Part 15d

"What the hell, can't you bloody well knock?"

Buffy was surprised that Spike was the one to say what was on her mind, especially since how weak he sounded and looked just moments ago. Even more though, she was relieved to hear his strength behind the words.

"I uhh, listen I just thought of something, and well, it could work," Angel replied, not knowing if it could actually work, but it was worth a try. Even more worth it if it would get him back in good terms with Buffy, and maybe Spike too.

"What are you talking about?"

Angel let his eyes drift to the marks on her neck. He knew that Buffy could tell what he was looking at, and he was surprised that she didn't even make a move to cover it up, or tell him something, anything about what just happened. Another revelation sunk in. She's not embarrassed, or sorry, it was completely normal for her. He let his eyes drift back at Spike and felt a pang of jealousy. He really does love her.

"Buffy, slayer blood may close the wound up and get his body to fight the agents, but it won't stop the Anpanaea blood. It's still in him. And I think his body was doing something that hinted at what could or should be done."

Buffy recalled the hit, the arrow, the blood, the wound. "The wound? It was getting rid of blood," Buffy said as the thought hit her. "Oh..." Buffy took off the gauze, and saw the wound already closed. "What have I done? Wait, if he was getting rid of blood, then how would it have stopped, I mean..."

"Exactly, I don't think it would have stopped, it would have just emptied him out," Angel confirmed what Buffy was about to say.

"So, what are you thinking? We swap blood so I won't empty?" Spike asked sarcastically, but he already knew what Angel was going to say. He knew once Angel had barged through the door.

"Yes, we swap blood," Angel said, flatly.

"No, not even going to try it," Spike said, without even a beat's wait. "I heard what Rupert said to Buffy while she was standing outside the door, while I was in here with Alex. He said she'll be safe as long as blood doesn't intermingle, but if it does, then..." Spike let his sentence drift, he didn't need to say the words, besides, Angel knew just as well. "And as much as I dislike you, especially since all that's happened, I'm not gonna take you up on youroffer, to swap life."

"Look, that all still applies, but Buffy's human and I'm not," Angel said, keeping his voice even. "And about swapping life, we wouldn't know if-look, it's like what Giles said, we are not entirely sure what the Anpanea blood can do to vampires."

Spike thought about it and shook his head. "No."

"Think about your son, he's-"

"I have been and I still am thinking about him, "Spike said, cutting Angel off. "And don't even talk about him, you don't get to, you are the bloody reason why I'm..." Spike glanced at Buffy. "...We are in this mess. And we tried because... my boy..." Spike looked at Angel, and saw his nod of understanding.

"Okay, I get it. Sorry, it's why I'm doing this, I'm not asking Spike, I'm not only offering, I want to do this." Angel watched both Buffy and Spike's reaction. "Look, if we are going to do this, we'd better do it fast. Waiting will only make things worse."

Spike looked at Angel, then at Buffy. He did feel the pain slowly course through his body. He knew that the aphrodisiac blood of THE slayer won't act like a panacea, as much as he wanted to believe it, it just wasn't enough to kill the poison in his dead body. What Angel proposed might actually do the trick.

Buffy didn't need to ask Spike what he was thinking, she already knew. So, she turned to Angel. "I was planning on giving you hell once I knew that Spike would be okay, but after all that's happened... And what you say couldwork, I'll just-You should know, you can't put the milk back into the carton once it spills. Who would want to anyway?" Buffy stated, her voice even. "The only thing you can do is clean it up, and hope it won't happen again."

Angel nodded with an expressionless face, understanding what Buffy meant. He would take full responsibility for what happened, even if it was Drusilla's plan. He wasn't strong enough to resist, he played the doll to distract Spike. He knew that he could have done something to have stopped it, even as Angelus. For that, he knew, Spike was right. Spike was more of a man because he changed the demon in him, while he, himself, hid behind the demon. Angel left the thought as soon as it presented itself in his mind. He would brood over it later, but now was not the time. Angel watched as Buffy looked at Spike again, before she left the room.

