128

I've got the timeline a little out of kilter as far as zones between California and England go, sorry about that. You'll just have to bear with me on this one. I'll try to work things out.

Best Laid Plans

As Spike and Gunn reached the private elevator to Angel's penthouse, Eve stepped out of it, face like a storm cloud.

Spike didn't even have to waste time asking her if Angelus was there, like he'd wasted time checking the pouf's office. The purpling, swollen mark on her face was all the answer he needed. He grabbed Eve by the shoulders, turned her to face him.

"Is she still alive?" Bloody stupid question. Of course she was, or he wouldn't be. But it was the first one that came to mind.

"She was when I left," Eve answered indifferently. "But of course, these things can change so quickly." She laughed suddenly, and it had a hysterical edge to it. "They way things looked, I'm not sure what was more in danger, her life or her virtue."

Spike slung her away from him in disgust. Then, he and Gunn boarded the elevator and pushed the button for the penthouse.

&&&&&&

Angelus lifted his head reluctantly. But if he drained her now, there wouldn't be any left for the next time. And the next, and the next. He intended to make Rose last a long, painful time.

Rose had passed out, whether from blood loss or fear or a combination of the two, was anybody's guess. That wasn't any fun. Angelus gave her an experimental shake, and her head just lolled on her shoulders, limp as a rag doll's.

"Come on, Rosie," Angelus crooned. "I know you're still in there. Time to wake up."

Rose's eyelids drifted open a bare millimeter or so. Enough to remind her of the predicament she was in. She began struggling feebly with him.

"That's better," Angelus said with satisfaction. He scooped her up in his arms. "Much as I hate to say it, playtime is over. Your knight in shining armor will probably be making his grand entrance any min..,"

The door burst open, and there stood Spike, with Gunn at his shoulder.

"Think fast," Angelus warned. He tossed Rose at her rescuers and disappeared into the bedroom.

Spike made a flying dive and still barely managed to absorb the brunt of the impact. He looked at her, and all he could see was the ragged wound on her throat, still bleeding sluggishly, and her incredible pallor.

"Bastard's gonna pay for this," Spike muttered. But at the moment, it was just talk, and they both knew it. The first priority was to get Rose medical attention.

Gunn held the elevator door while Spike carried the semi-conscious form of his love inside. "Straight to medical?" he asked.

"Screw that," Spike replied. "Have them admit her to a facility where he's still the big noise? I don't think there's enough of us to put a guard on her round the clock and still work out a way to get his broody, whiny-assed soul back where it belongs. I'm taking her to a hospital."

"And how are you going to explain the bite marks?" Gunn asked. He really wasn't arguing, but he was curious.

Spike shrugged. "Animal bites, probably," he said. "You'd be surprised what people will believe when the truth is something they don't want to handle."

"How are you going to keep him away from her in a regular hospital?" Gunn pressed. He was still seeing problems with things. "It's a public place, he can just walk right in. And she'd be harder to guard there than here."

Spike thought about it for a moment, then a sad smile crossed his face. Maybe he could outflank the bastard by doing something that he wouldn't expect. Rose wouldn't like it much, but he thought he could face her anger a lot easier than seeing her like this. Letting her go would be the hard part. "Got your cell phone?" he asked.

"Sure." Gunn pulled it out. "Who are we calling?"

"Harmony," Spike replied. "We're gonna try to pull a fast one on Angelus. Let's just hope that it's fast enough."

&&&&&&&

It had taken Oz and Willow quite some time to calm the twins down, pointing out that it almost had to be a dream, that it was nighttime in California and that Rose was not likely to be anywhere near Angelus. The children finally subsided a bit, but they only picked at their breakfast, even though they genuinely liked the waffles that Willow made for them.

Some hours later, Andrew looked them up to continue their grand tour. They spent hours going over the facility, and finally wound up in the library. There, amidst the books and card files, was something that Giles had protested vehemently against, and been overruled about. A computer.

