Gift

Chapter Two

Staff

            Liberty was nervous; it was her first day at Wolfram and Hart.  She'd dressed up once again, but she was going to ask Wesley if she could dress casual in general.  She couldn't keep going to public high school in a skirt everyday.  She realized how petty it was that she was thinking about clothes, but she couldn't help it.  Liberty was anxious all day long; she couldn't even concentrate on her assignments.  But school had finally ended and she was now at Wolfram and Hart.  She was ushered back by a woman in her mid-thirties to a room where a photo was taken for her ID badge.  She had an ID badge.  Apparently, that was how she would be able to get in and out of certain wings and rooms.  Liberty was then informed that her office was on the fifth floor and that there was a staff meeting at 7 that night.  Seven seemed a little late for a staff meeting, but who was she to complain?  Unfortunately, the woman deserted her after telling her where her office was and Liberty was left to roam around the halls.  She got into the elevator and rode up to the fifth floor.  She was hoping that the elevator would open directly into her office, but that floor was just as big as all the others.  Liberty sighed as she pulled her purse closer to her.  Liberty started to chew on her lip; the nervous habit she'd dropped years before.  Liberty walked slowly, deliberately looking for anybody who could help her.  A voice cleared and Liberty spun.  She hadn't heard anyone come up behind her.  Her green eyes met his blue ones as she crashed into his chest.  A confusing feeling washed over her, he was a vampire, but he didn't seem at all evil.  She stared wide-eyed at him, unable to move. 

"Didn't mean to frighten you, pet.  Are you lost?"

Liberty nodded, showing her badge.

"I, uh, I just started working here.  I was looking for my office.  I was told it was up here, but I don't know where."

The man shot her a tight-lipped smile, but a bit of pity shone in his eyes.

"I'm Spike."

She nodded again.
"And you are…"

"Liberty.  Jamieson.  Sorry.  I'm just a little off-kilter today."

"Working at a new place and all, I'm sure.  Don't worry, most of us don't bite.  And the ones that do will be killed immediately."

Liberty let herself laugh lightly as Spike started to walk her down the hall.

"Spike's a different name."

He winked at her and shrugged.  "Yes, well, that's a long story. Truly, my name was William, but no one calls me that anymore."

"How come?"
"I've been Spike for over 100 years, pet."

"So you are a vampire."

"How'd you know that?  Just because I'm over 100 doesn't mean I'm a vampire."

Liberty glanced up at him.  "I can tell.  I look into people's eyes and I can see what they truly are."

"Look at Angel and you'll see a poof."

"Who's Angel?"

"Boss man around here."

"Wesley isn't?"

Spike seemed to think that was a hysterical concept. 

"No.  Angel's in charge, or likes to think so.  Really, it was Fred…"

Spike got really quiet after the mention of Fred, almost mournful.  She didn't ask him who Fred was, though she wanted to ask him desperately.  She didn't think it was polite.  She was already grilling the vampire about everyone else.

"You confuse me, Spike."

"Do I?  I suppose I am a man of mystery."

"I didn't say you were Austin Powers.  I just said you confuse me.  You're a vampire but I didn't feel anything evil about you."

"Probably 'cos I got me a nice and shiny soul.  It kind of stops me from being evil."

Liberty nodded, taking every bit in stride.

"Do you work here?  You don't have a badge."

"Do I look like a poofter lawyer?  No.  I just like to haunt about.  Used to be a ghost after I saved the world once.  Got sent here.  But now I'm just your typical ensouled vampire.  Here's your spot, love."

Liberty grinned, deciding she liked the man.  He didn't seem threatening or anything at all.  In fact, he was making her feel comfortable. 

"Guess I won't see you at the staff meeting, then."  Spike smiled at the disappointment on her face.

"Oh, no.  I wouldn't miss it.  It drives Angelus insane!"

He seemed delighted at the idea of driving Angelus crazy. 

"I thought it was Angel."

"Long story.  You'll catch up soon enough."

Spike turned and started walking away from the office.

"Hey Spike!"

He stopped for a moment, waiting for her to finish what she wanted to say.
"Thank you for your help!"

