79

Rose's feet were dragging a bit as she made her way to the penthouse. She still wasn't sure if she'd calmed down enough to face Spike. Not to mention Angel. What had prompted her to tell him that? But she knew what had. That visit to the doctor's office, which would have been her last if you could actually die of embarrassment.

When she opened the door, though, the sight which greeted her was not the scene to which she was accustomed. The curtains were drawn, and the whole place was illuminated by candlelight. There was a scent of roses in the air, and she felt a stab of dismay. Did Angel have romantic plans tonight and she'd missed the information? Surely not, she decided. Angel wouldn't evict them even for just the evening when her safety was the whole reason they were here. So what was going on?

Spike emerged from the kitchen, sucking on burnt fingers. He'd stood back to admire his handiwork for a minute, forgetting that he'd still had a lit match in his hand. All of which went completely out of his mind when he saw Rose standing in the doorway taking in the candlelit scene.

Rose had just stopped in her tracks, taking it all in. She was barely aware of Spike closing the door, taking her briefcase, even removing her shoes. It finally registered on her when he took her in his arms for a long, slow kiss.

Eventually, Spike let her come up for air. "Spike, what is all this? And where's Angel?"

"The ponce is out for the evening," he informed her. "And this is me apologizing for making a horse's ass of myself and embarrassing the most beautiful woman in the world and the best thing that ever happened to me."

Rose's eyes misted up. "Spike darling, you didn't have to do all this," she murmured.

"Oh yes I did, pet," he argued gently, kissing her again. "I most certainly did."

&&&&&&&&

As apologies go, it rated full marks. Spike had put a lot of thought and effort into it. Dinner, which no matter what it is tends to take on a romantic tone when eaten by candlelight. A long, hot bath with plenty of bubbles and Spike washing her back and feeding her ice cream. And when they'd retired for a leisurely love-making session, Rose found the he had scattered rose petals between the sheets of the bed. By the time the evening was over and she was drifting off to sleep in Spike's arms, Rose was wondering vaguely how she could have been angry with Spike in the first place.

Angel cautiously let himself into his apartment. It seemed quiet enough. Good, he really didn't want to walk in on Spike and Rose doing the nasty. He flipped on a light and started extinguishing the guttering candles. Spike always did have a thing about candles. But it was still a lucky thing that he hadn't managed to burn the place down.

Spike was drifting off in a contented haze when it occurred to him that he'd better put out the candles. Rose was sound asleep, no worry about waking her. He started dowsing the flickering lights, then, as an afterthought, picked up their discarded clothes from the floor. He'd gotten to the bathroom when he heard a sound in the outer room. The ponce must be back. Spike would have been happy to not see him, but his eyes lit on the empty ice cream container and spoon. Had to dispose of one and wash the other. For Rose. Not much of an apology if she spent the better part of the next day cleaning up after it. With a sigh, he dragged on a pair of pants, and headed out.

"Did you put the rest of the candles out?" Angel asked. "And what's that stuff stuck all over you? You look like you've got a disease."

"Yes, I did," Spike answered the first question without breaking stride. As for the second question, he looked down at his bare chest and saw that there were bits of vegetation sticking to him. "Oh, just a few rose petals, that's all." He retreated into the kitchen, hoping the question and answer session was over.

Angel followed him into the kitchen. "They're on your back too," he observed. "Are you all squared away with Rose?"

"Until the next time I put my foot in it," Spike mumbled. Why couldn't the silly git take a bloody hint and push off?

Besides the rose petals, Angel noticed a large blue-black bruise on Spike's side and winced a bit. "Hey Spike, I'm sorry about that." He waved his hand, indicating the discoloration on Spike's ribcage. "I didn't mean to use quite that much force."

Spike shrugged uncomfortably. Having Angel apologize to him was a just a little weird. "I'll heal," he muttered indifferently. "Seems I was due for a good ass-kicking anyway."

"You know I'm always available for that," Angel assured him with a grin. But the grin was a little forced. Spike was being just a little too humble for his peace of mind.

Spike had had enough of wallowing in it. "Why don't you just go bugger yourself, you bloody wanker?"

Angel felt a genuine grin spread across his face. That was the Spike he knew and depended on. A universal constant.

&&&&&&&&

"When do you depart, Kraj?" M'rek was pacing about the elaborately decorated chamber.

"As soon as your most gracious Lordship imparts any last minute instructions and words of wisdom." Kraj groveled at his feet.

"When you gift the vessel with the trinket," M'rek ordered. "Give her this as well." This, was an overly ornamented and embossed envelope bearing M'rek's personal seal.

"Might this lowly one dare to inquire as to the contents of this missive?" Kraj suggested timidly.

