Chapter 31
"Are we going out?"
"Not tonight, luv, I have other plans."
Buffy looked hurt at his refusal and again he saw what kind of damage Angel had done to both the women he had dated. Although Buffy seemed stronger than Dru, she still needed the reassurance he was there for her and no one else. He gave her a fierce hug.
"You know me better than that, pet. I'm not cheating on you and I really do have other plans. One night without me doesn't mean I'll never come back."
"I know, it's ridiculous, but. . ."
"Sshhh, don't be sorry. Let me take care of this and from tomorrow on I'm all yours. How's that?"
"All mine?" She asked with a sly smile on her face.
"To do with as you please, I promise." He grinned.
"Then I think I can miss you for one day."
"I'll see you tomorrow, okay luv?"
He gave her a quick kiss on the mouth and winked at her as he walked away. She waved at him but from the moment he turned away his face became grim. He hoped he was still there tomorrow to keep that lovely promise.
On his way out he met Xander and Willow, who were concerned about him. They knew William a tad longer than Buffy and saw something was troubling him. He brushed past them and appeared not to notice anyone. They walked on to Buffy, fearing they had a fight.
"Is everything alright between the two of you?"
"Never been better, why?"
"Spike seems kind of distant, like he has something on his mind. Okay, the guy has always something on his mind, but this is strange."
"I had hoped he had said anything to you. . . whatever it is, it's happening tonight."
Spike went seemingly quiet and at ease towards the old factory that he had found some time ago. It was abandoned, but still stood steadily on its foundations. It was perfect for his meeting with Angel, should there be one.
Spike knew the factory like the back of his hand, he knew the hiding places, the somewhat rotted and dangerous areas. If there was anything like a second home in the world, this was his. Or rather, it had become his home after the attack, where he planned his revenge. Although the need of it had died down after he regained his memory and really learned to know Buffy, it was still lurking in the back of his mind.
This night was entirely his.
*** Angel contemplated what to do with the 'invitation' he had gotten from Spike. Although the words of the Brit had scared him somewhat, he was still sure the man had nothing on him. He maybe remembered some vague shadows, but he could never be certain it was Angel, ever. It was too dark for that.
What all the self confidence he could bring up, he went to the old factory in the middle of Sunnydale. Even in the dark it seemed threatening, but Angel didn't see it. He only thought of the Englishman that would be inside the building, so he could finish him off forgood.
To his surprise the doors of the old factory were opened. Angel had figured Spike wanted to do this all in secret, since the doors had been closed for as long as he could remember. There was something odd about it, but he couldn't quite place it.
"Englishman! Show yourself! Or are you too chicken?"
He walked a few metres and hoped he could hear his enemy approach. Suddenly someone stood a few feet away from him.
"You didn't think I would make it easy on you by not showing up. Granted, I thought you were a bigger coward than this."
"For once and for all, what do you want?"
"Oh, what everyone wants, I think. Loads of money, a season ticket to Man U, just stand on Trafalgar Square again. . ."
"Cut the crap, Spike. What do you want?"
"To settle this. You thought you could get away with it, didn't you? Too bad for you I survived and remembered the whole deal."
After these last words, Spike took on his fighting stance and waited patiently for Angel to come out of the stupor his words had caused. To his surprise, Angel started laughing.
"You are quite the fool, Englishman. But if it'll make you feel better, I'll gladly beat you up."
The two men circled each other, barely within sight. Angel took the first swing and missed, as Spikes kick got blocked. They both searched for openings in the other ones defence. Angel was the first to temporarily loose his patience and just threw punches at the other who could block them, though one hit him hard.
Spike fell on the ground a few feet further and Angel followed. Spike kicked him in the chest, which sent the dark-haired man sprawling on his back. Both more than a few feet apart could not see each other anymore. Spike stepped into the circle again and waited for Angel to come back to him.
After a few seconds Angel stood up, this time with a gun in his hands. Spike recognized it as the weapon with which he had been shot before.
"You didn't think I'd let you beat me until I confessed, now did you Englishman?"
