Disclaimer:
Nope, still not mine. Joss's and ME's. Hope they don't mind me playing with them.
Summary:
Angel and Spike settle down to something approaching domesticity. Meanwhile they find out more about the sarcophagus and plan to return it. But at what cost?
-
Endings
Chapter 10
Angel awoke just as the sun was going down. He stretched luxuriously and examined the hand in front of him. He had a hand made of flesh and blood! Finally! No more stupid, humiliating, puppet Angel. He leapt out of bed.
"Spike!" He yelled.
Spike was already up and causing havoc as he rummaged through cupboards
"No need to shout. Vamp hearing you know."
"Look!" Angels said, holding out his hands and grinning.
"You're a real boy again. I know. I felt the bond suddenly snap into place. Also got a report, the children drained by the nest egg have all made full recoveries."
"Yeah? That's good. Uh, Spike? What are you looking for?"
"Dinner."
"The blood is in the fridge, where it always is."
"Duh. But what do you put in it to give it flavour...texture?"
"I'm a vampire, Spike. I take my blood neat. I dread to ask, but what do you normally put in your blood?"
"I'll try anything but Cocoa Pops goes particularly well."
Angel shook his head in mock disappointment. "Sometimes I wonder exactly what I raised, because I'm thinking it's not a vampire."
"Don't worry, I've still got my bite. It's just bagged blood is so boring, need to pep it up a bit. Anyway, get dressed, Peaches. We've stuff to do today."
"We have?"
"Uh huh. Places to go, people to see."
"Where? Who?"
"Surprise."
"I don't really like surprises..." Angel said in a wheedling tone and using his soft brown eyes to good effect. But Spike was implacable.
"Tough. I'm not telling you. So you can stop giving me the chocolate drop eyes."
"Well, I'm not coming with you. I'm busy, we've still got this Illyria thing to investigate and other business has been piling up over the last couple of days."
"Come on, Peaches. Wes and Gunn have the whole Company working on Illyria, what difference will you make at this stage? As for Company business, it can wait one night." Spike coaxed.
"Sorry."
It was Spike's turn to pout, as he threw himself down on the couch.
"After all you've done to me, the least you can do is come with me tonight. You let me get vamp-napped by Giles, you stole my memories, twice. You destroyed my ring, you stole Dru..."
"Are you going to list every bad thing I've ever done to you, until I give in?"
"Yeah, that was the plan..."
"I'll shower, be with you in ten."
"Thanks, pet. You won't regret it."
Spike sat back and re-read the short note from Giles. He hadn't expected to hear from him so quickly.
Angel soaped himself down. All in all he was feeling pretty content. They'd saved the kids, they were de-puppetfied, Spike wanted to spend time with him. He wondered what they were doing tonight. He got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. Until he knew what they were doing he wasn't sure what to wear. He ran some mousse through his hair until it felt about right, opened his wardrobe and considered. Nothing too expensive, knowing Spike their night would probably involve blood and guts, but if they were meeting people he needed to look good. Angelus was right about some things, couldn't go wrong with leather pants. Hmmm, and the black shirt, to hide potential bloodstains. He wondered what Spike would wear and realised that he'd been living in the same clothes for ages. Did he even have others?
"Hey, Spike. I was thinking. You should leave some clothes here. Perhaps we should fit in some shopping tonight."
Spike looked at his cheerful face.
"You like shopping?"
"Well...yeah."
"You may be surprised to hear me say this, but. You. Are. A. Complete. Poof."
"Don't care. We'll trade, I won't ask any more questions about tonight and in return you come shopping with me. I mean, you're my childe and you're a disgrace. Your jeans are ripped..."
"Eh? What's wrong with them, they're the height of fashion, Pillock."
"And another thing you're my seer as well as my childe, it's time you treated me with more respect and stopped calling me insulting names..."
They looked at each other, Angel's lips twitched and they both started laughing.
"Well, it was worth a try." Angel shrugged.
"Absolutely and I'll stop calling you names when...Never."
