Chapter 15
Phoebe lay in Angel's arms, in her bed, in the darkness. Moonlight streamed in through one of her windows.
'Tell me about Buffy?' she asked.
But Angel said nothing, for the longest time. Phoebe sat up and looked at him.
'Angel? Are you alright.'
Angel just nodded.
'I'm sorry. I just have been waiting for the pain...the pain that comes from losing your soul. There is none.'
Phoebe stroked his face, but said nothing in response. She sensed Angel would answer her question in his own time.
'Buffy....Buffy is the past.' he finally said.
'But you lost your soul once, because of her.'
Angel looked over at her.
'Yes.'
Phoebe stopped touching his face and sat up. She looked away. Part of her could not help but wonder, if it wasn't so much a spell that kept him from turning back into Angelus, as it was that the lovemaking that had just occurred between them, had not given Angel any happiness at all. That he did not love her.
Angel sat up as well, sensing her torment. He reached out to caress her shoulder.
'What is it?' he asked.
'Do you really think that this witch helped you? Or, is it that being with me....it doesn't give you true happiness, like it did with this Buffy?'
Angel's eyes widened!
'Phoebe, I've known you for such a short time but...do you remember our first meeting?'
Phoebe nodded.
'In your office.'
'Didn't you feel the connection between us, even then? I hadn't felt anything like that since Buffy....or Cordelia. There was a time when I just accepted the fact that I was doomed to walk this earth alone for eternity. But then you came along....'
'Cordelia? Another lost love?'
Angel didn't say anything. Cordelia was a different story...and yes...a lost love.
'Cordelia died.'
'Oh.' Phoebe said in a small voice, feeling insensitive. She could feel his pain as she reached out and pulled him to her to kiss him...to make love to him for a second time....
****
'I'm just saying that even if there wasn't a curse, how could this possibly work? Leo, Phoebe will one day look older than Angel! He's not going to want her then!' Piper cried.
'One day you'll look older than me, and I'll always want you.' Leo reassured his wife.
'That's different.' Piper sniffed.
'How?' Leo asked.
'Because if I lived to be 90, if I so much as caught you looking another woman's way...'
Leo's cell phone rang. He picked it up off of the kitchen table and looked at the number. He frowned, then answered it.
'Yes, Spike?'
'Is Angel there?'
'Yeah...he's here talking with Phoebe.'
'Listen mate, I ordinarily wouldn't ask this, but I need for you to orb me over there. And I'll be bringing another passenger.'
Leo rolled his eyes. Piper watched him carefully.
'Hey, Spike! I'm not the 'Pony Express' here! Get in your car and drive down here!'
'It will take too long! Listen, I think Angel is in trouble or danger, I don't know which.'
'What makes you say that?'
'I'll explain everything when you get here! Just come down to Wolfram & Hart. If you think I'm being squirrely about the whole thing, then we can forget the whole thing. But this could affect Phoebe too.'
Leo sighed.
'Fine, I'll be right there.' he hung up.
'What? What is it?' Piper asked.
'Spike wants me to bring him here to talk to Angel. He says there's some kind of trouble.'
'What kind?' Piper asked skeptically.
'I don't know, but he seems to think that it could involve Angel. I'll see what's going on.'
Piper leaned over and kissed her husband, before he orbed away.
****
Cole barely got a robe over his bruised shoulder, when he heard Drusilla crying out in the front room. He didn't have time to put on clothes. He would just say he had been asleep.
Cole made his way to the outer room, where a red eyed Drusilla was sitting on the couch. She stood up when she saw him. Her mouth opened, but Cole saw her eyes take in his appearance.
'Were you asleep? It's early.'
Cole shrugged.
'Nothing else to do...my favorite girl isn't here anymore.'
Drusilla sniffed and looked away guiltily.
'I'm sorry, Cole. I just wasn't thinking....I know I wasn't thinking.' She walked over to one of his windows and stared out. Cole followed her.
'What happened? Why did you come back? Did Spike do something?'
Drusilla turned away from the window.
'Spike lied to me...why I'm surprised by this, I'll never know.'
Cole reached down and put his hands on her shoulders.
'Tell me what happened? You might feel better.'