"Are we going out?"
"Not tonight, luv, I have other plans."
Buffy looked hurt at his refusal and again he saw what kind of damage Angel had done to both the women he had dated. Although Buffy seemed stronger than Dru, she still needed the reassurance he was there for her and no one else. He gave her a fierce hug.
"You know me better than that, pet. I'm not cheating on you and I really do have other plans. One night without me doesn't mean I'll never come back."
"I know, it's ridiculous, but. . ."
"Sshhh, don't be sorry. Let me take care of this and from tomorrow on I'm all yours. How's that?"
"All mine?" She asked with a sly smile on her face.
"To do with as you please, I promise." He grinned.
"Then I think I can miss you for one day."
"I'll see you tomorrow, okay luv?"
He gave her a quick kiss on the mouth and winked at her as he walked away. She waved at him but from the moment he turned away his face became grim. He hoped he was still there tomorrow to keep that lovely promise.
On his way out he met Xander and Willow, who were concerned about him. They knew William a tad longer than Buffy and saw something was troubling him. He brushed past them and appeared not to notice anyone. They walked on to Buffy, fearing they had a fight.
"Is everything alright between the two of you?"
"Never been better, why?"
"Spike seems kind of distant, like he has something on his mind. Okay, the guy has always something on his mind, but this is strange."
"I had hoped he had said anything to you. . . whatever it is, it's happening tonight."
Spike went seemingly quiet and at ease towards the old factory that he had found some time ago. It was abandoned, but still stood steadily on its foundations. It was perfect for his meeting with Angel, should there be one.
Spike knew the factory like the back of his hand, he knew the hiding places, the somewhat rotted and dangerous areas. If there was anything like a second home in the world, this was his. Or rather, it had become his home after the attack, where he planned his revenge. Although the need of it had died down after he regained his memory and really learned to know Buffy, it was still lurking in the back of his mind.
This night was entirely his.
*** Angel contemplated what to do with the 'invitation' he had gotten from Spike. Although the words of the Brit had scared him somewhat, he was still sure the man had nothing on him. He maybe remembered some vague shadows, but he could never be certain it was Angel, ever. It was too dark for that.
What all the self confidence he could bring up, he went to the old factory in the middle of Sunnydale. Even in the dark it seemed threatening, but Angel didn't see it. He only thought of the Englishman that would be inside the building, so he could finish him off forgood.
To his surprise the doors of the old factory were opened. Angel had figured Spike wanted to do this all in secret, since the doors had been closed for as long as he could remember. There was something odd about it, but he couldn't quite place it.
"Englishman! Show yourself! Or are you too chicken?"
He walked a few metres and hoped he could hear his enemy approach. Suddenly someone stood a few feet away from him.
"You didn't think I would make it easy on you by not showing up. Granted, I thought you were a bigger coward than this."
"For once and for all, what do you want?"
"Oh, what everyone wants, I think. Loads of money, a season ticket to Man U, just stand on Trafalgar Square again. . ."
"Cut the crap, Spike. What do you want?"
"To settle this. You thought you could get away with it, didn't you? Too bad for you I survived and remembered the whole deal."
After these last words, Spike took on his fighting stance and waited patiently for Angel to come out of the stupor his words had caused. To his surprise, Angel started laughing.
"You are quite the fool, Englishman. But if it'll make you feel better, I'll gladly beat you up."
The two men circled each other, barely within sight. Angel took the first swing and missed, as Spikes kick got blocked. They both searched for openings in the other ones defence. Angel was the first to temporarily loose his patience and just threw punches at the other who could block them, though one hit him hard.
Spike fell on the ground a few feet further and Angel followed. Spike kicked him in the chest, which sent the dark-haired man sprawling on his back. Both more than a few feet apart could not see each other anymore. Spike stepped into the circle again and waited for Angel to come back to him.
After a few seconds Angel stood up, this time with a gun in his hands. Spike recognized it as the weapon with which he had been shot before.
"You didn't think I'd let you beat me until I confessed, now did you Englishman?"