A Slayers' Wish

Chapter: Four

The Truth revealed (Almost)

Angel awakened and found himself back on his bed in his penthouse apartment with Spike looking down at him with an expression that was across between anger and relief. Angel looked at his injured wrist and noticed the I.V. in his arm and the bag of O positive blood that hung above his bed. Spike cleared his throat and declared reproachfully. "We nearly lost you, Angel. You bloody well should have told me." "How long have I been like this?" Angel asked weakly.

Spike let out a deep sigh and replied calmly. "You'd been out for five hours. Be glad that we vamps have excellent hearing. If I wouldn't have heard you fall and got back to your office when I did, you'd be six feet under right now." Angel just stared at him and said exhaustedly. "You could have turned me."

Spike nodded and replied seriously. "Yes, I could have. I didn't think that's what you would have wanted. It could be days before you fully regain your strength. I haven't told the others. I figured on letting you handle that when you're ready. I'll try to stall them for as long as I can. I want you to get some rest, mate. I'll be back in a few hours to check on you." "Thank you, Spike. "Angel whispered in a drained voice and then went back to sleep. Spike got to his feet and left the bedroom unaware that Eve had been hiding in Angels' closet listening in. As soon as the young woman was sure that the coast was clear, she got out of the closet and quietly left the bedroom herself.

Spike was on his way back down to Angels' office, when Wesley and Fred suddenly appeared in the corridor from out of nowhere and cornered the Vampire. Wesley slammed a sharpened wooden stake into the wall right beside Spike head and inquired in a furious voice that carried with it dangerous undertones. "Where's Angel?" Spike looked at Fred and noticed that her arms were folded and that she was obviously waiting for an answer. Spike thought for a few moments and then finally replied with a sigh. "Get the rest of the team together in Angels' office, and I'll meet you there in five minutes." Meanwhile, across town,

Eve was at that very moment in her own apartment sitting on the couch right next to a very powerful demon telling him everything that she overheard. It took a moment for the evil creature to absorb Eves' earth shattering news. Finally, the demon laughed and said joyfully. "You know what to do. Angel must be captured and sacrificed. The Senior Partners must not be informed of this, or it will be a fate worse than death for all of us." Without waiting for a reply, the demon vanished from Eves' living room leaving her looking worried and frightened. As far as she was concerned, this just wasn't fair.

Back at Wolfram and Hart, Lorne, Wesley, Fred, and Gunn stood were in Angels' office standing impatiently around his desk, when the door opened, and Spike walked in with a nervous look on his face. Everyone turned around and just stared at him for a moment. "Where is he?" Lorne asked impatiently breaking the awkward silence. "I wanted Angel to come down here himself, but it looks like he's going to be unavailable for a while. He's given me the go ahead to let all of you in on the good news." "Good news. What good news?" Wesley asked suspiciously.

Spike smiled and replied calmly. "I thing you lot should have a seat. This might just shock the hell out of you." Wesley and the others did what they were told, and Spike the most important part of the situation to them. After Spike was finished speaking, the members of team Angel stared at him incredulously. After a few moments, Gunn shook his head and replied disbelief. "Nah. Nah. This can't be true. This can't be right. Angel wouldn't keep something this important from us. Especially if it had anything to do with turning human." "That's the kind of news wouldn't be able to wait to share with us." Fred added in agreement. "I'm sorry, but it is true. It seems that fang boy's finally been defanged." Spike said firmly.

Lorne got to his feet and asked in astonishment. "When in the hell did this happen?" Spike thought for a moment and then replied seriously. "Well, yesterday he was a Vampire, and this morning he woke up with a pulse and a heartbeat. The way he tells it, the condition feels somewhat permanent. Fred smiled and said joyfully. "I can't believe that this's happening. Angel's finally human. He's actually redeemed himself."

Wesley raised a hand and announced cautiously. "I think that we should save our desire to celebrate until we have a full understanding of what's going on. Angel could be poisoned or under some spell. I don't think we should get our hopes up too high until we have all the facts." "Maybe if Lorne read Angel, he could tell us what's going on." Gunn suggested casually. "It's worth a try." Lorne replied in agreement. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm going up to see Angle. I want to hear this from him." Fred remarked cheerfully.

Spike cleared his throat and warned her seriously. "I doubt that you'll get very much out of him. Angel's more than likely in a deep sleep because of the little accident he had earlier." "What accident?" Wesley asked in sudden alarm. "Angel accidentally cut one of his wrists open, and I had to set him up with a transfusion. His condition's stable now, but I don't know how much longer he'll remain that way though. That's how I found out about the whole human thing. I found him lying in here on the floor unconscious and bleeding to death." Without another word, Lorne, Fred, Wesley, Spike and Gunn headed up to Angels' apartment, leaving Spike alone in the office. "You at least could wait for me!" The blond vampire shouted in annoyance and then followed them.

While Gunn, Wesley, and Fred sat on the sofa in the living room of Angels' apartment quietly, Lorne was in Angels' bedroom sitting on the bed beside the sleeping ex-vampire busy reading his aura. A half hour later, the Empathy demon walked out into the living room with a satisfied smile on his face.

Wesley got to his feet and inquired anxiously. "What's the verdict?" Lorne cleared his throat and said excitedly. "It's official. Ladies and gentlemen, Angelus has perm-anently left the building. As for his physical condition, he's going to be just fine after I make him up a healing potion. Wesley smiled and said joyfully. "This's wonderful." "We should have a party." Fred added cheerfully. "Let's get some cake and ice cream." Gunn chipped in happily. "Let's call Buffy and tell her what happened." Spike said with a serious smile. The room fell completely silent.