-
Spike was driving. He'd handed over a bit of paper with an address written on it and told Angel to keep his eyes peeled. They were now well away from the city's tenements and tower blocks and into a leafier area, with large properties set well back from the road.
"Spike, I think this is it."
They were faced with an expanse of high brick wall. It had a double gate built into it but apart from that it was peculiarly featureless and nondescript in comparison with the surrounding properties. Spike pulled in and scrabbled in his jeans' pocket. Eventually producing a set of keys and a fob. He examined the fob for a second and then pressed a button. The double gates in front of them gave a mechanical groan as they slowly opened, to reveal a tangled drive beyond.
"Spike?" Angel asked curiously.
"Wait." Spike replied.
The drive had once been sweeping but nature was gradually reclaiming it. Trees which had once lined it had grown and were now encroaching upon it. The house beyond came into view. Angel gasped, not because it was particularly big or grand but,
"It's so old."
"Yeah." Spike agreed. "Some English bloke with more money than sense had it flown over from England and rebuilt brick by brick."
Spike parked up in front of the house and climbed out. The air smelt sweet, it seemed a million miles removed from the fumes and the noise of LA.
"It's peaceful here." Angel commented.
Spike nodded his agreement.
"Come on, let's have a look around."
Spike flicked through the keys until he came to large iron one, it turned smoothly in the lock and the heavy front door swung open with a creak. It led into a tiled hall, with a staircase in front of them and rooms either side. They entered the first room on the right. It was enormous with heavily curtained French doors and tall windows.
"A ballroom." Angel said.
"A training room." Spike corrected.
Angel considered.
"It would make a good training room." He said as he surveyed it critically.
They started to explore the other rooms, almost in silence. Spike gestured the other vampire over. Behind the main staircase there was a hidden stair spiralling down. They carefully made their way down the stone steps and found themselves in a basement consisting of a number of rooms. A few of the inner ones had no windows at all.
"Oh. I like this." Spike approved as he went in and out of each room.
Angel found an external door, which Spike unlocked and together they walked up a flight of steps, leading to an old fashioned English walled garden.
"A secret garden?" Spike said as he took in his surroundings.
Angel looked around. The walls were covered in a variety of climbing plants. "Dru would love it here."
Spike sat down on one of the walls, which ran either side of the steps.
"Do you like it?" Spike asked.
"It's perfect." Angel replied. He lay back on the opposite stone wall and stared at the hazy night sky. "So why re we here?"
Instead of answering Spike took out his mobile and punched in a number.
"Hi. It's me." He said
"Yeah, it's great, perfect."
"Go ahead."
"Yeah. Buy it. And thanks."
He hit the 'end call' button and put the phone back in his duster pocket.
"Spike what is this?"
Spike sighed and hoped Angel would go along with his plan without too much argument.
"Its home." He replied.
"You've bought it?" Angel asked a touch of awe in his voice. "I envy you. It's beautiful."
"No envy. It's ours. It's our home."
"Ours? Nice idea but I have a home."
"No. You have a place to stay if you end up working late. Now you have a home. They're flying Red in to cast protective wards around it. It's ideal. We'll have all the upstairs for show and then the basement as a hidden home within a home. Where we can be anything we want. We lock that door at the top of the stairs and we have our own nest. No pretence at being human or civilised, what happens here is no one else's business but ours. It's just us. A sanctuary."
"But, Spike..."
"Look, if I can't appeal to your vampiric nature, think of this instead. We have all those empty rooms. Think of all the shopping you could do."
Angel's eyes brightened. "Yeah, that's true. Ummm, at whose expense?"
"That's for you to negotiate with Giles and Buffy. Come on. Let's go meet them. They'll be waiting for us."
"They want to meet me." Angel asked, suddenly nervous at the prospect.
"Yeah. It's ok, they've promised not to bite...unless you bite first." Spike grinned.
"I don't know if it's a good idea. Uh. Can we look around again? I mean, if it's going to be home I need to take another look."
