None of them are mine, yada yada yada, you guys know the drill by now. I
hope to have the next chapter up some time in the next day or so. The kids
are back in school and I have the house to myself again so it's nothing but
me and my muse. (My muse is really just my Buffy and Spike action figures
standing together holding hands on the shelf above my computer where I can
see them)
Surprise
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Five hours and two rest stops later the group pulled into the Hyperion. It looked deserted. The front door was open and no one answered when Spike called out.
"Looks like they just up and moved out. Have you heard from any of them?" Spike did miss a few of his vampire qualities, like being able to sense where his 'family' was at all times.
"Angel said something about them moving to a new office, but I didn't think he meant to live there." Buffy began searching through her purse for her cell phone. "I'll call and see where they are."
"Angel? Where are you guys? We're here at the hotel and we're all alone."
"Buffy? What are you doing in LA? Thought you were going to Cleveland."
"Long story, I'll tell you when I see you. Which by the way, where would that be now? I have a surprise that I'd rather you found out in person instead of over the phone."
"We moved to the Wolfram and Hart building downtown. Is everything ok?"
"Wolfram and Hart? Wasn't that the bunch of demon lawyers or something?"
At hearing the name Spike motioned to Buffy that he knew where that was.
"Ok, we'll be there shortly." She didn't really want to know how Spike knew about them, but she was sure he would tell her. Hanging up the phone and dropping it with a plop back into her purse she turned to the people standing around her waiting for their next move.
"We staying here tonight or what? Cause if I unload that car, we stay here." Xander had no intention of playing bell hop more than once tonight.
"Don't know yet. Do you guys want to come with or stay here? I'm sure Angel wouldn't mind us using this place for tonight."
"I wouldn't miss this for anything!" Dawn couldn't wait to see the look on Angel's face when a human Spike walked in.
"I'm not in a real hurry to see Deadboy but I wouldn't mind watching this show." Xander didn't like Spike, but seeing him twist and torment Angel would be a lot of fun.
"There will be no show. We will have a very calm discussion." Buffy was more trying to convince herself than anyone else.
That only earned simultaneous snorting noises from Spike and Dawn.
"Calm, civilized discussion." Buffy repeated in an almost scolding tone.
"I'll play nice luv, promise." Playing nice didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the look on Angel's face when he walked in with his arm around Buffy, or that he couldn't look on smugly while Buffy told him about Spike being human and all now.
"If it's going to be all that I'm staying here." No reason to go if he wasn't going to see Angel squirm.
"I'm still going." Dawn wouldn't miss this. There was no way it was going to be all calm no matter what Buffy said. There would be a lot of fireworks.
"Buffy I guess I'll stay here and get settled for the night if that's ok, unless you need me to go." Willow had heard of that place from Fred through their emails. She didn't want to get that close to anything that dark and powerful again.
"Thanks Wil, but I think we can handle it. Can't we Spike?" Taking his hand and giving it a tight squeeze.
"Sure thing. We can deal with Peaches. . ." an even tighter squeeze, "Er. . . Angel"
That settled Xander and Spike began to unload the car.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Willow casually strolled through the lobby wondering to herself. This was such a beautiful place. Why would the AI team just move out and leave it? She'd have to ask Buffy for some details later.
The car unloaded, Xander plopped down on one of the round sofas startling Willow back from her thoughts.
"All unloaded?"
"All of it. How is it you women have so much stuff to carry around and me and Spike only have one bag each? Wait a minute, did I just use me and Spike in a sentence that would mean we have something in common?" Xander's world was getting weirder by the day.
"Yep, gonna have to accept that now. He's just as human as you. What are we having for dinner? You think maybe they left a phone book around here somewhere? There's gotta be a take out place that delivers here."
The two began hunting for the elusive phone book and discussing what they were in the mood for dinner-wise.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
In the car on the way downtown Buffy sat quietly. This wasn't going to be easy. She wasn't in love with Angel anymore, but she didn't want to hurt him and seeing Spike human and the two of them together was going to do just that. She needed to be the one to tell him. There was no way of knowing what he would do if he found out from someone else. It had to come from her. Well, them.
Sensing her unease, Spike reached for her hand giving it a pat.
"Luv, it will be ok. He might be a little upset but it will work out. He wants you to be happy right?" Buffy nodded, "Are you happy?" He was holding his breath for the answer to that one. He hadn't really expected it to come from his mouth. He thought she was, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe she was so upset because Angel was what she really wanted and she was settling for him. He let out the breath he was holding quietly as she answered him.
"That's a silly question. Of course I'm happy. Do you think I'd want to have your baby if I wasn't happy?" Forgetting that Dawn was sitting doe- eyed and mouth dropped open in the back seat. Uh-oh. The cat was out of the bag now.
