait." Buffy tightened her hold on him.
"They say patience is a virtue you know." Spike muffled through her hair, as he placed a kiss on her head.
"Virtuous! You! Ha, tell me another one!" Buffy broke out into deep howling laughter.
"Never had any complaints from you love, on my virtue or lack of it!" Spike took the opportunity to change the mood and direction of the conversation. If they hadn't already had a bad day, he wanted to distract her, if only for a little while, and deepen their new relationship. So taking matters into his own hands, he went about seducing his girl.
Picking her up, he carried her through the room and proceeded to dump her onto the bed. Spike moved so quickly it was just a blur to Buffy, he straddled her at the waist, leaning over her he bent down and began his gentle art of foreplay. He persuaded her to open her mouth to his own and began to kiss her lips, lightly pressing his own to hers, darting his tongue out at times, and teasing her own as their kiss deepened. Spike took his weight onto his forearms as he melded his own hands to hers, locking them together. Buffy could feel the cool touch of his flesh penetrate her growing warmth, her own skin giving rise to his, the contrasting body temperatures moulding as they burned together.
Slowly, as they lingered over each other, the tempo of their joining rose to a higher pitch of need and want. It moved into a greater fevered encounter of longing to consume each other. He took the front of her gown and gripping the edge's he slowly tore the fabric down the middle in two. Buffy shuddered as her lover moved his hands back to her bared breasts, he massaged the two mounds within his hands, his eye's connecting with hers demonstrating the love and lust that they contained within them. Gently he enfolded them with his hands, sending tingles of delight along Buffy's nerves, causing her nipples to peak in response to his touch. Arching his back forward, he took one of the peaks into his mouth, he suckled the flesh, drawing it up into his mouth as he made claim to it, gently biting on her. Not content with this, Buffy lay her hands on his head, applying pressure she guided his head to her other breast, she wanted to feel him all over her body, one place wasn't enough for her, she felt a hunger for him that was intense, and she wanted more.
Spike complied with her silent request, he could taste the hunger of his lover as she moaned and shuddered with each stroke of his tongue. Slowly he made his way down her body, he tasted her skin with his lips as his tongue slid along the flesh, until he reached the apex of her mound, which he outlined with the tip of one of his fingers. Not being able to stand the intensity of her feelings she turned the tables on him, she swiftly bucked him off her body, slamming him onto his back. She grabbed the top of his pants that hung on his lean hips, and let her fingers invade the waistband. She hung her thumbs out on the outside of the rough fabrics, and slid her hands around the fabric until they joined in the middle, just above his zipper. Moving above him this time she straddled him, rising above him she took the button that held the top of his pants together, she felt the cool metal under her thumb as she encircled it with her finger. Buffy looked at Spike, as he struggled for breath, caught up in the anticipation of her releasing him from the tight confines of his pants.
"Buffy, undo them."
Spike spoke in a hushed voice, as he verbalised what he wanted from her, his blue eye's shone with pleading. He needed to feel her make the connection with him, he craved it, he needed her to release him. Bit by bit she pulled the material away from the button, pulling apart the fabric, continuing her excruciatingly slow movements. Slowly she pulled the zip down. She ran her hand, inside the fabric, smoothing her fingers over his pelvic bone, she hooked her thumbs in the side of his pants, as she pulled them down.
"Lift." The single word was uttered, and he immediately complied with her request. She pushed them down until they reached his knees, and lay herself over him, sliding over him until they lay hip to hip, shoulder to shoulder. She could feel his raging erection pressed flat against her mound. Teasing him, she pulled her knees up while still laying over him, her toes entwined in his pants she pulled them the rest of the way down, until they slid off his feet. As she removed them his flesh sprang between her open legs, settling in between her moistened flesh, causing it to slide in between her folds. An unmistakable moan could be heard escaping his lips, as his flesh was encased by the warmth and moisture that seeped from her body. She could sense his delight in her provocation, and continued to rock her body backwards and forwards. Enabling the rise in her own pleasure he slid over her clit, causing tight sensations of pleasure to build in her body, bringing her closer to nirvana.
She felt his abdominal muscles contract and tighten, in sequence with her movements. She slowed down her rocking motion and slid her body downwards, never taking her eyes off him, she stopped just above his groin. Taking his hardened shaft between her hands, she slowly began to rub the wet flesh between her fingers, fluctuating the pressure that she placed upon it. She bent her head slowly enfolding him in her mouth, tasting the tip of him and running her tongue along the ridge, in tight little circles, that were making him unable to think or concentrate beyond the here and now. Slowly she built up the pressure her mouth was placing on his flesh, and traced the vessels that jagged his skin, as she felt him shudder under her mouth.
