51

Wedding Bell Blues

Eve lay on her side, tracing designs on Angelus' bare chest with a fingertip. The mark on her neck now had companions elsewhere on her body.

"That was incredible," she murmured. "And as distractions go, it was one of the best. Just not quite good enough."

"And what would the senior partners say if I dropped the diplomacy and told them to go piss up a rope?" Angelus asked.

"But they're on your side," Eve protested. "So am I."

Angelus laughed, disentangled himself from her and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

"No one's on anyone's side," he shot back. "A team effort is nothing but an illusion. When push comes to shove, it's every man for himself."

"If you keep up with that attitude," Eve remarked, draping herself across his shoulders. "The senior partners may decide that you're nothing but a loose cannon. They don't like loose cannons."

In the blink of an eye, Angelus had her flat on the bed again, one hand threatening and uncomfortable on her throat.

"You may want to suggest to the senior partners that they should wait to see the results before passing judgment," he grated out tersely. He squeezed, just enough to cut off her oxygen for a moment, then released her and went back to the business of getting dressed.

Eve was dressed and more than half-way to the door before he spoke again.

"Eve." His eyes were hard and looked so dark that they almost appeared to be black rather than brown. "Don't ever threaten me again."

&&&&&&

"What's the rush, pet?" Spike asked as Rose went through the after dinner clean-up at breakneck speed. "Got a late date?"

"I have to go back to the office for a little while," Rose said. She didn't let hurrying keep her from her usual meticulous cleaning job. "I have some research to do, and I need my computer for it."

"You already gave Wolfram and Hart an honest eight hours of your time, luv," Spike protested. "What's so important that you have to do it now instead of spending a little quality time with me and the kids?"

"Maybe it could wait," Rose conceded, without answering the question. "I might just go in a little early tomorrow morning."

Spike heaved a sigh of relief. "It's not a life or death deal then?"

Rose shook her head. "No, it's not even work-related," she admitted. "That's why I don't intend to do it on company time."

Spike pulled her close, just enjoying her nearness. "You've probably got enough on your plate on that score anyway, don't you, babe?" He started stroking her hair when she leaned her head on his shoulder. "What's the pet project?"

"Our wedding," Rose mumbled.

Spike had that sinking feeling that Rose was going to go all out on the affair. On the other hand, if she did, he had some very decent money coming from his bet with Gunn. He consoled himself with that thought.

&&&&&&

"Knock, knock." Fred said it rather than doing it since the door to Rose's office was already open. "It's time to get off the computer and get some lunch, Rose. All work and no play and all that."

"I'm not working," Rose replied, without taking her eyes from the computer screen. "But I wanted to get this done, and since it's Friday, I won't have another chance until Monday."

"If you're not working, then what are you doing?" Fred queried. "You seem to be awfully intent on it."

"Weddings," Rose said shortly. "I had no idea they were so.., complicated. Somehow I had the impression that it wasn't much more than what Spike and I did when we exchanged rings. But now that I'm looking at all this.., Bridal registry, receptions, bridal parties, rehearsal dinners. Good heavens! I wonder that anyone wants to go through with all that."

"Tell you what," Fred suggested. "Why don't I go get lunch for both of us and bring it back here? Then, we'll go over what you absolutely need for a wedding, and what is stuff that people who want to impress other people with how much money they're spending want."

Rose was already starting to look immensely relieved. "You mean I don't have to have caterers and florists and professional photographers?" she asked. "I don't need ten or twelve people in the wedding party? Or multiple fittings for a wedding gown? I don't need a three-tiered cake with a little bride and groom on top?"

"Save the questions for now," Fred advised. "In fact, why don't you write them down? We'll discuss it all when I get back with lunch."

As Fred left to get their meal, Rose hit the escape key on her computer. The word expressed her feelings exactly.

