Take it for Granted

The old man was sitting, thinking. He had more than ample time for it at the moment. To his rather startled surprise, he missed Corinna more than he would have thought possible. He was beginning to wonder, as Richard had, if bringing Lindsey into the equation had been entirely wise. He seemed more inclined to turn the venture into his own personal war with Angel than to attend to the business for which he was being handsomely rewarded.

He opened his mouth to make a remark on the subject to Corinna before remembering she wasn't there.

He sighed.

Something small, shy and scaly slinked through the shadows. The old man sensed its presence and turned it inside out with a thought.

&&&&&&&

"She's got her memory back," Richard stated abruptly. "Rose does. She remembered everything except the accident." He watched as Lindsey lowered himself, very carefully, into a chair. "What happened to you?"

Lindsey laughed softly. "Just a few affronts to my dignity," he drawled, trying to ease himself into a position that didn't aggravate the bruises quite so much. "I met her kids today." He just dropped the bombshell and let it lay, watching to see what Richard would do with it.

"That was awfully risky, wasn't it?" Richard frowned. "I'm surprised they didn't read your mind and start screaming for their werewolf babysitter."

"That little dude is a werewolf?" Lindsey shifted in his chair and winced. "I'd have never guessed. As for the kids reading my mind, I reckon I just charmed them out of it. Especially the girl." He laughed again, in genuine amusement. "That little girl's already quite a flirt."

"We'll discuss your love life later," Richard snapped. "You're damned lucky they didn't read you. It would have given everything away."

"What 'everything'?" Lindsey inquired. "Trying to get you elected to the senate, or just basically what we're doing to cover our asses?"

"What about sacrificing their mother to a demon?" Richard suggested. "Even the worst brat would usually draw the line there. And my sources say that Rose and her family are tight."

"Good all-American values," Lindsey said mockingly. "The flag, mom, and apple pie. No wonder you wanted her for window dressing. Any chance you can get her back?"

Richard shook his head. "I very much doubt it," he replied. "And even if I could, we couldn't waste the perfect sacrifice on my political career."

"Put your career on hold for about ten years," Lindsey advised. "Then go for the girl. She's already a little pistol."

Richard sighed. He needed a campaign manager and the master gave him someone who treated everything as a joke. He sighed again, unhappily, and glared at Lindsey.

&&&&&&&&

"Do you really think we need a gate guard?" Spike slipped on a stack of papers and slid down the rest of the heap on his ass. "Bloody lovely."

"You can ask that after we almost got char-broiled the last time we were down here?" Angel asked incredulously. He looked around carefully, but saw no sign of the elusive slug-puppy. "At least that isn't a worry this time. But I'd still like to be able to get out of here when we're done."

"My vote would have been for not coming down here in the first place," Spike grumbled. "Couldn't just have set out a bit of rat poison or some such, could we?"

"According to Fred, they're nearly impossible to poison," Angel informed him. "Their metabolisms accept almost anything. That's probably the reason she hasn't starved to death."

Spike shifted his grip on the axe in his hands. Bare-handed didn't appeal when your opponent exuded acid. "By the by," he said in conversational tones. "Just how big..," His voice broke off as a mound of trash the size of a pick-up truck started to shift in front of him.

Angel still, for the moment unaware, replied. "You know, I never really thought to ask Fred about that one." Then, his eyes practically bugged out of his head as the trash heap shifted even further. "Oh shit."

Spike gave him a nasty smile. "Come on then, Peaches," he cooed sweetly. "Time to do the hero thing."

&&&&&&&&&

"Wow." Angel goggled at Wesley through the.., well.., goggles he was wearing. "It's a little crooked, Wes. Do you think it could have anything to do with your leg being broken?"

"What's crooked?" Wesley demanded suspiciously. Then, he did a double take at the vampire's eyewear and put two and two together. "I'm quite sure that my aura isn't crooked," he muttered with a decided sniff.

"It isn't." Angel laughed. "Just yanking your chain, Wesley. But these..," He waved the spectacles around. "These things are really amazing."

"Let me." The Watcher made an impatient grab for them, and settled them onto his nose. He squinted, then, his brow wrinkled. "Funny, I'd have thought you'd have a lot.., more spectacular aura. But it's just a dim glow." He sounded truly disappointed.

Angel shrugged. "At least I've got one," he replied, feet scuffing at the carpeting. "Harmony doesn't, and neither does Val. Think it might be the champion thing?" He fought the urge to cross his fingers that that was it. If it was in the realm of the soul, he knew, just knew, that he wouldn't be able to resist taking a peek at Spike's aura. And he had a nasty feeling he'd suffer in comparison.

Wesley was already reaching for his crutches. "Shall we go?" he suggested. "I'm really curious as to just what Rose's aura looks like."

"What about the kids?" Angel inquired. "I'm betting that they're something special too."

"Yes," Wes reflected. "The children, being instruments of prophecy ought to have incredible auras themselves." He paused and thought. "And it wouldn't surprise me if Spike..,"

"Please don't say it," Angel interrupted. "Because that's one that I really don't want to know."

Wesley grinned at him. "When are you and Spike going to get over that childish rivalry of yours?" he asked, not really expecting an answer.

He didn't get one, either. At least, not a verbal one. Instead, Angel just settled for giving him a dirty look.

&&&&&&&&&

Ariel's little nose wrinkled up. "Daddy, you smell bad."

Spike knew he smelled bad, especially now, with slug-puppy guts added to the reek. But, somehow, it wounded him to hear the pronouncement from his beloved daughter. "I'll tell the next monster not to nest in the rubbish tip," he grumbled. He ached, he stank, and he had an acid burn on one arm that hurt like a bloody bitch. Then, he comes home to his nearest and dearest..,

Alaric held out a trash bag. "Mummy said you'd want this for your clothes."