Tears began to run down her face.
'Buffy isn't out of his life. I can't talk about it. Cole, if you don't want me back here, I will understand...'
'Dru, don't be silly. Of course you're welcome to stay here! But, I think we should get out of here and have some fun.'
Drusilla began to shake her head.
'I don't know, Cole...'
'Las Vegas, Dru! Las Vegas can take your mind off of anything!'
Drusilla gave him a reluctant smile. Cole peered at her.
'Dru? Was it more than just Buffy?' he asked, hoping he could get her to open up about her newest power.
Drusilla nodded.
'I threw Buffy into a wall....but I didn't even have to touch her. I was so angry and before I knew it, I waved my hand and she ended up smashing into a wall. I don't know if she's alright...I don't even think I care.'
'So, your powers are growing? Paige can't do that.'
'I know. I don't understand it.'
'I think I do.' Cole said quietly. Drusilla looked at him.
'If you know something, then you have to tell me!'
'It's nothing to panic over. But, you did know that Phoebe and Piper had another sister, a full blooded one named Prue?'
Drusilla nodded.
'I do...I mean, I've seen pictures of her, and Piper has spoken of her often.'
'Yes, well, she could do that same thing. You know, waving her hand and throwing people and things around.'
Drusilla frowned.
'I don't understand that at all! I bit Paige....why would I have the powers of someone that's dead?'
'I don't know. Look, let's worry about that tomorrow. Tonight, let's just get in a car and drive to Vegas! Or better yet, I'll shimmer us there!'
Drusilla could not resist smiling at him. Cole was always so upbeat and positive.
'Alright. Let's go.' she said. Maybe getting away from all of this, would clear her mind.
****
Phoebe came running down the stairs in a tank top and sweat pants. Piper, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs.
'What?' Phoebe asked.
'What was going on in your room there?' Piper asked, but she knew the answer already.
Phoebe smiled.
'It finally happened...without Angel turning back into Angelus.'
Piper's eyes widened!
'How?'
Phoebe's face darkened momentarily.
'Phoebe? What's going on? Did you do a spell on Angel?'
'No, but I wish I had. He went to some unknown witch. I guess she was successful, but I would feel better if I knew exactly what was done.'
Piper looked back up the stairs.
'Where's Angel?'
'Oh he's coming. It's just taking him longer to put his clothes back on.' Phoebe said, grinning.
Suddenly, a cry from upstairs could be heard! Phoebe and Piper rushed back up and hurried to her room. Phoebe threw open the door!
Angel was hopping around! Phoebe rushed over to him. Piper stayed in the doorway.
'Angel? What happened?'
'Oh, I just banged by foot against a table here...I should've turned on a light.' Angel said sheepishly.
Piper reached in and flicked on the switch. Phoebe's eyes searched Angel's.
'You're sure? It's just your foot?'
Angel gave her a quizzical look, before pulling her into his arms.
'I'm sure. Now, what is this big emergency?' he asked, looking over at Piper.
'Leo went to go get Spike and Harmony. I guess they'll tell us when they get here.'
'Spike?' Angel asked.
Piper looked at him.
'Yes, Spike. Believe me, Leo really didn't want to go and get him. He's also bringing someone else here too.'
Phoebe looked over at Piper.
'I'll call Dru.'
Phoebe could feel Angel's arms tighten around her. She looked up at him and gave him a seductive smile.
'Dru? Drusilla?' he asked.
But Piper was staring at Angel. She hadn't like the way he asked that question, as if he wasn't sure of who they were talking about!
'Are you sure you're alright?' Piper asked, this time her tone was hard. Phoebe, picking up on this, looked at Piper.
'I'm fine. I just didn't think that your relations with Dru had improved so much that you had been cutting her in the loop. I'm glad to see it. Dru's been through a hard time.' Angel said.
Piper relaxed a little and nodded.
'I'll be downstairs.' she said and walked off. Phoebe started to follow, but Angel wouldn't let go of her!
'Come on, Angel! We have to find out what Spike wants!'
But Angel began to kiss her neck.
'He probably doesn't want anything. I like Spike, really I do, but I just keep him around because he's practically family. I hate the idea of his wasting our time together. I hope this theory or whatever he's coming here for, pans out.'