"No problem.  It's not like I had anything better to do."  Liberty laughed as she walked on into her office.

            Liberty walked timidly into the boardroom.  She'd left her office early just so she could make it to the meeting on time.  It'd taken her long enough to find the room, but she'd triumphantly made it there on time.  Wesley was already there and he nodded at her.  "Liberty.  Go ahead and take a seat.  I'll introduce you to everyone after the meeting starts."

Liberty took the seat closest to the door, as if she thought she'd be able to bolt if she got to nervous.  She tried to not look any of them in the eyes; she didn't want to know to know the members' true nature.  She folded her hands into a teepee and stared at the blank notepad that sat in front of her.  Everyone was seated and a man with gelled hair stood up at the head of the table.

"All right.  Let's get this started.  I'm sure certain members want to get home."

He shot her an indulgent smile and Liberty couldn't help but return the smile.  Their gazes connected and she realized that she got the same feeling off this guy as she did Spike.  Speaking of the blond vampire, he entered the room with big gusto.

"Hello, Peaches.  Sorry I'm late.  Hope I didn't hold up the meeting."

He winked impishly at Liberty before taking the empty chair next to her. 
"Spike.  I don't recall you being a member of the team."

"Aw, now, don't tell me I'm the last to be picked to play kickball.  I play well with others, most of the time."

Liberty sensed the tension between the two, but she had to suppress a giggle.  Spike was funny.  She liked him.  She'd officially decided it. 

"Boys, I think we should move on."  Wesley cut in.  The other man nodded in agreement.

Wesley motioned towards Liberty.  "This is Liberty Jamieson.  She has a gift of being able to tell each person's true nature.  Say, she knew I was human, I'm sure if you wanted to test her, she could say what each of us is.  She's seventeen and still attends high school, but I hired her to head up the new Teen Research Division."

The man nodded again.
"I'm Angel, the CEO of this branch of Wolfram and Hart."

Liberty recalled the words of Spike previously.  A poof was what he'd called him.

"You're a vampire with a soul."

"How did you know I had a soul?"

"Well, I got the same read off of you as I did Spike, so I assumed…"

Angel's eyes narrowed at being compared to Spike but accepted it nonetheless. 

"You're correct."

Next to Angel was Lorne.
"I'm Lorne, cupcake.  I'm in charge of the Entertainment Division."
"You're an empathic demon."

"You hit it right on the nose, dollface."

"I'm Charles Gunn, the lawyer."

Liberty connected eyes with him and one of the oddest feelings struck her.  She tried to chalk it up to performance anxiety or just too many confusing reads emitting off of each new person she met, but she couldn't.
"You're human."

"Yep."

A ditsy blond girl sat next to Gunn.  She had a pen poised, but it appeared that she was only doodling unicorns, not notes.

"I'm Harmony, Angel's secretary."

"You're a vampire, but you don't have a soul."
"No.  I just got disgusted at the whole drinking people thing.  Plus, you know, Angel forbids it."

The room fell quiet, as if they felt they were missing someone else.  Wesley bit his lip nervously and she wondered if that was why she had felt the sadness.  Maybe they were missing someone else.  Even Spike seemed subdued at that point. 

"We just wanted to welcome you here, Liberty.  You'll be an excellent addition to our team.  If you have any questions, ask any of us except Spike."  Angel added in, breaking the silence.  Spike seemed indignant at his mention to leave him out.  Angel always seemed to be trying to push Spike out.

"I like the girl, Peaches, so she has nothin' to fear from me."

"I do have one question.  Can I wear jeans and stuff to work?  It's kind of weird wearing a skirt to school everyday."

"Of course.  You're in charge of the Teen Division, so I'll let you dress like a teen."

After that was covered, other things were mentioned.  Recent jobs, recent apocalypses, recent problems.  It was about 9:30 when the meeting ended and Lorne offered to walk Liberty out.  Liberty said good-bye to Wesley and gave Spike a quick kiss on the cheek for a good bye before leaving with Lorne.

            "I like her, Wes.  She reminds me so much…"  Angel trailed off and looked up at Wesley.  He nodded.  "I know.  She's like Cordelia and Fred and any traces of goodness in Lilah.  It's amazing."

