Chapter 5

Alexa looked up from the banter with Shannon, and grinned when she saw Spike. "Mornin', Spike!" She wandered over, grabbing another piece of toast off of Shannon's plate.

Spike gave her an odd look. "I didn't tell her my name."

"Um." Alexa paused. "Well, looks like I have to explain it twice..."

"You didn't explain it last time, Alexa."

Alexa rolled her eyes at Shannon's comment. "Anyway. You're a character on a TV show back home, one of the shows I actually watched. Simple as that."

"You forgot the title." Shannon turned to face them. "The show's called Angel." She nodded towards Angel. "Named after him, of course."

"Figures they name it after the brooding wanker." Spike shrugged. "Is there any blood in the fridge?" He looked over at Angel, who shrugged.

"Haven't checked yet."

Spike muttered something uncomplimentary before going into the back to look for blood.

Alexa gulped down the last of her toast, and bounded up the stairs, returning with a laptop. She curled up in one of the chairs, and a momemnt later, music filled the lobby as she worked, typing an entry into her journal.

"Don't tell me you're going to write notes on how the machine worked, Alexa." Shannon glanced over at the screen of the laptop and groand. "She is. Alexa, they're not going to be any use in using the machine."

"And? I'm going to use the machine in a story. Maybe. Eventually. And the notes will help." Alexa glanced up as Angel wandered over, and snapped the screen shut. "Nuh-uh. You don't get to see the journal, broody boy."

"Broody boy?" Angel gave her a look of disbelief, and Shannon chuckled.

"Her favorite insult to throw at the screen while we were watching the episodes of Angel. Or to use when discussing the various merits of the show."

"One of those merits being everybody's favorite blond bloodsucker, Spike." Alexa grinned as the mentioned vampire came back into the room with a glass fo blood in hand.

"In your opinion." Shannon raised an eyebrow. "He wasn't my favorite vampire in the show."

"No, of course not. You preferred the one with a curse." Alexa shrugged, ignoring the confused look that passed between Angel and Spike. "Speaking of which, would you quit lurking over my shoulder, oh brooding one? I'm not about to share my notes on the machine."

Angel moved with a mumbled apology, dissapearing into the back in search of his own breakfast.

Alexa opened the laptop again, continuing with her notes.

"Do you have any games on that?" Spike wandered over as she closed out the program, and was treated to a wallpaper of himself.

"Um..." Alexa looked up at the surprised expression on his face. "Not really. Just Solitare Antics and Masque Mahjongg. I use it for writing and website design, mostly."

There was silence from Spike, and Shannon looked over at Alexa's screen, chuckling.

"You left the Spike wallpaper up when you packed the laptop?"

"Yeah." Alexa changed the wallpaper, flags of pink in her cheeks. "It's my favorite wallpaper, Shannon!"

Angel came out, and gave the women a puzzled look when he saw the bemused expression on Spike's face.

"Alexa had her 'Faces of Spike' wallpaper up on her laptop," Shannon offered in explaination. "I'm sure he'll recover from the shock of having an interdimension stalker soon enough."

"Hey! I'm not a stalker!" Alexa mock-scowled at Shannon, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I'm a sweet little angel."

"Your halo's on crooked again, Alexa. I can see the horns holding it up," Shannon replied.

"Damn. And I just had it repainted and polished and everything!" Alexa giggled, a grin on her face, and an ansering smile came to Shannon's.