"You know, if the situation wasn't so serious, I would probably get a kick out of this," Angel said as he walked to Spike.

Spike grinned at that. "Who are you kidding, Angel? I got a kick once you took your first step closer." Spike tried to chuckle but the pain made him grimace instead.

It wasn't the kind of pain from being hit by arrows, bullets and swords. No, it felt like combustion from the inside out. Spike made a move to sit up nonetheless. And next thing he knew, Angel was inches away. "Mate, I gotta tell you, this time around, a whole new set of thoughts are runnin' through my mind, quite different thoughts than I had with my wife."

"Well, I could imagine, but right now I'm not trying to think."

And before Spike knew it, Angel was at his neck with his fangs already breaking skin.

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"Buffy, why don't you have a seat, you want me to make you a cuppa?" Giles asked as he watched Buffy pace the expanse of the living room.

Buffy shook her head in reply. "Do you know what's going on in there?"

Giles didn't say anything but sighed in answer.

"Then you'd understand that I'm a bit anxious to say the least." Buffy paced a few more sets, then plopped herself onto the couch. "Giles this better work. If..." Buffy choked at the thought.

Giles moved next to her. "Buffy, I can't say what could or what..." He was at a lost for words and didn't bother to say anything that could be considered as comforting, because he knew that words wasn't going to help Buffy.

Buffy just couldn't take it anymore, and all the tears that she did not allow to fall earlier, came streaming down without relent. Letting all the emotions sink in. She let Giles pull her closer to him, and sobbed into his offered shoulder.

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Spike also morphed as he felt the penetration of Angel's fangs. He had not felt a vampires bite in ages, and for a hell-of-a-lot-longer than that he had not felt Angel's bite. And the bite was no different than the times before.

Spike tilted his head and tried to move his hand to move Angel's collar away so that he could get a clean bite, but couldn't. Every part of his body felt too heavy to move.

Angel, who was already taking deep pulls of blood, stopped for a second. Something was missing. Then it donned on him, Spike's lack of movement. With a sigh, he noticed why. Angel yanked the collar away from his neck, tearing the fabric. And lifted Spikes head closer to him. Their eyes met for a brief second, before Angel assumed his position and sank his fangs again into the younger vampire's neck.

Spike, not taking another moments hesitation, sank his fangs into flesh as well.

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"Mommy?" Alex, who saw his mom crying, dropped the pizza he was holding, and went to her.

Buffy turned to look at Alex, and wiped away her tears. She held out her hands and Alex moved closer. She pulled him up onto her lap.

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Angel's blood was no blood of a slayer, but it has its own qualities that made Spike greedy for more. Angel may not be his sire, but he was from the same bloodline nonetheless. And the fact that the blood was offered, did not take away from the want of it all.

Angel was dizzy from the mix of blood he was taking from Spike. First and foremost, it was the blood of Spike. Just his blood alone made him want to take control of him. Then, there was the blood of Buffy's, the strong taste, made him dizzy with want. Need. Desire. And then there was the taste of the Anpanaea blood that made Angel just plain crazy. He could feel the effects of it in his own body, he felt his body getting warmer by the second, and felt his body start to cave in. If he completely caved, Angel mused, he'd be in a position he didn't want to be in; on top of Spike. But then a thought quickly passed through his mind, at least I wouldn't be the one underneath. Angel turned them both so that he was no longer leaning over Spike, but beside him.

Spike was the first to stop; he felt the strength slowly creep back into him. He didn't know whether or not if it would last because, the same thing happened when he took the first sip of Buffy's blood, which had seemed to help, but had noticed that the strength he had gained was only temporary. Something in him told him that this time was different.

Angel stopped a moment after. He quickly wiped the blood from his lips and sat up.

They sighed in unison.

Angel turned to lean back onto the headboard half sitting. Spike just fell back since the headboard was already behind him. "Think it'll work?"

Angel shrugged. "Guess we'll hafta see."

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Buffy assured her son, knowing she needed the assurance just as well, "Everything will turn out okay, you'll see."