Alaric and Ariel held a telepathic consultation with each other, eyeing the p.c. speculatively. They decided that they had to ask. "Can we do something on the computer?" Alaric asked.

Andrew looked at him in shock. It still hadn't sunk into him that the twins were way ahead of other children their age. "Why don't you tell me what you want to do," he suggested. "And I'll help you."

Even Ariel the tolerant was moved to give him a scornful look. "We know how to send e-mails," she said. "And that's what we want to do. We want to send an e-mail to mummy, so she'll see it when she gets to work."

"I don't know..," Andrew began. Then, he saw Alaric just looking at him with a disdainful expression that looked so much like Spike, that it threw him for a loop. "Okay," he muttered. "But if something gets broken, I'm not taking responsibility."

The twins climbed up on the seat in front of the computer. By tacit agreement, Ariel operated the keyboard. She seemed to have a bit more dexterity than her brother. They weren't entirely up to touch typing yet, their fingers didn't quite make the reaches. But she still did a creditable job.

For some minutes, there was no sound in the library but the clicking of the keys as Ariel made out their joint message to their mother. She was almost finished when she turned to Oz. "Was there anything that you wanted to say, Oz?"

Oz shook his head. "As long as she knows you're here and safe," he said. "I'm sure that's all that matters to her."

&&&&&&

By late afternoon, everything was in readiness to carry out Spike's plan.

"I'm sure that she'll be much safer in England with the children," Wesley muttered, looking at Rose's unconscious form strapped to the gurney. An I.V. hung over her, dripping fresh blood into her depleted veins. "But how did you manage to commandeer one of the company jets?"

"A little help from the big man's assistant," Spike replied. He reached down and gently stroked Rose's hair. God, he was going to miss her. Even more than the kids, and he missed them more than anything. "Like most secretaries, Harm has gotten very good at forging the boss' signature on official documents. Since they've got all their paperwork in good order, they won't feel any need to question it. We should have her safe and sound in England before the ponce realizes that she's gone."

"Wrong again." Angelus appeared around the corner. "I've already cancelled the flight orders." He gave Spike a look that was almost pitying. "Did you think it wouldn't occur to me that the first thing you'd want to do is get her to safety? And where else would you send her but where the kids are?" He shook his head sadly. "You're really slipping here, Spike."

Spike made sure that he was standing between Rose and Angelus. He didn't want the wanker touching her again. "You've had your fun with her," Spike stated. "Why don't you just let her go, Angelus?"

Angelus laughed. "I've just started with her," he replied. "I intend to have lots more fun with Rosie there. I would have had even more today if Eve hadn't cut into my time." He looked at Rose, looking so small and frail as she lay there. "Nice of you guys to give her a refill, though. I won't have to wait so long till the next time."

"There won't be a next time," Spike growled. He was joined by the rest of the crew, all surrounding the cart where Rose lay in repose. Protecting her. "You damn near drained her dry this time."

"You know how it works, Spike," Angelus replied. "You ought to, I'm the one that showed you the trick." He winked. "After all, it's not worth it if they don't cry."

"You bloody bastard." Spike, already tense and keyed up to the max was ready to tangle. Wesley put a restraining hand on him.

"He's trying to goad you into doing something stupid, Spike," Wes cautioned. "Don't let him do it. Think about Rose."

The last sentence got through to him as nothing else would. As Wesley had intended it to. Still, he shook off Wes' hand angrily. "Right then," he grumbled. "But she don't go to medical, either. She goes to our flat."

"Spike, she needs to have medical care," Fred protested.

"I'm not giving him a free pass to get to her again," Spike declared. "Our flat is safe." He stared at Angelus for a moment, wishing mightily that he could dust the son of a bitch. "So, is it worth sending a doc up to her to you? To get her back on her feet again?"