Spike watched on as she gave him one of his favourite types of kisses, he looked on as her head bobbed below him, fascinated and captivated with her movements. Unable to stand it for much longer, he entwined his hands in her hair, placing them around her skull he motioned for her to stop. She pulled her head away from him and looked at him, Spike bent down and kissed her passionately on the mouth, before he pulled her back to lay flush with him once again. He rolled her over, this time it was his turn to taste her intimate flesh. Before she could say a word, or take a breath, he lay on top of her. He moved between her legs, pulling at her knees as he slid down her flesh, pulling them to a bent position. He opened her moist flesh with the tips of his fingers, and allowed his tongue to find it ways amongst the folds. He teased the bud that he found and suckled it as he did her breasts, torturing the tip with his tongue and tasting the flood of her body. Gently he probed her with his fingers, brushing her inner walls and feeling them contract in need for more of his touch. He gave her what she craved as he moved his mouth in tune with his fingers, causing the coil within her to tighten with each sweep of his flesh against hers.
Unable to contain her need for release anymore, she screamed out her pleasure as she came. Spike continued to dispense a devastating orgasm to her, he dragged it out for as long as he could. Feeling her muscles begin to relax, he glided himself back up to her torso, and rolled them over. Taking the dominant position, Buffy straddled herself over his shaft, guiding it into her she allowed her body to slowly engulf him. She shallowly rocked herself up and down, rotating her hips to expose as much of him as she could to her inner walls. Slowly she deepened her thrusts, swallowing up all of him to his base, breathing in and out with every rise and fall of her body. Spike grabbed her hips, encouraging her with his hands to quicken her pace. He pushed his own hips up to drive himself even deeper into her body as they moved together, colliding flesh upon flesh as they devoured each other within the heat of their fervour.
Closer and closer they drove each other to the edge. Spike placed his thumb over her clit, and strummed her into another obliterating orgasm which consumed her. Spike followed her into the deep abyss that now surrounded them. He felt her muscles contract and flutter around her, as he allowed himself the release hr sought. Buffy felt the moment Spike let himself go, she felt her warmth flooded with a cool sensation that was totally him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angel walked into the foyer of the motel where the group of Slayers now called home, he looked around to see the filth of the room in which he stood. Memories flooded his mind of places he once called home, many worse than this, and many better depending on his financial situation at the time. Being homeless, or 'lost' as he would have rather called it, made this place seem like a palace to him. He shook the memory from his mind, reminiscing was not why he was here, and he new better than to try and remember what his life once was. It was all different now, for better or worse.
Stepping up to the front desk he laid his arms on the desk, the woman that sat behind the desk continued to watch the soap opera playing on the T.V. She clearly wasn't interested in the potential customer that stood in front of her. Angel sharply hit the bell that sat before her. She turned her head to observe the male standing in front of her, Passing her glance up and down, sizing him up. Not perturbed Angel stared at the woman with blank look not wanting to give anything away.
"You wanna room?"
"In this fine establishment, no." Angel leaned into the desk, "I'm looking for some acquaintances of mine, man late 40's glasses, brown hair, about so high", Angel lifted his hand to indicate Giles height, "Younger people, red haired woman..."
"Look's like he's got his head stuck in a book?"
"The older one?" The clerk nodded her head. "What about the woman?"
"What, run out on you did she?" the clerk asked Angel.
"Who?"
"Redhead? Silly girl! Look like you could show a girl a good time?" The smirk on the woman's face was so loud, that Angel just wanted to wipe it from her face.
"Where is she?" The tone in Angel's voice broke any aspirations that the hotel clerk may have held out for the man in front of her.
"Okay, mister!! Just don't want any trouble! You break something you pay for it, you understand!" She quickly retreated further behind the desk. "She's in 26, but she's sharing with a girl, so don't stress alright!"
Angel quickly vacated the office, and moved towards the room that the clerk said that Willow would be in. He had no desire to confront the Watcher yet, he was more likely to rip his heart out and make a meal of him, than sit and rationally listen to the man. Stopping in front of a faded red door with two rusted numbers that resembled 26, Angel knocked. He was confronted by a well-built brunette. Immediately his vamp sense went off alerting him to the presence of a Slayer. He took a step back as he could see that she was having the same reaction to him. Jerking herself to the side of the door she quickly found her weapon of choice, a sword. Lifting up her arms she put herself in an attack stance, Angel couldn't believe his luck, he'd come here to help find a Slayer, only to be confronted by the next generation. That story was getting old and tired!
Fortunately Willow came out of the bathroom to find her girlfriend, with a sword between her hands, looking like she was just about to decapitate her only chance of finding Buffy's remains. "Kennedy! No!" Willow cried out behind her, grabbing the sword from Kennedy, she disarmed the girl, "Angel, go see Giles, he's next door!"
"So you're Angelus?" Kennedy couldn't help but ask the obvious.
"Sometimes." His answer drew a questioning 'Don't tell her' from Willow.