Spike realised that Angel needed a little time to work up to the idea of meeting Buffy. Time to brood. Well he'd grant him the time but was damned if he was going to put up with a miserable, brooding sire.
"How about a look around the grounds with me?" Spike leapt to the top of the surrounding garden wall and dropped to the other side. "If you can find me, that is."
Angel could hear him running through the undergrowth and growled with pleasure. Oh, they hadn't played this game for years. He took the wall in one jump and listened carefully. All noise had disappeared. His childe had grown more stealthy since they had last played. He heard a movement. Better, but not stealthy enough. Oh, a cat. He'd been stalking a cat. This was now serious. He brought all his senses into play. Spike must have been moving around a lot because his scent seemed to be everywhere. He closed his eyes and felt along the bond, trying to find a direction.
"Oy! Not fair!" Spike sounded outraged and suddenly he was moving swiftly and noiselessly. Angel took off after him. And then stopped. Spike should be here...right here. He looked around warily and then let out a shout as a weight fell on him from above and rolled him to the ground.
"I think I win." Spike grinned and looked at Angel questioningly. Angel was so into the pleasure of the moment all his worries about meeting Buffy had left him. He nodded and waited expectantly as Spike tugged at his shirt collar. He felt the sharp pain and then the tug as his blood was drawn out.
"Yes." He whispered tucking his hand around Spike's head and gently cradling him, until he felt Spike licking the wound closed.
Spike raised his head. "Feeling more relaxed."
Angel just smiled languidly.
"So you think you could live here? With me?" Spike asked.
"Oh yeah, I think I'm home." Angel replied and watched hungrily as the blonde vampire licked the blood from his lips.
"Right answer." Spike gave a fangy grin. "Think you deserve a reward." He pressed his wrist to Angel's mouth and the other vampire gratefully sank his teeth into the offered flesh. As he lost himself in this intimate pleasure he considered life with Spike and as he swallowed the gift so freely given and felt it unfurl like a drug within his veins, then, for the first time in an aeon, he contemplated eternity with a frissom of anticipation.
-
Giles looked at his watch. "They're late."
Buffy smoothed her hair. "It's coming out isn't it? I knew it was too short for this style. Do I need to go fix it? I'll go fix it."
She picked up her bag and left for the powder room still anxiously touching her hair.
"Are you sure he's definitely not evil? Well, I know you're sure because we wouldn't be meeting him otherwise. But supposing he's lost his soul? How would we know? Is there any sign? Because if there is I think I should know." Andrew said nervously.
"What? Oh. Leather trousers. Angelus is rather fond of the leather look. And blood breath. Admittedly, if he's that close to you it's probably a bit too late anyway."
"Is that all?"
Giles considered for a moment, the boy deserved an answer.
"Angelus walks differently. Angel always has a slight stoop as though he's trying to make himself inconspicuous. Angelus swaggers."
"Ok." Andrew screwed his eyes shut, trying to commit these life saving details to memory. Finally satisfied, he opened them again.
"Did they really like the house?" He asked.
"At that price they bloody better."
"I thought it was old and scary." He thought about the soon to be occupants. "It should be just right for them."
Buffy emerged, every hair tucked neatly into place. She looked towards the others and collided with someone.
"Sorry..." She began to apologise but as she turned found herself face to face with Angel.
"Buffy."
"Angel."
They stared at each other in silence.
"And Spike." Spike said, trying to get their attention, and then gave up. He walked over and joined Giles and Andrew, where Andrew was tugging at Giles' sleeve and whispering, "Leather pants!"
"Really?" Spike said. "I'm quite fond of it personally."
Giles gave him a look, which clearly said 'pillock'.
"He means that Angel is wearing leather trousers."
"Oh. You think he's having an Angelus moment? Do you think Angelus would ever look quite that sappy?" He asked.
Giles looked over at the speechless pair.
"No, you're probably right."
"Are they always as bad as that?"
Giles nodded. "Oh yes."
"You look good." Buffy said.
"Shhh. I'm basking." Angel replied.
