Chapter 28

Buffy shook her head as she walked away from a bickering Spike and Angel. She briefly glanced at Wed and Fred and then back at her husband. He was run through with a sword and a giant bug was attached to it in the back.

"Fuss, fuss. The thing was about to strike." Spike said. "It was on your back. What was I supposed to do?"

"Ask me to turn around." Angel said.

"Heat of battle. There wasn't time."

"You just like stabbing me."

"I-I'm shocked.... shocked that you'd say that. I much prefer hitting you with blunt instruments."

"You know, we only asked you along 'cause we felt sorry for you."

"If it weren't for me, you'd be bug food, so stop winging."

"You know, I'm going to hit you both with blunt instruments AND sharp pointy objects AND sic giant bugs on you if you two don't shut up." Buffy said. "You're giving me a headache!"

"Sorry."

"Sorry baby." Angel kissed her cheek.

Fred walked up to Angel. "Angel?"

"Ah, I'll be all right."

"No, I just want the bug. It's in pretty good shape, and I'd like to take it back to the lab. I always like a new specimen."

Buffy yanked the sword out of Angel and the bug dropped to the floor. "OW!" Angel said.

"Hush." Buffy picked up the bug and handed it to Fred. "Here ya go."

"Thanks."

The Slayer turned and looked at Angel. "Come on. I'll bandage you up at home. Just don't bleed all over the car."

***

Buffy sat at Angel's desk reading through one of her textbooks for her mythology class. Spike and Angel were arguing loudly once again across the office.

"It's bollocks, Angel! It's your brand of bollocks from the first to last." Spike yelled.

"No, you can't ever see the big picture. You can't see any picture!" Angel shot back.

"I am talking about something primal. Right? Savagery. Brutal animal instinct."

"And that wins out every time with you. You know, the human race has evolved, Spike!"

"Oh, into a bunch of namby-pamby, self-analyzing wankers who could never hope to...."

"We're bigger. We're smarter. Plus, there's a thing called teamwork, not to mention the superstitious terror of your pure aggressors!"

"You just want it to be the way you want it to be."

"It's not about what I want!"

Wesley walked into the office and stared at them. "Sorry. Is this something we should all be discussing?"

"No." Angel said sheepishly.

"It just.... sounds a little serious."

"It was mostly.... theoretical. We...."

"We were just working out a b...." Spike said.

"The were fighting over who would win if cavemen and astronauts got into a fight." Buffy said.

"I didn't even realize you were there." Wesley said, looking at Buffy.

"Slayer stealth."

"They've been yelling at each other for 40 minutes about this?"

"Yeah."

"And you've been reading the whole time?"

"You get used to those two. It's like having two little boys always around." Angel and Spike looked hurt.

"What are you reading?"

"My mythology textbook. It's really stupid because half of this crap isn't even true! And the other half is extremely messed up. The legends and dates for some of them are all wrong. I can't understand how I'm supposed to learn this when I already know all of it the way it actually happened."

"There's a debate you could pose in class."

Buffy stood and walked with Wesley. "Yeah, but it's a mythology class. Not debate."

"It doesn't mean that you can't start one."

"Buffy...." Angel started.

"Go back to your argument, sweetie. I'm busy."

"But I needed to talk to you."

"Later." Buffy looked back at Wesley and walked out of the office with him. "So you're saying start a debate out of nowhere?"

"Exactly. The teacher should be impressed."

"That is if he doesn't think I'm crazy first."

"If you like, you can go in my library and find the texts you need to prove those theories wrong."

"Really?"

"Of course."

"It'd be cool to prove that whole textbook wrong. And it'd make me look super smart."

"I'm glad I can help out."

"What were you coming into the office to say?"

"Oh!" Wesley handed her the file he was carrying. "This is Lindsey McDonald's file. Gunn's located him and is keeping tabs on him. He suggested that Angel look into it because Lindsey may have had other schemes planned."

"I'll tell him."

"Thank you."

"So how are you and Fred doing?"

"You know about us?"

"Who doesn't?"

"Really?"

"Well, it was obvious to me. Maybe because Fred came and talked to me about making a move on you."

"She talked to you?"

"Yeah! I'm the only girl almost her age that understands what she's going through."

"And you said....?"

"I told her to go for it because you, just like all the other males in this facility, are completely dense and you couldn't see the subtle moves she was throwing your way."

"Oh. Thank you."

"Anytime." Buffy smiled. "I'll give this to Angel."

"Do you have classes today?"

"No. I'm free today."

"Will you help me pick out a gift for Fred later? I want to take her out for dinner."

"Sure. I'd love to." Buffy walked out, muttering to herself, "At least someone around here is getting spontaneous gifts."

Back in the office, Spike was gone and Angel was sitting at his desk reading a file. Buffy set the file Wesley had given her on top of the one he was reading. He picked it up. "What's this?"

"Lindsey's file. Gunn and Wes thought you might like to look into it. They think he may have had other schemes on the side."

"Oh. Ok."

"Now what did you want to talk to me about before you and Spike started going at it?"

"Spike, actually."

"What about him?" Buffy walked over to the couch and sat down.

Angel followed. "I want to get rid of him."

"Why!? That's unfair."

"No. He's not needed here Buffy."

"Yes he is."

"Why? Because you want him here?"

"It's more than that. He's been a major help to me and to you. He was right last night. That bug would've eaten your head off if he hadn't been there. I was too busy skewering one of the others to help you."

"Buffy...."

"No." Buffy got up and started to walk away.

"He can go to another place. He can have anything he wants. I'll gladly give it to him. But this isn't working. I can't exactly stand having him around anymore."

"You're jealous."

"No I'm not."