"You're having a baby?" Dawn couldn't help but squeal and nearly jumped across the seat to hug Buffy. Reaching for Spike, forgetting that he was currently driving his usual high speed.
"Bit, I'm glad you're happy for us and all but I'd like to live to see my child born." She released her hold and he straightened out the car.
"We don't know for sure yet. We won't know for a few more days. You can't tell anyone. Nobody else knows and we wanted to wait until we know for sure ok Dawnie." Buffy hoped Dawn would understand their need to keep this little secret.
"I won't tell a soul. I promise." Dawn crossed her heart and nodded her head grinning wildly. She knew something no one else did. She loved being in on secrets.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Sitting on the floor on pillows they had dragged from the couches and chairs, Willow and Xander were surrounded by Chinese food boxes.
"That delivery guy was jumpy. Even by Sunnydale standards."
"Well Wil, the vamps have probably used delivery to give a whole new meaning to take out."
"Yeah, but their ad was circled in the phone book so they had probably delivered here before and not gotten eaten. What, did they think Angel went all Angelous and decided that people were on the menu again?" Realizing that he probably had before they called her to re-soul the vamp, Willow changed the subject. No need for anyone else to know that Angelous had been on the loose. She and Faith had talked about what had happened on their drive back to Sunnydale. They had decided that it would only cause problems so they wouldn't tell any of the others. Not even Buffy.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Pulling into the parking garage under the building Spike stopped at the gate and took a ticket from the guard.
"We're here to see Angel. He knows we're coming."
"Let me check."
The man was only gone for a second then returned.
"He left your names down. Said to come on up. He's on the top floor."
"Thanks Mate." Spike drove on into the garage and found a parking place near the elevators.
"Ready for this Luv?"
"As ready as I'm going to get. Come on Dawn."
The three headed for the elevator. Once inside Spike checked the numbers and found Angel's name listed next to one and pushed it. He took Buffy's hand in his and kissed it.
"Luv, I was here a few years ago. Before the chip. The guys that ran this place then wanted me to work for them. They wanted me to help them take Angel out. That's how I knew where to find it. Just thought you should know." There, he'd told the truth about it. He didn't want any secrets from Buffy now.
"It's ok Spike. Lot's of things were different then. Besides, Angel survived and so did you. It's water under the bridge." What else could she say? She knew he had done things in the past, there was no way of changing them. She loved him now and that's all that mattered.
"Thanks Pet" Spike smiled at her and leaned down and kissed her just as the doors opened.
"Hello Buffy. Spike?"
Surprise
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Five hours and two rest stops later the group pulled into the Hyperion. It looked deserted. The front door was open and no one answered when Spike called out.
"Looks like they just up and moved out. Have you heard from any of them?" Spike did miss a few of his vampire qualities, like being able to sense where his 'family' was at all times.
"Angel said something about them moving to a new office, but I didn't think he meant to live there." Buffy began searching through her purse for her cell phone. "I'll call and see where they are."
"Angel? Where are you guys? We're here at the hotel and we're all alone."
"Buffy? What are you doing in LA? Thought you were going to Cleveland."
"Long story, I'll tell you when I see you. Which by the way, where would that be now? I have a surprise that I'd rather you found out in person instead of over the phone."
"We moved to the Wolfram and Hart building downtown. Is everything ok?"
"Wolfram and Hart? Wasn't that the bunch of demon lawyers or something?"
At hearing the name Spike motioned to Buffy that he knew where that was.
"Ok, we'll be there shortly." She didn't really want to know how Spike knew about them, but she was sure he would tell her. Hanging up the phone and dropping it with a plop back into her purse she turned to the people standing around her waiting for their next move.
"We staying here tonight or what? Cause if I unload that car, we stay here." Xander had no intention of playing bell hop more than once tonight.
"Don't know yet. Do you guys want to come with or stay here? I'm sure Angel wouldn't mind us using this place for tonight."
"I wouldn't miss this for anything!" Dawn couldn't wait to see the look on Angel's face when a human Spike walked in.
"I'm not in a real hurry to see Deadboy but I wouldn't mind watching this show." Xander didn't like Spike, but seeing him twist and torment Angel would be a lot of fun.
"There will be no show. We will have a very calm discussion." Buffy was more trying to convince herself than anyone else.
That only earned simultaneous snorting noises from Spike and Dawn.
"Calm, civilized discussion." Buffy repeated in an almost scolding tone.
"I'll play nice luv, promise." Playing nice didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the look on Angel's face when he walked in with his arm around Buffy, or that he couldn't look on smugly while Buffy told him about Spike being human and all now.
"If it's going to be all that I'm staying here." No reason to go if he wasn't going to see Angel squirm.