'It will. He cares for Dru. I don't think he'd do anything that would embarrass her in front of us. So...'
Phoebe had to force his hands off of her! She grinned.
'There will be plenty of time for that later. Now come on.' Phoebe said, pulling on his hand. He followed her out of the room.
****
When Piper returned downstairs, not only were Leo, Spike and some blonde, waiting in the livingroom, but Paige and Wesley were there as well.
Leo walked up to Piper.
'Is everyone here?'
'Everyone except for Dru.' Piper said.
Spike figured that Drusilla was back at the apartment and took out his cellphone. He was about to punch in some numbers, when Harmony giggled!
'What?' he asked absently.
'Here come Phoebe and Angel. He finally gave her some nookie, I can smell it!'
Spike stopped punching in numbers and looked up, as Angel and Phoebe came down the stairs. What the hell was Angel thinking?! He couldn't just go around having sex with women! Especially Phoebe!
He looked over at Wesley, who was busy talking with Paige. Spike's eyes then moved to Angel and Phoebe. Once they were in the room, Angel wrapped his arms around Phoebe and locked eyes with Spike. It was then that Spike knew. He knew he was looking at Angelus.
'Spikey boy, what do you have for us?' he asked as he licked Phoebe's neck. She giggled and turned back to look up at him.
'Angel, come on now!'
Wesley looked at Spike. Realization was written all over his features as well. Spike nodded at him.
Leo caught the look between the two men.
'What's going on here?' he asked. Wesley cleared his throat.
'I hate to bring up something so delicate, but what has happened between the two of you just now?'
'Wesley!' Paige cried out. 'That's none of our business!'
But Wesley gave Paige a no nonsense look.
'I'm afraid it is, my dear.'
Paige and Piper looked at one another. Harmony looked confused but Spike stepped up to Angel.
'Angel would never be so brazen in public like this! You shagged her and now you've lost your bloody soul again, haven't you?!'
Suddenly, Angel's vampire face appeared, and held onto Phoebe tightly! She screamed!
'You are really, really good! And as much as I liked banging you, I would love to drink you even more!' Angelus hissed.
Phoebe managed to shove him away, as Piper moved to blow him up! But Phoebe, noticing what Piper was about to do, screamed for her not to!
Angelus, breathing hard, changed back to his normal face and grinned! 'Nice set up we have here, Spikey! Listen, I hear Dru is around? I'd love to see her again.'
'Stay the hell away from her!' Spike said in a low growl.
Phoebe tried to hold back her own tears. How could this have happened?! Had he been Angelus after they had made love the first time? No, he couldn't have been! The man she had been with earlier had been sensitive, kind and loving. She didn't know this man in front of her now. A man that had just tried to kill her.
Piper moved next to her and put an arm around her. She glared at Angelus.
'I knew something wasn't right upstairs.'
Angelus grinned at her.
'And that makes you one very smart witch. I knew something was wrong also, when I realized I hadn't had you as well!'
Piper let go of Phoebe to blow him up again, but Wesley put a hand up.
'Piper, please! We have to find a way to restore his soul!'
Angelus looked at Wesley and wagged a finger at him.
'No, no, no! Now you've fooled me twice with that soul crap! That one time with the Slayer and then that second time...with that other Slayer. She was really stacked....'
Harmony's mouth dropped open! This was Angelus?! Good God! She had never heard Angel talk like this! Ever! He was so....so...masculine and exciting!
Angelus felt her gaze and smiled at her. He then moved towards her. Spike moved in front of him. Angelus threw his hands up!
'What? She's yours too, Spikey? Hi there, sweetheart! I'm going to give you a promotion!'
'Oh goodie!' Harmony squealed, clapping her hands. Spike have Harmony a look of pure annoyance.
'Would you shut the hell up?!' Spike hissed at her.
'Hey!' Angelus snapped. 'Don't talk to my newest girl like that! That is, second only to my Dru. Where is she by the way?'
Paige stepped up.
'Leave her alone! She's human and sane now. She won't want anything to do with you!'
Angelus smirked!
'Human and sane? Well, I'll fix that!'
