42

Once all the fallen warriors had been carted off, everyone insisted on helping Spike and Rose salvage what they could of their possessions.

"Get what you need," Angel directed. "I'll send someone from the firm to pack up the rest of your stuff."

"Wesley, you should go straight home," Rose said as the Watcher entered the remains of their apartment.

"Don't fuss, Rose," Wesley sighed. "I'm getting enough of that from Fred." And the look he gave Fred suggested that he didn't have a problem with her fussing. "Besides, I was interested in your cooking pot."

"Why on earth would you be interested in that?" Rose looked totally lost. "It's not even any good anymore."

"It's the inside I'm curious about," Wes explained. By now, they'd gotten people's attention, and everyone gathered round. "These etchings on the interior walls look too structured to be random damage. I want to take it in to the office and study it. See what other effects your spell may have created."

Suddenly all eyes turned to Rose, who, small as she was, wished she was a lot smaller. Like maybe microscopic.

"And what sort of spell would that be, sweetheart?" Spike asked casually, draping an arm around her shoulders.

"I didn't mean to," Rose said forlornly. "I didn't know it was a real spell. I was just having a little joke."

"A little joke?" Angel echoed incredulously. "All this happened over a little joke?"

"I guess so." Rose's voice was barely audible now. If a portal had opened at her feet she would have willingly jumped in, even if it led straight to hell.

The silence hung heavy for a few minutes, then Wesley broke into the awkward stillness. "It really isn't her fault," he said. "Not very many people know that Shakespeare was a sorcerer. Damned careless of him using a real spell for a play."

Angel turned away and leaned on the wall, shoulders shaking. Rose was afraid that she'd really made him angry. At least she did until he could no longer keep his laughter silent.

"What the hell's so funny about it, you stupid git?" Spike found it convenient to take out his feelings on Angel, as usual. "She could have been killed by those bastards and you're laughing about it?"

Angel ignored Spike's outburst. One last guffaw and he got the laughter under control. "C'mon Rose," he said. "Let's get your stuff and get you moved into my place." He started out of the room.

Rose began to follow him, then halted, looking from one vampire to the other. "Hey, what about Spike?" Her expression had become totally crestfallen when she'd realized that Angel hadn't included Spike.

Angel turned and shrugged. "I guess it's up to you what of your stuff you want to bring along. Even him." He went on out.

"Bloody wanker," Spike growled. He then sighed. "Still, the pouf has a point, luv. Let's get you the hell out of here."

&&&&&&&

"Kraj!" Once again, Lord M'rek's voice resounded through the caverns.

Kraj entered at full grovel. "My Lord called?" he whined. He wasn't feeling too well at the moment.

"Why has the vessel not yet been delivered into my hands?" demanded M'rek. "You assured me that her position had been located and the team dispatched. Half a day has passed and I still see no sign of the vessel."

"The team has not yet returned," Kraj admitted, head hanging almost to the floor. "The portal has been continuously monitored, but we have not seen them."

"I sent five fully trained warriors and they cannot retrieve one lone female?" Lord M'rek was disbelieving. "Explain to me how this could be, toad."

"Perhaps the vessel has protectors?" the prostrate figure suggested. "Many protectors, if they could best five of your Lordship's finest."

"I like this not, Kraj," M'rek growled. "No doubt they have moved the vessel now. Set the scryers to work. Find the vessel's new location. And this time do not send in a team of warriors. We need something a little less conspicuous."

"I have done some research, Lord," Kraj put forth timorously. "With the help of the mentalists. It would seem that the vessel has some sort of employment in a place that performs services for extra-dimensional employers. We could go in ourselves in the guise of such customers and not call undue attention to ourselves."

"If this place of business owns the vessel, why not buy her outright?" M'rek suggested.

"It is not the custom to own other beings in that dimension," Kraj informed him. "Her services are hired to the place of business by mutual consent."

"How curious," M'rek mused. "Create us a plausible story to explain our presence." He rubbed his hands together. At least this way, he would be able to claim the vessel with his own hands. He went to the front of the room where there stood a large stone throne. Attached to one leg of the throne was a gilded chain that ended in a jeweled collar. Soon, very soon, it would grace the neck of the vessel.