Spike took the bag. He could hardly deny that he was going to chuck what he was wearing, but really. Couldn't a bloke expect at least a little word of.., He then noticed that both children were giving him an odd look.

"What?" he asked cautiously.

Ariel gave him a heart-melting smile. "But daddy, we thought you knew," she exclaimed in mild protest. She exchanged a look with her brother.

Alaric nodded thoughtfully, suddenly looking wise beyond his tender years. "We have been taking him for granted." He spoke to his sister, but his eyes were still on his father.

At that moment, Spike saw in his daughter's eyes nothing but an awe-struck adoration that warmed his soul.

"You're why we don't see the monsters when we go to sleep," she murmured. "You're the reason we can go to sleep. Because you're there to protect us."

Alaric looked a little embarrassed, but nodded in agreement. "What she said," he muttered. He started to take a step towards Spike, then halted. "Could we save the rest of the mushy stuff till later, dad? You rank."

Spike grinned down at them, although he felt more like crowing. But, not in front of the kids. Had to set a good example. "You two run and see what your mum's got for your dinner while I scrub this muck off." He watched them obediently trot away and then started stripping off his reeking clothes, whistling a merry tune.

&&&&&&&&

Harmony went over Corinna's work with an extremely critical eye, and was a bit miffed that she couldn't find anything wrong. She started to pout, but then realized that if Corinna had turned out to be a big screw-up, it could jeopardize her vacation.

"You've got the list I gave you?" Just because Harm wasn't going to pout didn't mean she wasn't going to exert her miniscule amount of authority to make a pain of herself.

"Yes, Harmony." It just wasn't fair. The woman had a low, sultry, sexy voice besides being a knockout.

"And I showed you where the supplies are all kept, right?" Harmony was like a dog with a bone.

"I even remember that I should warm Angel's blood to human body temperature," Corinna replied smoothly. "Don't worry, Harmony. I won't turn your workplace into a shambles."

"Yeah, sure," Harmony agreed unenthusiastically. At this point, she was more concerned that Corinna would be so efficient that she wouldn't have job when she got back.

&&&&&&&&

Rose was kneading the muscles in Spike's shoulders while he sighed contentedly under her ministrations.

"You sure you don't smell anything, luv?" Despite everything, Spike still had the odor clinging to the inside of his nostrils. Again.

"Just your aftershave," Rose replied, leaning forward and sniffing in the region of his ear. "And your shampoo, and your soap." She inhaled again. "I can't even smell you."

"I can still smell garbage," Spike muttered. "Don't think I'll ever stop breathing in the smell."

"Are you going to tell me what was going on with you and the children tonight?" Rose ran her hands down Spike's bare back one last time, just savoring the feel of him, before she rolled off onto her side of the bed. "I don't know when I've ever seen them so impressed with you before. I thought they were a little more matter of fact about you killing monsters."

"That was kind of the point," Spike said, pulling Rose into his arms and burying his face in the curve of her neck. He loved the smell of her even without wanting to get the clinging scent of garbage out of his nose. "I was feeling a bit put out that all anybody could do was tell me how bad I smelled. Feeling a bit unappreciated, to be honest."

"But, Spike." Rose turned in his arms so she could face him. "We..," She broke off as Spike silenced her with a kiss.

"I know, babe," he whispered against her lips. "I know now. I probably should have known all along."

Rose thought of several things she could say on the subject, but instead, let her eyes do the talking this time, telling him how much she loved and trusted him. The effect was marred, however, by a mischievous twinkle that crept in.

"I believe that tradition has it," she murmured. "That a heroes reward for slaying the monster is a chaste kiss." She demonstrated, then moved as though she intended to roll over and go to sleep.

Spike had caught the impish gleam, however, so he wasn't having it.

"Chaste kiss, my ass," he muttered, running his hands over her suggestively. "I'm gonna shag your brains out, sweetheart."

"There's a whole school of thought," Rose began, a little breathlessly.

"That thinks I already have," Spike finished for her. By now, it was an old joke. "Bugger them."

&&&&&&&&

Corinna scuttled out of the way as one of the cleaning crew wielded a feather duster and stared at the miscreant in annoyance. She'd just finished spinning the web. She didn't really need it, she'd eaten in human form, and she suspected that feeding would be sparse here. But it had been a nice little homey touch, and now it was completely destroyed. She was about to begin weaving a new one when the janitor came towards her with an aerosol can in his hand, and she made a hasty retreat.

At long last, the cleaners departed, and Corinna was free to go about her occasions. Upon careful consideration, this time she wove her web on the underside of the desk. There really wasn't very much to observe now, anyway, and at least her work would be protected here. She settled into the corner of her retreat and slept.

&&&&&&&&

Lindsey held the bottle up to the light and for a long moment just watched the condensation bead up on the glass surface. Finally, he lowered his hand, still holding the bottle and took a long swig of the beer. He felt he both needed and deserved it after putting up with Richard's whining.

He put some careful consideration into the information he'd picked up over the course of the day. So now Angel had a buddy who was also a vampire with a soul. Just the thought of another Angel, the only image Lindsey could produce, was enough to make him gag.

What else was there to look at? A duty-struck werewolf who had, at least in Lindsey's estimation, absolutely zero sense of humor. And the kids. Precocious as hell. Cuter than a bug's ear. Both thought that 'Uncle' Angel was wonderful.

And of course, as always, there was the mysterious girl who hadn't been a girl ten years before. He listened to the tape his contact in security had made him for the umpteenth time. So, Rose had friends in high places. But just how high were those places? Enough to give the senior partners a run for their money? If that was the case, then it was something that Lindsey would pay real money to see.

He'd like to see Angel dead because he hated him. But he'd like it even more to know the senior partners were no more.

Because he feared them.