Angelus gave a half smile. "Why not?" he allowed. He tried to get another look at Rose, but she was completely surrounded. "I'll even send her a dozen roses as a get-well gift."

"Tell you what," Spike snapped. "Make sure they don't remove the thorns. 'Cause if you send her roses, I'm going to shove them right up your ass."

&&&&&&&

"Why can't we do our lessons in the library?" Ariel practically whined. "We want to be there when mummy answers our e-mail."

"That library is for the Watchers," Oz replied. "We're their guests here, and we don't want to get in their way."

"I'll bet that Giles would make them let us," Alaric replied. "They listen to him."

"Please, Oz, can we ask him? Please," Ariel pleaded. "We're really worried about mummy."

Oz sighed. He supposed that he really couldn't blame them. They were very young, they were a long way from home, and they were, with good reason, worried about their mother. "Okay, I'll ask," he conceded. "But if Giles says no, then no it is. All right?"

"All right," Alaric agreed grudgingly. "But will you ask right away, Oz? We'll sit here and work while you're gone."

Oz couldn't resist ruffling Alaric's hair, something he knew the boy hated. "I expect you to have at least half that page done by the time I get back," he remarked.

"Thank you, Oz," Ariel said. She nudged her brother.

"Yeah, thanks," Alaric said belatedly. He bent over his paper and started working on the simple addition and subtraction equations as though his life depended on it.

&&&&&&&

"I certainly don't foresee any difficulties with them working in the library," Giles replied, when Oz made his proposal. "Do you think there's anything to those dreams of theirs though? It seems a bit odd that two people, even two as close as the two of them should have the same dream."

"I don't know," Oz admitted. "They haven't shown that they have any extrasensory gifts beyond telepathy. But they both know what's going on back home, and since they spend a lot of time talking telepathically, it may just be that their fears sent them similar dreams." Oz stopped. The kids were being so convincing that even he was having trouble believing his well reasoned arguments.

"You think they're prophetic too, don't you?" Giles inquired quietly. "You think that Angelus is going to get his hands on Rose."

Oz looked at the time. "If it wasn't the middle of the night there," he mumbled. "I'd call them now. I've got to admit, the kids have got me almost as rattled as they are."

Giles thought for a moment. "Call them," he advised. "It might be nothing, and nothing will happen but Spike growling at you for waking them up. But if there is something..,"

"But if the dreams are prophetic," Oz pointed out. "Nothing will have happened yet."

"Forewarned is forearmed," Giles said pedantically. "If you don't want to call, Oz, give me the number and I'll do it. I think they'll understand. To calm the fears of their children."

&&&&&&&

"Have you got that dossier on Rose Powers yet, Travers?" Stenslow asked.

"Not yet, sir," Travers apologized. "The intelligence division seems to be having some trouble with finding out anything about her before she started working at Wolfram and Hart."

"Incompetent idiots," Stenslow grumbled. "Tell them I want to see what they have so far. What about the surveillance on her?"

"Our operative hasn't been able to get near her much yet," Travers replied, eyes downcast, as though he felt that it was his fault that this was so. "But from what he was able to gather, she's been ill. He said that he saw her on a medical gurney being wheeled out of Wolfram and Hart's medical department getting a blood transfusion."

"Ill?" Stenslow repeated incredulously. "Ill my ass. She was getting that transfusion because Angelus or his crazy girlfriend bit her. I'm surprised that she's still alive."

"The operative reported that she didn't look at all well, sir," Travers informed him. "It may be some time before we get our chance to effect her removal from the building."

"Tell that operative to look sharp," Stenslow directed. "If he sees the slightest chance, he's to bring her here. Even at the risk of blowing his cover. And have another operative ready to take his place."

"Very good, sir," Travers replied. "Intelligence has finished the dossier on her children's father. Would you be interested in seeing that as well?"

"Of course I'd be interested, you moron," Stenslow snapped. "Hop to it, Travers. I want to start seeing our efforts pay off. And pay off soon."