Spike walked up to Angelus, until they were face to face.
'Go near Dru and I will stake you myself! You can bloody well count on that!'
Angelus backed up and smiled.
'You know Spikey, I'm going to have to demote you, for your extreme lack of disrespect. Though, I don't know what I would demote you to? What the hell do you do around the office anyway?'
Wesley moved so that he was beside Spike.
'What makes you think you will still be running Wolfram & Hart? Once the senior partners...'
'Once the senior partners realize that they have a true man after their own hearts, running their company, they're going to give me a raise! Now, if you will excuse me, the night is young and there is just so much fresh, young...well, I won't say it in front of the witches here. I've found that some of them can be so sensitive to bad language.'
Angelus began to move past them, when Phoebe jumped in front of him.
'Angel, I love you. I have since the first day I laid eyes on you. I am not going to let you just leave here! You're sick...you need help.' she cried, as tears began to stream down her face. Tears that thrilled Angelus.
Spike moved over to Phoebe and pulled her away. Wherever Angel was, deep down in this soulless creature, he would die if he knew he had done anything to harm Phoebe when he was like this.
'Come on, luv. There's nothing you can do until we find a way to restore his soul.' he whispered.
'And that's not going to happen. Because I'm going to keep you on your toes as I woo back Drusilla.' Angelus grinned again.
Paige snorted!
'Join the club, because there's another competitor!'
Angelus looked back at Paige, momentarily startled. Wesley eased over to Leo.
'I never thought I would say this, but if Cole still is in the picture, then he can keep Dru safe from him.'
'Dru can keep herself safe. She has powers now.' Leo reminded him. But Spike frowned. He wasn't so sure that Belthazor didn't have something to do with all of this in the first place! And powers or not, Drusilla hadn't mastered her craft yet. She might be too shocked at Angelus's re-emergence to fend him off, before he could turn her again, or worse!
'Competitor? Spikey, what's going on here? You've been lying to me, haven't you? Dru dumped you for someone else, didn't she? Alas, that is the story of your pathetic life, isn't it?'
'Angel!' Phoebe yelled. 'I know that you are still in there somewhere!'
Angelus looked her over.
'Honey, you are not my type. I only do vampires, okay?'
Angelus turned and walked towards the door. He flung it open and sauntered off into the night. Piper took over from Spike and held on to Phoebe. Paige joined them.
'Don't worry honey, we'll find a spell to restore his soul. We won't let him stay like this.'
Spike realized he still had his cellphone in his hand. He began calling his apartment. The phone just rang and rang!
'Bloody hell! Where is she?!' he growled.
Phoebe sniffed and looked at Spike.
'Dru can take care of herself.' she said.
'But she needs to be prepared to! I don't want that bastard catching her off guard! Why isn't she answering?! She was here tonight, wasn't she?'
Piper nodded.
'Yes, and then she left. She orbed back to the apartment. Look, I'll call her cellphone. We'll get through this.' she said, more than a little surprised to see how scared Spike looked. He was scared for Dru. Piper almost wished Dru could be here to see this. Maybe, just maybe, she'd actually think about cutting ties with Cole permanently.
Spike gave up and walked over to Leo, Wesley and Harmony.
'Harmony here never went to the Las Vegas Wolfram & Hart.'
Wesley looked at Harmony, as if he were just taking notice of her.
'Of course you did! We had a secretary that took your place...her name was...uh...well uh...I'd know what she looked like if I saw her again.' he sniffed.
'Well we did tonight, mate. We saw her in Angel's office. The woman is some kind of witch demon or something! And she said something about how we were 'too late', then disappeared right in front of us.'
Phoebe broke away from Piper and Paige.
'You said there was a witch in Angel's office tonight?'
Spike and Harmony nodded. Phoebe ran a hand through her hair.
'Angel told me that some witch helped him break the curse. I'm telling you, the man I was with was not that beast that left here!'
'Well, maybe this spell didn't call for the usual 'moment of happiness'. Maybe it was more than one.' Wesley said quietly.
Phoebe began to sob again. Piper and Paige moved to hug her. Spike took out his phone and dialed Dru's cell. Where the hell was she?!