They stared at each other for a few more seconds.
"Ok. Finished basking now."
Buffy laughed. "Steal all my best lines, why don't you? Come on, we'd better move before we start attracting moss."
"You look...nice. Your hair is different."
"Is it? Yes I suppose it is." She replied casually.
They joined the others already seated inside a private booth and ordered some drinks.
Andrew tapped his pen on the table.
"Welcome to this historic meeting between the founders of the New Council, myself Andrew Tucker; Senior Member, Mr Rupert Giles; the last slayer, Miss Buffy Summers; our associate, Mr William T Bloody and; our hopefully soon to be associate, Angel, previously known as Angelus, Scourge of Europe."
He smiled at the group. "Welcome."
Angel stared at him in bemusement. "Uh. Thank you?"
"Senior Member Rupert, if you would like to continue."
"Would you please stop calling me that?" Andrew looked abashed but unrepentant. He wasn't speaking to the group gathered here, he was speaking to posterity. Giles shook his head and continued.
"After your call, Spike, we put in an offer for the property. It's been accepted, we just need your signature....here."
"Bloody hell that was quick work."
"Like they say, 'money talks'. We prepared the papers in the hope that you would find it acceptable."
Spike took a quick look at the contract and then passed it to Angel, who read it through and finally handed it back with a nod of his head. Spike signed.
"You will be glad to know that you are now the legal owner of a prime piece of real estate." Andrew chipped in.
"Willow is flying in. She should be with us shortly. As you know, she will put the wards in place and make it safe for you both. Have you any questions at this stage?"
"Ummm, it's got no furniture, Rupert." Spike said.
"We will, of course, pay you a stipend for your services, out of which you can pay for any necessaries..."
Angel leant forward. "How much?"
"Excuse me?"
"How much are you paying my childe for his unique services?"
"I really don't think that's any of your..."
"I hereby authorise, Angel formerly known as Angelus, Scourge of Europe, to act on my behalf vis-à-vis reimbursement for services to be provided." Spike said and then sat back to watch the fun.
Angel was in his element and haggled like a fishwife. Giles was holding his own, but sweat was standing out on his brow. Buffy watched open mouthed as they argued and cajoled.
"Agreed." Angel finally said and Giles gave a slightly premature sigh of relief. "Provided you pay for decorating and furnishing the house."
"I can't possibly agree to that."
"Be reasonable Giles. He needs it furnished now, not in ten years time when he's saved enough of his pittance to afford it."
"I see your point and the Council might be able to supply him with a loan, at a reasonable rate, to cover initial set up costs."
"A loan? Interest free and you have yourself a deal."
Giles looked at Buffy and Andrew, "What do you think?"
They both shrugged. "Uh, sounds ok to me?" "Whatever you think."
"Maybe, over a short term, that could be arranged."
"Ok. It's a deal."
He'd agreed too quickly, Giles eyed him suspiciously. "Just a minute, what do you, as a vampire consider short term?"
"I was thinking a hundred years?"
"One hundred years! Two years and that's my final offer."
"I'm prepared to go as low as 75 years." Angel offered magnanimously.
"Giles, will you just agree? He keeps beating you anyway and we need to move on." Andrew whispered.
Giles looked mutinous. They finally settled on fifty. Angel sat back with his hands behind his head, smiling amiably at the world in general.
"We'll now move on to the next item of business. The Council would also like to buy in your services, Angel."
He saw Angel's eyes light up in anticipation and hastily continued.
"Duties, terms and conditions to be agreed at a later date. All we require from this meeting is your agreement, in principle, that you are willing to offer your services to the Council."
Angel considered it.
"I thought you no longer trusted me?"
"We've been presented with certain facts which have forced us to reconsider our standpoint."
"Spike vouched for you and persuaded us otherwise." Andrew supplied.
"He did, but we all realise you would be a valuable asset to the Council and we believe that we in turn could be useful to you. Our dealings will be in the strictest of confidence and none of our business is to be discussed within the confines of Wolfram and Hart."