"An invitation to avail herself and her consort of my hospitality," M'rek replied haughtily. "Added to your apology and the gift you bear, it should convince them that we have no untoward intentions."

Kraj considered a moment. M'rek was operating at a level that he had previously thought far beyond the scope of his Lord's intelligence. Perhaps he had underestimated M'rek. "Truly, Lord, your wisdom is a wonder to behold," he murmured in awed tones that weren't entirely part of the act. "Have I then your most gracious permission to make my departure?"

"You may leave," M'rek allowed. "First we will secure the vessel's trust, then the vessel herself."

"It shall be as my Lord commands." Kraj began bowing his way out of the room.

"Oh, Kraj," M'rek added as an afterthought.

"My Lord?" Kraj halted in his tracks.

"Find out what name the demons have for the vessel and her consort," M'rek said. "Then, mayhap, we can avoid another such scene as your incompetence caused on our visit."

"Your will is my pleasure, oh mighty M'rek," Kraj whined as he made his exit.

&&&&&&&

Rose was diligently typing out reports when Wesley came in to dump more papers on her desk, just like the days when she'd first come to Wolfram and Hart. "What's all this?" she asked suspiciously. She'd stopped asking about the prophecy, so it couldn't be that. Or had he merely been neglecting the routine part of the job and was now using the opportunity to catch it up?

"Evidently, they're your insurance forms," the Watcher replied. "Gunn was bringing them from personnel for you and I volunteered to finished the errand."

"All those?" Rose was aghast at the stack of paperwork. "I have to go through all that?"

"I think Gunn made sure that they were all filled out," Wesley said soothingly. "I believe he said that all you had to do is sign them." He looked down at the top of her head from, where else, his perch on the corner of her desk. "What on earth is that in your hair, Rose?"

"Where?" Rose reached up a groping hand in entirely the wrong place.

"Allow me." Wesley delicately plucked the foreign object from her chestnut locks and examine it. "It appears to be a rose petal. But how did it get in your hair?"

Rose blushed redder than the flower petal in Wes' hand. "If you don't mind, Wesley," she murmured. "I believe that information is on a need to know basis."

He caught the implications and silently cursed himself that he hadn't picked up on it sooner. "And I definitely do not need to know," he muttered, flushing a bit himself. He gave himself a mental shake. "As soon as you've signed all those forms, take them straight to personnel so that they can get them processed. And by the way, are you finished with the quarterly budget?"

&&&&&&&

"Well, the information you gave me will be enough to get the ball rolling," Gunn remarked, flipping through some papers. "I'll be sure to keep your employer informed on the developments."

"You are most kind." Kraj extricated his bulk from the chair in front of the lawyer's desk. The furnishings were all human-sized and not accommodating for his kind. "Might I make so bold as to ask a personal favor, Mr. Gunn?"

"Ask away," Gunn replied, a little cautiously. Damn sure not going to make any promises until he knew what the favor was.

"I should like to see the young lady that I so inadvertently insulted at our initial meeting," Kraj murmured in tones so smooth they were almost palpably slimy. "I should like to give her a small token by way of an apology."

Gunn didn't like the guy, but he didn't see any real grounds for refusing his request. "Sure, I can take you to her office myself." He rose from behind his desk.

"I appreciate it greatly, sir." Kraj handed the portfolio in his hands to the female who had been patiently standing behind him. The diviner had been instructed to act as body servant to him as a cover story. "Lord M'rek was most put out with my social clumsiness."

"Yeah, I heard him offer to flog your hide off," Gunn commented. "Was that just exaggeration, or did he mean that literally?"

"His Lordship demands the highest standards of service," Kraj replied. "And exacts the highest retribution if those standards fail to be met."

&&&&&&&

Rose signed the last insurance form. She still failed to understand why every action required an opposing avalanche of paperwork. She wondered idly if it was something that she didn't understand because she'd been human for so short a time, or whether bureaucrats and paperwork were another sub-category entirely. Her musings were interrupted by a knock on her door. "Come in," she called. This was an unusual occurrence. Most people just barged in without knocking.

Gunn came in followed by the servant of the Anubis-like new client, who was in turn followed by a human-looking woman. "Hello, Rose," Gunn greeted her. "Kraj here wanted to see you." He looked at the stack of papers she was shuffling. "Are those your insurance forms?"

"Yes, they are," she replied. "Would you make sure that I've signed everywhere I should, Charles?"

"No problem." He took the papers and went off by himself a small way and starting sorting through the papers.

Rose's attention turned to Kraj. "May I help you?" she asked a bit nervously. She didn't know whether or not it was their appearance, or just their sheer size, but she found the jackal-like demons a little intimidating.