Phoebe lay in Angel's arms, in her bed, in the darkness. Moonlight streamed in through one of her windows.
'Tell me about Buffy?' she asked.
But Angel said nothing, for the longest time. Phoebe sat up and looked at him.
'Angel? Are you alright.'
Angel just nodded.
'I'm sorry. I just have been waiting for the pain...the pain that comes from losing your soul. There is none.'
Phoebe stroked his face, but said nothing in response. She sensed Angel would answer her question in his own time.
'Buffy....Buffy is the past.' he finally said.
'But you lost your soul once, because of her.'
Angel looked over at her.
'Yes.'
Phoebe stopped touching his face and sat up. She looked away. Part of her could not help but wonder, if it wasn't so much a spell that kept him from turning back into Angelus, as it was that the lovemaking that had just occurred between them, had not given Angel any happiness at all. That he did not love her.
Angel sat up as well, sensing her torment. He reached out to caress her shoulder.
'What is it?' he asked.
'Do you really think that this witch helped you? Or, is it that being with me....it doesn't give you true happiness, like it did with this Buffy?'
Angel's eyes widened!
'Phoebe, I've known you for such a short time but...do you remember our first meeting?'
Phoebe nodded.
'In your office.'
'Didn't you feel the connection between us, even then? I hadn't felt anything like that since Buffy....or Cordelia. There was a time when I just accepted the fact that I was doomed to walk this earth alone for eternity. But then you came along....'
'Cordelia? Another lost love?'
Angel didn't say anything. Cordelia was a different story...and yes...a lost love.
'Cordelia died.'
'Oh.' Phoebe said in a small voice, feeling insensitive. She could feel his pain as she reached out and pulled him to her to kiss him...to make love to him for a second time....
****
'I'm just saying that even if there wasn't a curse, how could this possibly work? Leo, Phoebe will one day look older than Angel! He's not going to want her then!' Piper cried.
'One day you'll look older than me, and I'll always want you.' Leo reassured his wife.
'That's different.' Piper sniffed.
'How?' Leo asked.
'Because if I lived to be 90, if I so much as caught you looking another woman's way...'
Leo's cell phone rang. He picked it up off of the kitchen table and looked at the number. He frowned, then answered it.
'Yes, Spike?'
'Is Angel there?'
'Yeah...he's here talking with Phoebe.'
'Listen mate, I ordinarily wouldn't ask this, but I need for you to orb me over there. And I'll be bringing another passenger.'
Leo rolled his eyes. Piper watched him carefully.
'Hey, Spike! I'm not the 'Pony Express' here! Get in your car and drive down here!'
'It will take too long! Listen, I think Angel is in trouble or danger, I don't know which.'
'What makes you say that?'
'I'll explain everything when you get here! Just come down to Wolfram & Hart. If you think I'm being squirrely about the whole thing, then we can forget the whole thing. But this could affect Phoebe too.'
Leo sighed.
'Fine, I'll be right there.' he hung up.
'What? What is it?' Piper asked.
'Spike wants me to bring him here to talk to Angel. He says there's some kind of trouble.'
'What kind?' Piper asked skeptically.
'I don't know, but he seems to think that it could involve Angel. I'll see what's going on.'
Piper leaned over and kissed her husband, before he orbed away.
****
Cole barely got a robe over his bruised shoulder, when he heard Drusilla crying out in the front room. He didn't have time to put on clothes. He would just say he had been asleep.
Cole made his way to the outer room, where a red eyed Drusilla was sitting on the couch. She stood up when she saw him. Her mouth opened, but Cole saw her eyes take in his appearance.
'Were you asleep? It's early.'
Cole shrugged.
'Nothing else to do...my favorite girl isn't here anymore.'
Drusilla sniffed and looked away guiltily.
'I'm sorry, Cole. I just wasn't thinking....I know I wasn't thinking.' She walked over to one of his windows and stared out. Cole followed her.
'What happened? Why did you come back? Did Spike do something?'
Drusilla turned away from the window.
'Spike lied to me...why I'm surprised by this, I'll never know.'
Cole reached down and put his hands on her shoulders.
'Tell me what happened? You might feel better.'