&&&&&&

"Any more news on Angelus, Travers?" Stenslow asked. He was getting edgy about the whole thing, but he had told Angelus that he would give him a week to adjust. It wasn't that he had any particular problem with breaking his word, it was just that he suspected that breaking his word to Angelus could have fatal consequences. Or, not breaking his word. Cariadoc Stenslow was slowly coming to the realization that he had a tiger by the tail. And all he could do now was hang on for dear life and hope that the tiger didn't turn around and bite.

"He hasn't left the building since his visit here, sir," Travers said in his dry, matter-of-fact voice. "And they finally swept his office for bugs. So we have no more information coming from that source."

"And what of the plan to eliminate the Q'xlzr demon and its information net?" Stenslow pressed.

"Most of its network is now dysfunctional," Travers informed him. "But we have yet to make contact with the demon. It's a wily little creature."

The phone rang, and Travers picked it up. "Havoc & Associates, Mr. Stenslow's office." He covered the mouthpiece with his hand. "Angelus would like to speak with you, sir."

Stenslow took the phone as though he were afraid that it would bite him, but none of this was betrayed by the unflagging confidence in his voice. "Hello, Angelus," he greeted the vampire. "What may I do for you today?"

"Back away from the Q'xlzr demon," Angelus hissed into the phone. "Right now, I need it alive. When I don't, then I intend to kill it myself."

"Well, I might consider calling off the hit men," Stenslow allowed. "But nothing is for free, Angelus. What will you do for me?"

"What do you want?" Angelus figured it cost him nothing to listen. And Stenslow's bravado was mildly amusing.

"I have a client who's case is coming to trial shortly," Stenslow replied. "I send you the name and particulars, and your firm defends him. Successfully. If you fail, the deal is off and the Q'xlzr dies."

"If it's still alive by the time the trial is over," Angelus pointed out. "I did say that I plan to kill it. And I don't want anyone getting in my way. But, I can be nice. What's your client up for?"

"A little difficulty with bringing contraband substances through customs," Stenslow answered. "I'll have the information sent over directly."

"I'll be waiting for it," Angelus replied. He hung up. Did Stenslow even realize that he was being strung along as surely as the group at Wolfram and Hart? Well, there was certainly a better possibility of it than team Angel. At least Stenslow had some idea of who and what he was dealing with. Whereas the fang gang wouldn't know what hit them.

&&&&&&

"How goes the search for keeping your soul where it belongs?" Spike asked as Angelus entered the practice room.

"Concern? From you, Spike? I'm touched." Angelus gave his sarcasm free reign. Angel would have.

"I don't want to hear about nothing or nobody touching you," Spike vowed. "And the reason I asked, is that you're a bigger pain in the ass without a soul than with, hard a concept as that is to deal with."

"Are we going to work out? Or are you just going to work your mouth?" Angelus was getting antsy, and this daily workout was the only release he had at the moment.

"Well, if you're in such a hurry to get your candy-ass kicked..," Spike finished his remark with his fist. It caught Angelus a glancing blow on his jaw. It would have been a solid hit that rang his chimes if he hadn't jerked his head back at the last moment.

"I've forgotten more about fighting than you'll ever know," Angelus bragged.

"That must be why you're so easy to beat," Spike observed, dodging a blow. "Another symptom of vampire senility."

&&&&&&

"Lunch was over fifteen minutes ago, ladies," Wesley said, walking into Rose's office. "What on God's green earth are the two of you doing?"

"Wedding plans," Fred explained. "Rose was feeling a little overwhelmed, so I helped out." She stood, and gave Rose's shoulder a pat. "Do you have a pretty good idea of what you're doing now?"

"I think so," Rose replied. "Can we do this again Monday, Fred? I still have an awful lot of questions."

"Sure thing," Fred assured her. "But right now, I ought to get back to R&D."

As Fred left, Wesley turned to Rose. "Yes, I know that you and Spike are getting married, Rose. Am I invited to the wedding?"

"What is that phrase that Harmony uses?" Rose thought aloud. "Well, duh. That's it. Of course you're invited, Wesley. But I don't even know when it's going to be yet."