&&&&&&&

Rose was feeling restless. After all the excitement of the day, she simply couldn't sleep. Sneaking out of bed was out of the question, but she was so wide awake that she was going to keep Spike up anyway with her tossing and turning. She slid out of the bed.

"Sweetheart?" Spike didn't need to elucidate, and he was tired. And bruised and battered. He'd taken more damage than anyone but Rose had any notion of, and he had made her promise not to tell.

"I'm just having a little bit of insomnia," Rose whispered, going over to kiss him. "I'm going to go in the other room and see if Angel has anything worth reading. Why don't you go back to sleep?"

"Don't be too long," Spike mumbled into the pillow, dropping back off to sleep.

Once in the other room, however, Rose found that she didn't really feel like reading. Truth to tell, she felt a bit hungry. She went to the kitchen and began rummaging, happy that Angel had immediately upon their arrival sent someone out grocery shopping and thereby avoiding one argument that had been a hallmark of their last sojourn there. At first, nothing appealed, and she was feeling a little wary about trying to cook again. She was hungry, but nothing looked good, until she opened the door to the freezer and saw the little round containers therein. She'd heard about ice cream, but had never gotten around to trying it. She peeled off the top of one container and stuck a finger in a licked it. Her eyes lit up with the light of love. She read the label. Chocolate fudge ripple. She'd have to remember that, for whenever she and Spike were able to go out on their own again. It was very good, but it was such a small container, and was empty before she knew it.. She went back to the freezer. Was butterscotch swirl just as good?

Rose finally crawled back into bed, both tired and sated. She wondered why no one had ever told her about ice cream before. She snuggled against Spike's back. Still half-asleep, he rolled over and wrapped his arms around her.

&&&&&&&&

Angel went to dump out the coffee grounds in the trash and saw the evidence of Rose's midnight snack. "How much ice cream did you have last night, Rose?" he asked. "I don't recall you eating any before we all turned in."

"I couldn't sleep," Rose mumbled. "And I was kind of hungry..," She looked at the pair of them. "How come no one ever told me about ice cream before?"

"You're talking to the wrong crowd, pet," Spike replied. He was crouched over a mug of blood, looking like he still didn't feel one hundred percent. And he didn't, but he'd stake himself before he'd let Angel know that.

Angel was still in shock at how much Rose had consumed. "That's two whole pints of ice cream," he muttered. "How did you manage to eat two whole pints of the stuff?"

Rose shrugged. "I guess you had to be there." She eyed the plate in front of her, a healthy, well-balanced breakfast, that had practically no appeal at the moment. "Is there any more of that chocolate fudge ripple?"

&&&&&&

"Why don't the two of you take the day off?" Angel suggested. Breakfast had taken a while to get through, mainly due to the extensive arguments they had been put to convincing Rose that she couldn't live entirely on ice cream, no matter how good it was. The vampires had been having a tough time of it until Spike had finally put his foot down and declared that he'd throw the lot out if she didn't eat properly.

"I don't need a bloody day off," Spike growled, more for form's sake than anything else.

"I'm fine," Rose added. "And I'm really interested in what that prophecy said that sent Wesley running to the apartment the way he did. If he hadn't gotten there when he had..,"

Spike was scowling. It didn't matter to him that Wes had gotten there first because he had happened to read the prophecy first, or that if he hadn't acted so quickly, Rose might have been spirited off or worse. What rankled was that once again, it had been someone else had rescued her. He didn't know which he would prefer, that he could come to Rose's rescue just once, and make it work, or that she just wouldn't be in a position to need rescuing. Six of one and half a dozen of the other.

"If you're sure," Angel said dubiously. "You had a pretty hectic day yesterday, and from the looks of things you were up half the night binging on ice cream."

"I feel fine," Rose said again. "Really. I'll bet Wesley is already hard at it, and he looked terrible yesterday."

Angel looked at Spike, who was still sulking. "Looks like the ball's in your court, Spike," he remarked. "She's bound and determined to go to work. But I bet she'd change her mind if you didn't go." Just once, he thought, let Spike take a hint just this once.