Tears began to run down her face.
'Buffy isn't out of his life. I can't talk about it. Cole, if you don't want me back here, I will understand...'
'Dru, don't be silly. Of course you're welcome to stay here! But, I think we should get out of here and have some fun.'
Drusilla began to shake her head.
'I don't know, Cole...'
'Las Vegas, Dru! Las Vegas can take your mind off of anything!'
Drusilla gave him a reluctant smile. Cole peered at her.
'Dru? Was it more than just Buffy?' he asked, hoping he could get her to open up about her newest power.
Drusilla nodded.
'I threw Buffy into a wall....but I didn't even have to touch her. I was so angry and before I knew it, I waved my hand and she ended up smashing into a wall. I don't know if she's alright...I don't even think I care.'
'So, your powers are growing? Paige can't do that.'
'I know. I don't understand it.'
'I think I do.' Cole said quietly. Drusilla looked at him.
'If you know something, then you have to tell me!'
'It's nothing to panic over. But, you did know that Phoebe and Piper had another sister, a full blooded one named Prue?'
Drusilla nodded.
'I do...I mean, I've seen pictures of her, and Piper has spoken of her often.'
'Yes, well, she could do that same thing. You know, waving her hand and throwing people and things around.'
Drusilla frowned.
'I don't understand that at all! I bit Paige....why would I have the powers of someone that's dead?'
'I don't know. Look, let's worry about that tomorrow. Tonight, let's just get in a car and drive to Vegas! Or better yet, I'll shimmer us there!'
Drusilla could not resist smiling at him. Cole was always so upbeat and positive.
'Alright. Let's go.' she said. Maybe getting away from all of this, would clear her mind.
****
Phoebe came running down the stairs in a tank top and sweat pants. Piper, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs.
'What?' Phoebe asked.
'What was going on in your room there?' Piper asked, but she knew the answer already.
Phoebe smiled.
'It finally happened...without Angel turning back into Angelus.'
Piper's eyes widened!
'How?'
Phoebe's face darkened momentarily.
'Phoebe? What's going on? Did you do a spell on Angel?'
'No, but I wish I had. He went to some unknown witch. I guess she was successful, but I would feel better if I knew exactly what was done.'
Piper looked back up the stairs.
'Where's Angel?'
'Oh he's coming. It's just taking him longer to put his clothes back on.' Phoebe said, grinning.
Suddenly, a cry from upstairs could be heard! Phoebe and Piper rushed back up and hurried to her room. Phoebe threw open the door!
Angel was hopping around! Phoebe rushed over to him. Piper stayed in the doorway.
'Angel? What happened?'
'Oh, I just banged by foot against a table here...I should've turned on a light.' Angel said sheepishly.
Piper reached in and flicked on the switch. Phoebe's eyes searched Angel's.
'You're sure? It's just your foot?'
Angel gave her a quizzical look, before pulling her into his arms.
'I'm sure. Now, what is this big emergency?' he asked, looking over at Piper.
'Leo went to go get Spike and Harmony. I guess they'll tell us when they get here.'
'Spike?' Angel asked.
Piper looked at him.
'Yes, Spike. Believe me, Leo really didn't want to go and get him. He's also bringing someone else here too.'
Phoebe looked over at Piper.
'I'll call Dru.'
Phoebe could feel Angel's arms tighten around her. She looked up at him and gave him a seductive smile.
'Dru? Drusilla?' he asked.
But Piper was staring at Angel. She hadn't like the way he asked that question, as if he wasn't sure of who they were talking about!
'Are you sure you're alright?' Piper asked, this time her tone was hard. Phoebe, picking up on this, looked at Piper.
'I'm fine. I just didn't think that your relations with Dru had improved so much that you had been cutting her in the loop. I'm glad to see it. Dru's been through a hard time.' Angel said.
Piper relaxed a little and nodded.
'I'll be downstairs.' she said and walked off. Phoebe started to follow, but Angel wouldn't let go of her!
'Come on, Angel! We have to find out what Spike wants!'
But Angel began to kiss her neck.
'He probably doesn't want anything. I like Spike, really I do, but I just keep him around because he's practically family. I hate the idea of his wasting our time together. I hope this theory or whatever he's coming here for, pans out.'