"All in good time," Wesley replied. "And in the meantime, might I suggest that you do some actual research? Non-wedding related research, that is."

"Wesley, I've gone through every source that I could think of that might have the information we need," Rose said helplessly. "I've even dug into a few references that aren't remotely related, out of desperation. I just don't know where else to look. But I haven't found anything where I have been looking."

Wesley nodded sympathetically. "I've had the same bad luck," he commiserated. "But we can't give up." He looked at the time. "But we may both be getting a little burn-out. Why don't we take a break at the shooting range?"

Rose groaned. She didn't consider the shooting range to be an improvement over hopeless and tedious research.

&&&&&&

"You guys aren't concentrating today," Oz remarked. "You've been doing pretty well the last couple of days. What's the problem?"

"We're just excited about mummy and daddy getting married," Ariel explained. "Don't you think it's great, Oz?"

"Sure," Oz agreed. "But you still need to do your lessons." He looked at Alaric. "Aren't you excited too?"

"They're probably going to make me wear a nancy-boy suit," Alaric grumbled. Then, he brightened a little. "But I guess that's okay this once."

"Now that we have that settled," Oz replied. "Do you think you could apply yourselves to your lessons for a while?"

&&&&&&

Gunn looked over at his lunch companion. "I can't believe that Rose and Spike are finally getting married," he commented. "Kind of blows your mind, doesn't it?"

"Well, Chuckles," Lorne replied. "I think it's high time to be sure." He sighed. "I sure would like to be the one to give Rosebud away though. But she'll probably have Angel do that."

"It's hard to tell," Gunn admitted. "But you do know what else this means? The one part of the wedding planning that is strictly guys territory."

"I'm thinking you're talking about a bachelor party?" Lorne guessed. "Under normal circumstances, I'd give a big resounding yes to anything that involves serious drinking. But are you sure that it's appropriate for this particular situation?"

"C'mon, Lorne," Gunn coaxed. "It's the guy's last hurrah, even if he has been living with her for years. I think we ought to do the whole thing large. Booze, strippers, a girl jumping out of a cake, the whole ball of wax."

"Much as I hate to rain on your parade," Lorne interjected. "Do you think strippers are a good idea? Considering that whatever Spike doesn't tell the munchkins, they'll just pick right out of his mind."

"Oh shit," Gunn muttered. "I hadn't thought about that. I can just imagine what Rose would say if her kids looked into their dad's head and saw women taking their clothes off. She'd skin us, wouldn't she?"

"I'd say that was pretty safe money," Lorne answered. "So what does that leave us with? Sitting around drinking and swapping tall tales?"

"It's doable," Gunn conceded. "Damn. I was really kind of looking forward to the strippers."

"I think you need to get a life," Lorne advised. "Or at least a girlfriend."

"Been a little leery of the whole dating scene since I screwed up with Fred," Gunn replied. "But hell, it's been years. Maybe it's time to get my feet wet again."

"Maybe you ought to just jump headlong into the pool," Lorne said.

&&&&&&

"We could have a totally faboo girl's night out," Harmony said excitedly. "Like going to see the male strippers."

"Nix on the strippers," Fred rejoined with a shake of her head. "The kids, remember? You can't keep secrets from them. Besides, I can't imagine Rose watching strippers. She'd probably be blushing the whole time."

"Well we've got to do something," Harmony pouted. She'd really been looking forward to tucking a few dollar bills into some g-strings. "And it can't be drinking. Rose is such a lightweight that one or two drinks put her lights out."

"We'll think of something," Fred consoled her. "Wait a minute. I think I've got it. Why don't the three of us go to one of those glamour places? Where they give you a make-over and take the fashion model type pictures?"

Harmony brightened. "That might work. And we could go shopping, and maybe even stop somewhere where you two could get something totally fattening. A girl's day out."

"Sounds like a plan," Fred agreed. "Now, we just have to wait for them to set a date.