"I'm still going." Dawn wouldn't miss this. There was no way it was going to be all calm no matter what Buffy said. There would be a lot of fireworks.
"Buffy I guess I'll stay here and get settled for the night if that's ok, unless you need me to go." Willow had heard of that place from Fred through their emails. She didn't want to get that close to anything that dark and powerful again.
"Thanks Wil, but I think we can handle it. Can't we Spike?" Taking his hand and giving it a tight squeeze.
"Sure thing. We can deal with Peaches. . ." an even tighter squeeze, "Er. . . Angel"
That settled Xander and Spike began to unload the car.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Willow casually strolled through the lobby wondering to herself. This was such a beautiful place. Why would the AI team just move out and leave it? She'd have to ask Buffy for some details later.
The car unloaded, Xander plopped down on one of the round sofas startling Willow back from her thoughts.
"All unloaded?"
"All of it. How is it you women have so much stuff to carry around and me and Spike only have one bag each? Wait a minute, did I just use me and Spike in a sentence that would mean we have something in common?" Xander's world was getting weirder by the day.
"Yep, gonna have to accept that now. He's just as human as you. What are we having for dinner? You think maybe they left a phone book around here somewhere? There's gotta be a take out place that delivers here."
The two began hunting for the elusive phone book and discussing what they were in the mood for dinner-wise.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
In the car on the way downtown Buffy sat quietly. This wasn't going to be easy. She wasn't in love with Angel anymore, but she didn't want to hurt him and seeing Spike human and the two of them together was going to do just that. She needed to be the one to tell him. There was no way of knowing what he would do if he found out from someone else. It had to come from her. Well, them.
Sensing her unease, Spike reached for her hand giving it a pat.
"Luv, it will be ok. He might be a little upset but it will work out. He wants you to be happy right?" Buffy nodded, "Are you happy?" He was holding his breath for the answer to that one. He hadn't really expected it to come from his mouth. He thought she was, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe she was so upset because Angel was what she really wanted and she was settling for him. He let out the breath he was holding quietly as she answered him.
"That's a silly question. Of course I'm happy. Do you think I'd want to have your baby if I wasn't happy?" Forgetting that Dawn was sitting doe- eyed and mouth dropped open in the back seat. Uh-oh. The cat was out of the bag now.
"You're having a baby?" Dawn couldn't help but squeal and nearly jumped across the seat to hug Buffy. Reaching for Spike, forgetting that he was currently driving his usual high speed.
"Bit, I'm glad you're happy for us and all but I'd like to live to see my child born." She released her hold and he straightened out the car.
"We don't know for sure yet. We won't know for a few more days. You can't tell anyone. Nobody else knows and we wanted to wait until we know for sure ok Dawnie." Buffy hoped Dawn would understand their need to keep this little secret.
"I won't tell a soul. I promise." Dawn crossed her heart and nodded her head grinning wildly. She knew something no one else did. She loved being in on secrets.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Sitting on the floor on pillows they had dragged from the couches and chairs, Willow and Xander were surrounded by Chinese food boxes.
"That delivery guy was jumpy. Even by Sunnydale standards."
"Well Wil, the vamps have probably used delivery to give a whole new meaning to take out."
"Yeah, but their ad was circled in the phone book so they had probably delivered here before and not gotten eaten. What, did they think Angel went all Angelous and decided that people were on the menu again?" Realizing that he probably had before they called her to re-soul the vamp, Willow changed the subject. No need for anyone else to know that Angelous had been on the loose. She and Faith had talked about what had happened on their drive back to Sunnydale. They had decided that it would only cause problems so they wouldn't tell any of the others. Not even Buffy.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Pulling into the parking garage under the building Spike stopped at the gate and took a ticket from the guard.
"We're here to see Angel. He knows we're coming."
"Let me check."
The man was only gone for a second then returned.
"He left your names down. Said to come on up. He's on the top floor."
"Thanks Mate." Spike drove on into the garage and found a parking place near the elevators.
"Ready for this Luv?"
"As ready as I'm going to get. Come on Dawn."
The three headed for the elevator. Once inside Spike checked the numbers and found Angel's name listed next to one and pushed it. He took Buffy's hand in his and kissed it.
"Luv, I was here a few years ago. Before the chip. The guys that ran this place then wanted me to work for them. They wanted me to help them take Angel out. That's how I knew where to find it. Just thought you should know." There, he'd told the truth about it. He didn't want any secrets from Buffy now.
"It's ok Spike. Lot's of things were different then. Besides, Angel survived and so did you. It's water under the bridge." What else could she say? She knew he had done things in the past, there was no way of changing them. She loved him now and that's all that mattered.
"Thanks Pet" Spike smiled at her and leaned down and kissed her just as the doors opened.
"Hello Buffy. Spike?"