'It will. He cares for Dru. I don't think he'd do anything that would embarrass her in front of us. So...'
Phoebe had to force his hands off of her! She grinned.
'There will be plenty of time for that later. Now come on.' Phoebe said, pulling on his hand. He followed her out of the room.
****
When Piper returned downstairs, not only were Leo, Spike and some blonde, waiting in the livingroom, but Paige and Wesley were there as well.
Leo walked up to Piper.
'Is everyone here?'
'Everyone except for Dru.' Piper said.
Spike figured that Drusilla was back at the apartment and took out his cellphone. He was about to punch in some numbers, when Harmony giggled!
'What?' he asked absently.
'Here come Phoebe and Angel. He finally gave her some nookie, I can smell it!'
Spike stopped punching in numbers and looked up, as Angel and Phoebe came down the stairs. What the hell was Angel thinking?! He couldn't just go around having sex with women! Especially Phoebe!
He looked over at Wesley, who was busy talking with Paige. Spike's eyes then moved to Angel and Phoebe. Once they were in the room, Angel wrapped his arms around Phoebe and locked eyes with Spike. It was then that Spike knew. He knew he was looking at Angelus.
'Spikey boy, what do you have for us?' he asked as he licked Phoebe's neck. She giggled and turned back to look up at him.
'Angel, come on now!'
Wesley looked at Spike. Realization was written all over his features as well. Spike nodded at him.
Leo caught the look between the two men.
'What's going on here?' he asked. Wesley cleared his throat.
'I hate to bring up something so delicate, but what has happened between the two of you just now?'
'Wesley!' Paige cried out. 'That's none of our business!'
But Wesley gave Paige a no nonsense look.
'I'm afraid it is, my dear.'
Paige and Piper looked at one another. Harmony looked confused but Spike stepped up to Angel.
'Angel would never be so brazen in public like this! You shagged her and now you've lost your bloody soul again, haven't you?!'
Suddenly, Angel's vampire face appeared, and held onto Phoebe tightly! She screamed!
'You are really, really good! And as much as I liked banging you, I would love to drink you even more!' Angelus hissed.
Phoebe managed to shove him away, as Piper moved to blow him up! But Phoebe, noticing what Piper was about to do, screamed for her not to!
Angelus, breathing hard, changed back to his normal face and grinned! 'Nice set up we have here, Spikey! Listen, I hear Dru is around? I'd love to see her again.'
'Stay the hell away from her!' Spike said in a low growl.
Phoebe tried to hold back her own tears. How could this have happened?! Had he been Angelus after they had made love the first time? No, he couldn't have been! The man she had been with earlier had been sensitive, kind and loving. She didn't know this man in front of her now. A man that had just tried to kill her.
Piper moved next to her and put an arm around her. She glared at Angelus.
'I knew something wasn't right upstairs.'
Angelus grinned at her.
'And that makes you one very smart witch. I knew something was wrong also, when I realized I hadn't had you as well!'
Piper let go of Phoebe to blow him up again, but Wesley put a hand up.
'Piper, please! We have to find a way to restore his soul!'
Angelus looked at Wesley and wagged a finger at him.
'No, no, no! Now you've fooled me twice with that soul crap! That one time with the Slayer and then that second time...with that other Slayer. She was really stacked....'
Harmony's mouth dropped open! This was Angelus?! Good God! She had never heard Angel talk like this! Ever! He was so....so...masculine and exciting!
Angelus felt her gaze and smiled at her. He then moved towards her. Spike moved in front of him. Angelus threw his hands up!
'What? She's yours too, Spikey? Hi there, sweetheart! I'm going to give you a promotion!'
'Oh goodie!' Harmony squealed, clapping her hands. Spike have Harmony a look of pure annoyance.
'Would you shut the hell up?!' Spike hissed at her.
'Hey!' Angelus snapped. 'Don't talk to my newest girl like that! That is, second only to my Dru. Where is she by the way?'
Paige stepped up.
'Leave her alone! She's human and sane now. She won't want anything to do with you!'
Angelus smirked!
'Human and sane? Well, I'll fix that!'