Spike shook his head. "I'm all in from arguing with her already," he replied. "If we keep this up, she really will chuck me out on my ear."

Angel threw up his hands. "I tried," he said to no one in particular.

&&&&&&&&

"This is just really, really weird, Wesley," Rose muttered. "I know where prophecies come from. I helped make them up. So why don't I remember this one? I'm sure I would have put it in my memories."

"Maybe you weren't allowed to," Wes answered. "But considering what happened yesterday, there's not a doubt in my mind that it refers to you and Spike. And your children."

"I don't much care for the warning, though," Rose grumbled. "I love Angel to death, he's my best friend, but I can't see us staying there until after the babies are born. Or worse still, being stuck there until the children are grown. Does it say anything about someone trying to take them once they're born?"

"Not as yet," the Watcher replied. "But we haven't gotten through the whole thing yet. I don't really think that you're going to have to stay with Angel indefinitely, though. Once we can figure out who wants you and your children, we can take care of the threat, and you and Spike can go back to your normal lives."

"But it does say there are many of them," Rose pointed out. "And many isn't a very particular number. How do we know when we've reached it and neutralized all the threats? I may be scared silly about becoming a mother, but that doesn't mean that I want anything to happen to my babies." The papers in her hands trembled and shook, and Wesley realized that it was because her hands were shaking. He took the sheets of paper from her hands and laid them on the desk, and took her hands in his.

"Rose, I promise that whatever it takes, we'll keep your children from harm," he said softly. "Trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, Wesley," she murmured. Then, she reached up and gently touched his bruised face. "But I'm afraid of what whatever it takes might possibly entail."

"Not to worry," he assured her. "I'm a lot tougher than I look."

&&&&&&&

For once, Spike willingly stuck to his desk. There was a certain amount of mandatory paperwork for a department head, even in his division. His usual mode of operation was to let it sit until the last possible minute, then rush through it so quickly that he often had to redo half of it. Today though, his ribs were aching, he thought he'd broken a couple. Another reason to be happy he wasn't human. With all the broken bones he'd had over the years, not to mention various other injuries, he'd probably have arthritis in every joint. As it was, a couple of days healing and he was generally right as rain.

Right now, he wasn't even doing the paperwork. He was just sitting, staring off into space, thinking. Angel had given them a run-down on the prophecy that had sent the Watcher, and eventually the rest of them running off to Rose's rescue. And truth to tell, he almost felt cheated by it. Despite his qualms about whether or not he'd be a good father, he wanted those children. He wanted them more than he'd ever wanted anything, except their mother. So why did there have to be some silly-assed prophecy mucking things up?

&&&&&&&

"Well?" M'rek looked down his canine nose at the sniveling form of Kraj.

"All is in readiness, Lord," Kraj said in his best placating tones. "But I was unable to secure an immediate appointment no matter what the bribe I offered. And there may be another difficulty."

"I don't want to hear about difficulties, Kraj," M'rek snapped. "I want to hear about results. How dare they keep us waiting?"

"They intend to do a background check upon you, magnificence," Kraj whined. "If they find anything they do not like, they will refuse to accept your custom."

"Then see to it that they find nothing they will not like," Lord M'rek ordered. "Have the scryers divined the vessel's new location?"

"Within the walls of the business itself," the underling murmured. "But, great Lord, I must tell you. The one who runs the business is the first of the souled ones."

"The vessel's protector is the first of the souled ones?" M'rek thumped his fist against a pillar, which shuddered, but held firm.

"And, I have no doubt, the vessel's consort as well," Kraj whimpered. When M'rek was in such an unreasonable temper, he was nearly impossible to deal with. He also tended to bestow vicious and often completely unmerited punishments. He was a firm believer in executing the bearer of bad news.

"Will the vessel be delivered anytime soon?" M'rek asked, suddenly thoughtful.

"I am given to understand that it will be some months yet, Lord." Kraj bowed, touching his forehead to the floor.

"Then we have time to ingratiate ourselves," M'rek mused. "Get back to work, Kraj. Make sure that the souled one finds us acceptable."

"It shall be as my glorious Lord wills it." Kraj shuffled out backwards, bowing and scraping all the while.