"Could you give us a moment please?" He grabbed Spike by the arm. "I would like to discuss it first with my associate William T Bloody."
They went over to the bar and both ordered whiskeys.
"You arranged all this?"
"Yeah, I suppose."
"Why?"
"You need a counterbalance to Wolfram and Hart. I thought working with the slayers might provide it."
"Supposing there are conflicts of interest."
"Then you'll have some tough choices."
"Do they really trust me?"
"They really want to and they want to help you."
"Ok."
"Yeah?"
"I already work with them through you, let's just formalise it a bit. Do you want another drink?"
"Shouldn't we..." Spike nodded to the booth.
"No, the secret of good negotiation is allowing the other side time to stew."
"I'm glad you're on my side."
"Always."
-
After Andrew had officially closed the meeting, Spike persuaded them to stay for another drink. Angel sat awkwardly in his corner answering the odd question that was directed his way, whilst Spike chatted and laughed with everyone. That was Spike, though. When he put his mind to it there wasn't anyone he couldn't win over. Spike noticed his sire brooding and as Giles ended a story about a particularly nasty demon they'd once run into, Spike launched into a tale about a stink demon they'd come across in the old days.
Angel listened and cringed. The last thing he needed was an Angelus story to compromise their fragile trust. To his amazement, Spike had chosen a pretty complimentary story. He had saved Spike's life that night and been covered in regurgitated slime for his trouble. It had taken a week before the smell became bearable and Darla hadn't let him near her for a fortnight. Everyone laughed and sympathised with him and suddenly he became part of their group as they all started talking about the grossest demons they'd ever encountered. He began to loosen up and even contributed a story, which set everyone laughing. He'd forgotten that he could be funny. He'd always assumed that was just an Angelus trait.
They wandered back to the apartment in a slightly drunken fug.
"Good night?" Spike asked.
"Unbelievable night." Angel replied happily. "They like me, don't they?"
Spike smiled fondly. "Course they like you."
"Buffy laughed at my story."
"Yeah, it was a good story."
"They want me to work with them."
"I know."
"Wanna move into our house." That appeared to jog his memory. "Hey! You welched on the deal! You were supposed to come shopping with me...is that why you kept suggesting another drink whenever anyone made a move towards the door?"
"Nah, course not. Just being sociable."
"So we shop tomorrow?"
"Well, uh, providing nothing else comes up, then yeah."
They arrived back and settled down on the couch with a bottle of whiskey between them. Sometime during the night they must have dozed off because the next thing they knew it was five in the morning and the phone was ringing.
"Yeah." Spike answered, fisting at his eyes.
"Hello. Spike?"
"Giles?"
"Yes. Look, Willow is here and she'd actually like to start the ritual for your house now. It's the last night of the full moon, which she says will give the spell a powerful boost. Could you and Angel get there in, say, half hour?"
"Uh. Yeah, ok. See you soon."
-
"Hey Red, how's thing."
"You know, all pretty good." She stared at Spike, "I couldn't believe it when Giles told me."
"Yeah, I know. Me working for a living. It's a disgrace."
"That's not what I meant and you know it. I'm glad to see you back. We all are. Even Xander, he just hides it better than us." She gave him a small smile.
"Thanks. How is the whelp?"
"He's doing really well, helping to trace slayers. They really like him. Mind you he's got that whole sexy eye patch thing going on now."
"Can't you just give him a new eye?"
"He doesn't want one. You know...Anya died in the struggle, he wears the patch like a mark of courage, in memory of her,"
Spike felt bad, "I'm sorry I never even asked, just sort of assumed that she'd survive. She seemed like a survivor."
He changed the subject and Willow took it gratefully.
"Do you like our house?"
"Oh it's great! Just right for you and Angel, it has a 'you' vibe already."
Angel walked towards them.
"Hi." She called. "Sorry to get you here this early...or is it late for you? Anyway, I thought the sooner I do this the quicker you can move in. Consider it my house warming gift to you." She smiled. "This isn't really a blood rite but I do need some blood from you. It will bind the land to you. That's why the moon helps, anything to do with blood and the moon perks it right up."