"I would find it most helpful if you would accept this small gift as a token of my most profound apologies," Kraj oozed. "It is a custom among my people to apologize thus. If you accept my apology, you must wear the token."

Rose took the small box he held out to her. "This really wasn't necessary," she murmured. "I wasn't offended." She opened the box to reveal a gold chain from which depended a smoky colored gemstone. "This is lovely, but it's..,"

"Truly suitable," Kraj interrupted. "I had not realized when I chose the bauble that it would compliment your eyes." He saw that she still hesitated. "Please, Ms..,"

"Powers," Rose answered automatically. "Rose Powers. I'm dreadfully sorry. I don't know why I'm being so ill-mannered."

"Perhaps you find our kind disturbing to look at?" Kraj ventured. "Not everyone can deal with beings from other dimensions, and it would certainly be through no fault of yours if you felt that way." He glanced at the diviner and received the final confirmation. Rose Powers was truly the vessel.

Rose felt the hot flush creeping up her face. She felt uncomfortable around this creature, but had no reason to be so rude. Perhaps it would be best to accept his gift. It would certainly be the diplomatic thing to do. She fastened the chain around her neck. "Thank you, Kraj," she said softly. "I guess if you can be so understanding about how rude I've been, the least that I can do is wear your thoughtful gift."

"Its beauty is dimmed by your own." Privately, Kraj thought that the humans were singularly unlovely creatures, but he was well practiced in diplomatic lying. He extracted M'rek's invitation from the folds of his robe. "And my Lord M'rek bade me to deliver this to you as well."

Rose opened the elaborate envelope, but then found herself in difficulties. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "But I'm afraid that I don't read your language." She held out the note to the servant. "Would you be so good as to translate it for me?"

"My pleasure." Kraj took the gilded page from her. "Lord M'rek invites you and your mate to dine with him at a time of your convenience."

Rose wasn't sure how to deal with this. She was, in a manner of speaking, in protective custody. At least the invitation included Spike. While she was sure that attending would be the right thing to do in business terms, she wasn't sure how it would go over on a personal note. "How very gracious of Lord M'rek," she answered. "But I'm afraid that I am unable to give a reply just yet. I'll have to talk the matter over with Spike."

That, at least sounded like a suitable reply to Kraj in this topsy-turvy dimension where females labored and held positions of importance. This one at least understood that the male in the mating should make the decisions. "Of course," he replied in oily tones. "I shall inform his Lordship, who I am sure, shall anxiously await your answer." He bowed. "I have taken up enough of your time, Ms. Powers."

"Please, call me Rose," she mumbled. She was so used to people calling her by her first name that Ms. Powers seemed like another person altogether.

"My honor and pleasure, Rose." Kraj left before his elation became so unrestrained that he howled. Surely Lord M'rek would reward him for this day's work. At the very least, he would let him live another day.

&&&&&&

The dinner dishes had been washed and put away, and Rose cuddled up against Spike on the sofa. When she did so, the gem around her neck slid out from under her blouse where it had rested, nearly forgotten since Kraj's departure.

"What's this, luv?" Spike asked, hefting the stone in his hand, examining it. "You haven't got someone else on the side, have you?"

Rose was about to make an indignant reply when she realized that Spike was just teasing. "Just another of a long line of males who feel they have to apologize to me," she replied airily. She snuggled closer to whisper, "I liked your way better."

Angel, who'd been curious about Rose's new adornment too, almost lost it on that one. And the gag reflex wasn't helped by Spike's trademark smirk. "Where did you get it, Rose?" he asked, before things got out of hand.

"Kraj," she answered. "Lord M'rek's servant, the one that Spike hit." That remark made the smirk go away as Spike winced at the memory of that afternoon. "He insisted on giving it to me to apologize." She turned her face up to look at Spike. "By the way, love, you and I have been invited to dine with his Lordship."

"Oh bloody hell," Spike muttered. "He wants us to sit down to some kibble with him does he?" He looked helplessly at Angel. "You can't let me go," he warned him. "I've already fu.., messed up badly enough with these blokes."

"I agree," Angel said. "Don't worry, Spike, you're off the hook with this one. I'll just explain to his Lordship that Rose is currently under protective custody and that the only way she could accept would be if he allowed a security team to go along to guard her."

"That ought to be enough to change his mind," Rose remarked. She then dismissed the subject from her mind. She picked up her name book and opened it to a marked page. "What do you think of Riley?"

"No!" Both vampires said it in explosive unison.

"You don't have to yell," Rose muttered, checking off the name. "Here's a nice one. Rupert."

Spike and Angel both groaned. The worst part was, they didn't even know if she was doing it on purpose or not.