The loss of the women washed over each male in the room, each mourning them for various reasons.

"Did you hire her because of it?"

"As a reminder of Fred?  No."  Wesley's mind wandered to Fred-no, Illyria-waiting for him at home.  She was staying with him.  He was helping her integrate into human society.  And though she wasn't Fred, at times she would be so naïve and innocent in the ways that the world was now, he would see Fred.  No, he hadn't hired Liberty because she reminded him of Fred.  Illyria did a good job of that.

"Liberty is quite qualified, I'm sure you'll find."

"I have no doubt."

Gunn cut into the conversation.  "She kind of freaks me out.  She was looking at me weird."

Spike chuckled.  "Maybe it was your hair.  Or maybe she knows your secret."

Gunn shifted uncomfortably as if trying to decide if he had a secret or not.

"I don't know.  She just gives me the creeps."

"Give her a chance, Charles.  She hasn't done anything to warrant your dislike."

"Yeah, whatever, English.  I've gotta get back to my office.  Case to be worked."

The meeting broke up after that.

            Lorne walked her down to her car.  He babbled a bit about how excited he was to have her there and how he could get her hooked up with anybody, Chad Michael Murray or Christopher Marquette or even Josh Hartnett.  Liberty declined due to some amazing restraint, but she enjoyed listening to Lorne talk.  He was quite delightful, particularly for a demon.  He seemed to be harmless, which was probably why he was in charge of the entertainment branch.  "If you ever have a problem, just come sing for me.  I'll see if I can help."

"Thanks. Speaking of problems, what was all of that tension between Spike and Angel?  They don't seem to like each other much.  I'd think they'd get along since they're like the only two vampires in the universe with souls."

"Well, they have a history.   Angelus was Spike's grandsire."

"Angelus?"

"Angel's vampiric name.  It's just Angel now, unless he's evil.  So Angelus and Spike plundered Europe and other continents until Spike caught Angelus with Spike's sire, Drusilla.  Ever since, they've had some kind of competition going on, even fell for the same Slayer."

"How'd they end up working together?"

"Long story short, cupcake, Spike saved the world and got mailed back to Wolfram and Hart."

"Oh, and that makes complete and total sense."

Lorne laughed happily.  "Don't try to take it all in in one day.  I still don't understand it all and I've been working for Angelcakes for four years almost."

Liberty nodded.  "I just like being in the loop.  What about Charles?"

"Gunn?  He used to live on the street and had a gang of vampire hunters.  Ended up working for Angel.  Now he's a big, hot shot attorney, got some kind of chip in his head or something."

Liberty digested what Lorne had told her, wondering if that was why she'd gotten a weird read of Gunn.  His brain had been messed with.

"And Wesley?"

"Ex-Watcher.  He's been working with Angel for five years total in LA, and another year in Sunnydale.  He's our research go-to man."

"Anybody else?"

Lorne sighed loudly and shook his head.

"What did I miss?  Everyone is so sad."

"We've just lost two of our best.  Cordelia Chase.  She was a visionary.  She fell into a coma last year and she died a few months ago.  Then my very own Winifred Burkle.  All of us loved her very much and she was recently taken over by a demon goddess, Illyria.  No one knows what happened to Illyria.  That happened a few weeks ago and Wesley was very much in love with her.  They'd only recently gotten together after three years of him pining over her.  It was heartbreaking."

Liberty closed her eyes, able to feel the heartbreak.
"I'm sorry about their deaths."

"We all are, Sweets."

"I hope you guys don't think I'm trying to be their replacements or anything."

Lorne shook his head emphatically.  "We know."  He opened the car door for Liberty.
"It was lovely meeting you, Liberty Jamieson.  I'll see you tomorrow.  Maybe we could do dinner."

"Maybe."

She slipped into her car, trying to take in everything she'd been told.  Lorne was a font of information.  She'd sensed he'd love to gossip with her, but after hearing about Winifred and Cordelia, she wanted to leave him to his peace for the moment. 

"Thanks, Lorne."

He smiled, his red eyes sparkling.  He shut the door for her and headed back towards the building.