Spike walked up to Angelus, until they were face to face.
'Go near Dru and I will stake you myself! You can bloody well count on that!'
Angelus backed up and smiled.
'You know Spikey, I'm going to have to demote you, for your extreme lack of disrespect. Though, I don't know what I would demote you to? What the hell do you do around the office anyway?'
Wesley moved so that he was beside Spike.
'What makes you think you will still be running Wolfram & Hart? Once the senior partners...'
'Once the senior partners realize that they have a true man after their own hearts, running their company, they're going to give me a raise! Now, if you will excuse me, the night is young and there is just so much fresh, young...well, I won't say it in front of the witches here. I've found that some of them can be so sensitive to bad language.'
Angelus began to move past them, when Phoebe jumped in front of him.
'Angel, I love you. I have since the first day I laid eyes on you. I am not going to let you just leave here! You're sick...you need help.' she cried, as tears began to stream down her face. Tears that thrilled Angelus.
Spike moved over to Phoebe and pulled her away. Wherever Angel was, deep down in this soulless creature, he would die if he knew he had done anything to harm Phoebe when he was like this.
'Come on, luv. There's nothing you can do until we find a way to restore his soul.' he whispered.
'And that's not going to happen. Because I'm going to keep you on your toes as I woo back Drusilla.' Angelus grinned again.
Paige snorted!
'Join the club, because there's another competitor!'
Angelus looked back at Paige, momentarily startled. Wesley eased over to Leo.
'I never thought I would say this, but if Cole still is in the picture, then he can keep Dru safe from him.'
'Dru can keep herself safe. She has powers now.' Leo reminded him. But Spike frowned. He wasn't so sure that Belthazor didn't have something to do with all of this in the first place! And powers or not, Drusilla hadn't mastered her craft yet. She might be too shocked at Angelus's re-emergence to fend him off, before he could turn her again, or worse!
'Competitor? Spikey, what's going on here? You've been lying to me, haven't you? Dru dumped you for someone else, didn't she? Alas, that is the story of your pathetic life, isn't it?'
'Angel!' Phoebe yelled. 'I know that you are still in there somewhere!'
Angelus looked her over.
'Honey, you are not my type. I only do vampires, okay?'
Angelus turned and walked towards the door. He flung it open and sauntered off into the night. Piper took over from Spike and held on to Phoebe. Paige joined them.
'Don't worry honey, we'll find a spell to restore his soul. We won't let him stay like this.'
Spike realized he still had his cellphone in his hand. He began calling his apartment. The phone just rang and rang!
'Bloody hell! Where is she?!' he growled.
Phoebe sniffed and looked at Spike.
'Dru can take care of herself.' she said.
'But she needs to be prepared to! I don't want that bastard catching her off guard! Why isn't she answering?! She was here tonight, wasn't she?'
Piper nodded.
'Yes, and then she left. She orbed back to the apartment. Look, I'll call her cellphone. We'll get through this.' she said, more than a little surprised to see how scared Spike looked. He was scared for Dru. Piper almost wished Dru could be here to see this. Maybe, just maybe, she'd actually think about cutting ties with Cole permanently.
Spike gave up and walked over to Leo, Wesley and Harmony.
'Harmony here never went to the Las Vegas Wolfram & Hart.'
Wesley looked at Harmony, as if he were just taking notice of her.
'Of course you did! We had a secretary that took your place...her name was...uh...well uh...I'd know what she looked like if I saw her again.' he sniffed.
'Well we did tonight, mate. We saw her in Angel's office. The woman is some kind of witch demon or something! And she said something about how we were 'too late', then disappeared right in front of us.'
Phoebe broke away from Piper and Paige.
'You said there was a witch in Angel's office tonight?'
Spike and Harmony nodded. Phoebe ran a hand through her hair.
'Angel told me that some witch helped him break the curse. I'm telling you, the man I was with was not that beast that left here!'
'Well, maybe this spell didn't call for the usual 'moment of happiness'. Maybe it was more than one.' Wesley said quietly.
Phoebe began to sob again. Piper and Paige moved to hug her. Spike took out his phone and dialed Dru's cell. Where the hell was she?!