Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com

Rating: PG-13 for Angst and ect. And CD

Disclaimer: I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich. Anyway, Kris and Echo are mine as well.. but they aren't in this chappy… as for previous chap Faiths friends belong to me as well!

Authors note: for anyone worried by my aforementioned thing of perhaps losing my computer due to grades… not gonna happen till at least the next report card, I managed to boost my science grade(miracurously) to a B- instead of a C+ and so my lowest grade was thus a B-… me is happy! Anyway here's the next part and I hope you guys like it! Also a note, paint fights with oil based paints… generally a bad idea… believe me!

As for where this is going: Just Ask and I'll check ur site out…and for those ppl who I've said I would email them the parts w/o my author notes so they can post them… their coming soon!

Ooooooh the stoooooorrrryyyy…..

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A/note: I have never broken into a house so I have no idea how its done and I'm a bit to lazy to search for hints on the internet… much to interested in home work and reading fics! Hehehe!

Part Twenty-Four

Can't run, can't hide.

42 days

Wesley carefully dug his knife into the wood grain around the window cell trying to dig it in far enough to lift the old glass paned window up. He growled frustrated when it didn't budge.

"So you must be the ex-watch Angel employed, fancy some help?"

Wesley jumped slightly turning to face Spike and Gunn. "What are you doing here Gunn? And…"

"William." Spike supplied his human name walking up to stand next to Wesley and looked over the window.

"We're here to help," Gunn motioned to spike. "Williams employed by the powers and was sent here to help us rescue Angel."

"You're under the employment of the powers?" Wesley asked as he watched Spike examine the window.

"Yep, I'm a bloody champion and all that rot. Even got myself my very own pet seer." Spike turned his head to glance at the other men. "You know what? Screw doing this the hard way, how about we just cut to the chase?"

A split second later his foot came into contact with the glass and shattered it into thousands of miniature shards.

"Well," Gunn said shrugging. "I guess that's one way to break into a house."

*

"Uh," Connor was dumbstruck at the sudden appearance of the girl. The blonde slowly walked into the room and sat backwards on a chair and rested her arms on the back.

"I'm Nich," She smiled tentively brushing some waves over her shoulder. "I'm a seer for the powers. You know, the group that your Dad works for."

"My Dads dead," Connor replied hotly, and quickly without thinking.

"Angels not dead, if he was I would have got a notice in my inbox of a cerebrum."

Connor looked away, "He did a lot of bad things."

"So what? He deserves it?" Nich cocked her head to the side. "Why?"

Connor shot his head up to look her in the eye, forgetting that Fred was in the room. "He's a murderer, a monster."

"One who's searching for redemption, working for the powers and saving hundreds of lives every year, not to mention the times he averts an apocalypse." Nich bit her lip. "Did you help with his disappearance by any chance?"

"He killed my father."

*

"Why didn't I think of that?" Wesley muttered as he followed Spike through the window. A small shard of glass caught on his arm cutting a two-inch long gash across it. The ex-watcher hissed sharply.

"Quiet." Spike said softly over his shoulder as he focused on the room. He calmed his breathing and focused his senses listening for anyone in the house. A muffled scream caught his attention and he bolted into action staying forward on his feet to retain a bit of stealth in his heavy boots.

*

Justine screamed before Lilah backhanded her. The burglar alarm had gone of silently, and it had rung Lilah's beeper moments before. The Lawyer had been just close enough for Justine to read the digital writing and take action.

"Quiet." Lilah hissed into her ear as she stuffed a torn cloth into Justine's mouth. The Vampire huntress glared at her captor and clenched her jaw around the woolen rag.

*

Spike cocked his head slightly and crept up to a closed door.

Gunn shook his head, "What are we doing? No ones home."

"I saw Lilah come in a while before you arrived," Wesley contradicted him. "She's home alright, just hiding."

Reaching a hand out he gently turned the knob. It stopped and did not open. Drawing in a deep breath the male slayer leaned an ear against the wood and focused on the contents of the room. One of the perks of going from vampire to human meant he had kept a lot of his 'powers' though some were a bit dampened by the change.

Two breaths; one heavy with worry and fright, and one angry, hard, and deep.

Two hearts, both frantic.

Both human.

Spike drew back and glanced at Gunn and Wesley in the darkness his blue eyes glittering in the dim light and nodded sharply toward the door. In there.

*

"I don't know," Tara frowned as she glanced over her lover. "Its not really… you anymore."

Willow twirled in front of her in a jean skirt with a white shirt that had a cute logo on the front. Her hair was down straight and her make up done nicely (cutely). She frowned at her reflection in the long mirror they had installed in the apartments living room.

"Giles?" Tara called across the room. "What do you think?"

"Umm, the first one?" He answered with a question without even glancing up from his books.

Tara smiled at Willows expression as the other witch fiddled with her bracelet and glared at the watcher.

"I guess your right," Willow sighed as she turned and gave Tara a small smile. "But they won't know that. They expect the old Willow, not the new Willow." She turned a worried look on her lover and bit her lip. "What if they don't like me?"

"They'll love you, just like I do," Tara frowned. "But as a friend only of course."

"I hope-"

A cloud of dust swirled through the room and a brunette appeared. "Giles guess what I did to my- AAH!"

*

Lilah shielded herself with her hands over her face as splinters of wood flew across the room.

"Sorry," Spike said as he came into view. "I guess I need to learn to knock quieter next time."

Lilah reached for her knife and drew it into her hand before standing and stepping toward him, "Just who do you think you are?"

"Someone who needs something… or someone you have," Spike glanced over her shoulder. "Oh torture. Had this been a year ago, hell even four months ago I would have sat down to watch, but, since this is now… guess I'm gonna have to stop you."

Spikes hand shot out and gripped her wrist causing Lilah to cry out. The Lawyer ground her teeth together and glared at the ex-vampire. "Who the heck are you?"

"A friend of Angels… though friend might be to strong of a word…" Spike frowned. "Well we're family. And that's what counts."

Gunn followed Spike into the room and knelt down next to Justine so he could untie the ropes that bound her wrist and ankles.

"We need to hurry before Wolfram and Hart get here," Wesley said from the doorway. "We probably triggered alarms the moment we got here.

"Well, well, well." Lilah shook her head. "Guess I wasn't the only one with an ulterior motive now was I?"

"It comes with the job."

Lilah shook her head and laughed, "Do you really think Angels going to forget what you did?"

"No." Wesley shook his head and glanced aside before lifting his stake. "I have no doubt he'll never forget, or forgive."

The blunt side of the stake fell across her temple knocking her out and Wesley couldn't manage to look any of the other three in the room in the eyes. "Let's go."

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Author Note: I love five-day weekends… oooh Wednesday I have another late start… another chap will probably be posted Monday or Wednesday or both!

To be continued in: Puzzle Pieces

Review, or I'll sing the DOOM song! Mwahahahaha! ^_^ Please?