Willow pointed in the direction of the door on the left, and promptly slammed the door. Angel stood alone on the concrete in a crappy motel, in a crappy town, he didn't really want to help these people, they'd never done him any favours. The only thing that made him come was Buffy, no other reason. Taking the hint from Willow he moved along to the next room, knocking on the door he waited for a while, and knocked again, this time the door opened to find a very worn out looking Giles, badly needing a shave, and hair cut.
"Gee Giles's my man, you're looking well! Training the new Slayer's keeping you in shape then?" Angel just couldn't help himself, Giles looked like shit, and he couldn't stop himself at having a dig at the man for old times sake.
"Very funny Angel!" Giles moved back further into the room, opening the door wider so as to let the vampire in, "Oh yes, come in. I suppose."
"Don't need an invite Giles's you should know that! Getting sloppy in your old age then?"
"No Angel, he isn't and neither am I!" Willow made her presence known to the two men.
"So I hear. Quite the strong witch these days, or so I hear. Or should I say remember?" Angel let out a small laugh. "But enough veiled threats. Let's get down to the reason I'm here instead of L.A. doing my paying job."
Giles moved over to his cupboard and removed two glasses. Taking a cheap bottle of whiskey in the other hand, he poured two large shots of the drink. He handed one to Angel, nodding his head, he took the drink, and sat down on one of the old chairs that surrounded the double bed in the room, for what would appear to be a bonding session with the man. Willow took a seat next to Angel, and if anything put herself forward as a barrier between the men should anything happen, and Angel appeared to be in a right mood.
"So you can't find Buffy?" Angel asked the obvious question.
"No, not a trace. I've tried everything!" Willow answered for them both.
"Tried what?" Angel asked.
"Everything I could think of, and tried everything that I could get my hands on." Willow looked down at her shoes, she felt like a failure, despite trying everything.
Angel just sat there, looking from Willow to Giles, both seemed so out of their depth on this one, which was something he'd rarely seen, since he'd known them both. He took the glass and threw the contents down his throat. Not even giving a grimace to its cheap, ghastly taste, even the pigs blood he fed on tasted better.
"What do you expect me to do?" Angel asked them both.
"I thought that was plain enough Angel. Help us find Buffy's remains, so we can give the girl a decent burial." Giles spoke, his voice thick with regret and sorrow for the young woman-pseudo daughter he'd lost.
"I don't know how you except me to help, especially when you tell me Sunnydale is now just a big hole in the ground." Angel put his glass out to Giles for more of the whiskey, "If Buffy got buried or burnt in the fireball, what makes you think that there'd be anything left?"
"That's what we don't know. Can we find something of Buffy to bury? We need to for Dawn." Willow pulled a face as Giles poured both of them another drink, she'd watched Giles begin to drink too much, "Well maybe just not for just Dawn, but the rest of us too."
"And you need me to do it."
"Yes!" The reply from Giles was quick and straight to the point. "Can you? Or should I say will you?"
Angel sat back into the chair that was biting into his back, he felt the bile rising to his throat, in response to what they were asking. It meant that he had to use his resources at Wolfram and Hart, which could bury him deeper into their axis of control, but it needed to be done. Taking out his mobile phone he dialled the office, waiting for the phone to be picked up he,placed the empty glass on the floor, and walked to the window, he looked out and watched as the neon sign with the motels name flickered.
"Eve," Angel pulled back the curtain further to watch the people in the car park move about, "Yes, I know I'll be back soon. Is Wesley there?" Angel paused in his conversation, "Wesley, I need you to do something?" Another pause. "We need to find Buffy?................Yes I know she's dead.......But I need to locate the remains.....Can we is the question?......................Who?............Oh.....No, no....Okay are you sure?....................When?......................Okay do it!"
Willow and Giles watched on as Angel had his back to them, he appeared to be organising his resources to aid in their search. Angel flipped the cover on his phone, effectively cutting off the conversation. It was clear from the look of disapproval on his face he wasn't happy.
"Can you help?" Willow dreaded to ask what need to be asked.
'Yes I can, but it won't be easy, and it may mean doing things my way." Angel looked at Giles, drowning out any hope that he would lead the search for Buffy. "You may also not like the way I'm going to do it, but it must be done, my way or no way."
"I think that we can live with that can't we Giles?" Willow stood up besides Angel, "What do you need for us to do Angel?"
"Not get involved!"
"May I ask why not?" Willow asked Angel, she'd do anything to help, anything to find her friend for her sister.
"Because these people are out of your league Willow, and they are dangerous." Angel spoke softly, just above an audible level
"You mean Dark Magik," Willow swallowed the fear that had lodged in her throat.
"Yes"
Giles didn't even bother to question how, or when, or why Angel had contact with these people. He didn't even protest the use of dark powers to find Buffy, the only thing that mattered to him was finding her, and he would not stand in Angel's way.
He was a defeated man and he knew it.