"You are. I've been spending all this time with him and you can't stand that!"

"Buf...."

"No! Just admit it. You're jealous of Spike."

"All right. Maybe a little. But you know I'm right. He can't stick around here anymore."

"Why?"

"Because he just can't."

"Because you want me all to yourself and you know it's not going to happen with him around." Buffy kneeled in front of Angel and took his hands. "Baby, he can never have me. I'm yours and you know it."

"But you and Spike have history."

"Yeah. One incredibly messed up night in an abandoned house that I completely regret and I can't even stand thinking about it." She touched his face. "You're the only man I think about. I gave you everything I have and that's never going to change. I love you." She stood. "Do what you want, but I doubt Spike will leave." With that, she headed up to the penthouse.

***

Buffy and Wesley were walking through Wolfram and Hart later that day disusing possible gift ideas. Fred and Lorne were walking down the hallway as Wesley and Buffy walked up the stairs.

"Hey there." Fred said.

"I was just on my way to thinking of an excuse to come and see you." Wesley said.

"And how is that working out?"

"Really great. Where are you coming from?"

"Oh, medical. I breathed some old mummy dust. Had to make sure I didn't discover any new germs."

"Are you ok?" Buffy asked.

"They shooed me right off. Mummy free."

"Good. I was hoping to take you out tomorrow night, and I don't feature you wrapped in bandages." Wesley said.

"Take me out where?"

"Can it be a secret?"

"Oh, sheesh." Lorne stepped between them to walk down the stairs. "Get a balcony, you two, huh?"

"You'll still find me for lunch, though, right?" Fred asked.

"I'll just look where the sun shines." Lorne began to sing. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...."

"You make me happy...."

The instant Fred started singing, Lorne stopped in his tracks and turned back to Fred in horror. A moment later, Fred coughed up blood and collapsed, falling down the stairs. Buffy caught her, and Wesley rushed to her side as she began convulsing in their arms.

"Get medical." Buffy said.

"Someone get medical NOW!" Wesley yelled.

***

Fred was lying in a hospital bed in a private room at Wolfram & Hart. The sheets and blankets were a pale blue, and x-rays were hanging on the wall. Gunn, Spike, Wesley, Lorne, Angel, Dawn and Knox were gathered around her bed when she came to. Buffy was sitting on the bed with Fred.

"Hey there." Buffy said. "You gave us one hell of a scare."

"Yeah, you just need to rest. The lab is doing some blood work." Angel said.

"I'm a mummy, aren't I?" Fred asked.

"I've fought plenty of mummies, and none of 'em were as pretty as you. Almost none." Spike said.

"Now y'all are being too comforting. What's really up?"

"You're sick, and you're making it worse by worrying." Gunn said.

"We've got that sarcophagus under the scope." Knox said. "If it gave you anything, we'll isolate it in a few hours."

"So, you don't know what it is?" Fred asked.

"Yet." Dawn said. "We will."

"Ok."

"We're gonna work this. Shouldn't take long." Angel said.

"Handsome man saves me."

"That's how it works. Let's get crackin'."

Buffy kissed Fred's forehead. "Get better, ok?" Then she followed her husband and the others minus Wesley out.

Angel had paused at the door. "Wes and Fred?"

"You didn't know?"

"I didn't know."

"Come on. Give them their moment." Buffy took Angel's hand and led him down the hall a little ways. Angel grabbed her tightly to him and kissed her forehead. "What?"

"I'm just glad you're ok."

"I know."

"I don't know what I'd do if I lost you again."

Buffy leaned into Angel and kissed him gently. "You won't get to find out anytime soon."

Wesley walked down the hallway toward them. "How is she handling it?" Angel asked.

"She's smarter than all of us put together. She knows it's bad." Wesley said. They walked down the hall and met up with Gunn, Spike, Knox, Dawn, and Lorne.

"How bad? What do we know?" Gunn asked.

"Whatever she's got, it doesn't match up with any of the pathogens in our archives." Knox said.

"It's mystical, and it's not ours." Dawn clarified.

"What about the sarcophagus?" Buffy asked.

"My team is cross-checking the symbols, but it's also new territory for us." Wesley said.

"Angel, what exactly is happening to her?" Dawn asked. "You talked to the doctor...."

"They have something?" Wesley asked.

Angel stopped walking and turned to face the others who were gathered around him in a loose circle. "Yeah, I, uh.... Some parasitic agent is working its way through. I mean, as near as they can tell...."

"Get to the point."

"Her organs are cooking. In a days time, they'll liquefy."

"No." Spike said. "Not this girl. Not this day."

"Look, Wes, you gotta tell me what was in that box. I need a name, a history, anything."

"We can't get it open." Dawn said. "Not even the lasers...."

"Where did it come from?" Wesley asked.

"It just showed up." Knox said. "No return address. Didn't recognize the guy who brought it in.... come to think of it, in the middle of the night."

"This was deliberate." Buffy said.

"Senior partners?" Lorne asked.

"Doesn't add up, but I'll hit the White Room. Talk to the conduit." Gunn said.

"Now, look, if the senior partners didn't do this, you gotta get them to help us." Angel said.

"Any way I can."

"What about Doyle.... uh, Lindsey?" Spike asked. "The man likes to play his games."

"I was looking to work the streets, and we've got his address. For all we know, he's probably sitting there laughing. And if there's muscle work to do...."

"Let's make it thrice as fast." Spike said, nodding at Buffy.

"And baby makes four." Lorne said. "In case anybody feels like singing."

"Good. Guys...." Angel said.

"You don't have to say it." Wesley said.

"I'll say it anyway. Winifred Burkle. Go."

They all walked off in their respective directions.