"So what exactly are you doing?" Angel asked.
"Nothing evil or hokey." She replied quickly. "I don't want to introduce any foreign or alien magic here - it needs too much power and works against all the natural forces. I'm going to do a basic earth spell. It binds you to this land and the land to you. It does take some power though, so here's the catch...we use a piece of your souls." She saw their faces and hurried on. "Not much, a fleck, a grain of sand. It gives the place an entity...intelligence even. The air, the trees everything here will recognise you, recognise that you belong to them."
"And here I thought that we owned them." Spike replied raising an eyebrow.
"It's mutual ownership." Willow replied.
Spike cast a glance at Angel. "Ok. I can live with that."
"I don't think I can afford to lose much of my soul." Angel said quietly.
"Don't worry, its not loss. Its still here. If in doubt try to make all your big decisions here."
Angel looked at Spike and then nodded his agreement.
Willow was picking out various ingredients and laying them out before her. She lit several large pillar candles whilst describing the spell.
"We're protecting you in the most natural fashion. Any attempted intrusions, electronic or magical and the air itself will reject them reflect them back. The grounds will be so tied to you that most others will feel uncomfortable here and if they're enemies then, frankly mister, I wouldn't want to be here when those bushes turn hostile."
She turned away to pick up a bowl and a knife.
"Is she kidding?" Angel whispered.
"Don't think so, Mate."
"Sorry. This is the icky part, but I need about a cup of blood from each of you."
"Vampires, luv. No eww factor when it comes to blood."
They both cut themselves and let their blood mingle in the bowl.
"Stand either side of me."
They obeyed and she closed her eyes holding the bowl in front of her.
She spoke softly.
"Oh great goddess hear my prayer, whisper to the earth and air, from this blood, the soul, the spark. Breathe into earth and air and bark."
Her eyes turned dark and her hair seemed to take on blonde roots. Anyone watching from the outside would have seen the three figures haloed in a blue nimbus, which then seemed to dissipate into the bowl the girl was holding.
"Ok that's all I need from you for now. It'll be light in an hour so you might want to get moving. Although, if you could walk the perimeter and spend fifteen minutes visiting different bits of the gardens, whilst I initiate the protection spell, I'm sure the land would appreciate it and it would help to make the spell stronger."
"Yeah? Ok we'll do that."
"Spike, does she know what she's doing?"
"Yeah, she really does. Come on let's go talk to the plants."
-
Wesley was at work early after a troubled night. He had never realised that he had that sort of darkness within him. That he could torture someone was a possibility, that he would be so good at it...no, he wouldn't have guessed it. But it had been to save Fred's life and Knox was the one who had fooled her and betrayed her, even now it could make his blood boil to think about it.
He knew how Angel had felt, that single-minded focus to find his childe and to hell with everyone else. Thank god Fred had been there to pull him back. Perhaps that's what Spike did for the dark haired vampire kept him from that gaping maw where good and evil become irrelevant to purpose.
Fred had found it hard to understand. In the end Wesley had turned to her and said, "If someone gained my trust whilst cold bloodedly planning to kill me, what would you do? If this person had information that could save me, where would you draw the line when extracting this information?" Fred had slowly nodded because at the point she'd almost understood.
They spent the night together, quietly holding each other. In the morning they smiled at each other and began afresh, no more was said about the incident. Wes pursued information in a more mundane fashion...he returned to his books. Fred was excited about something she was working on so they travelled into work together.
Wesley spent the morning tracing references and dead ends. One of his staff knocked and entered, in some agitation.
"Sir? Mr Wyndham-Pryce. I think I have some thing. A reference to the Old Ones."
He presented the text for inspection. Wesley took it and read the relevant paragraph, whilst walking slowly back to his desk.
"Absolutely intriguing. How did you find this? I haven't heard of this manuscript before."
"It was the words, 'old ones'. It made m recall something I'd seen about a race that preceded man. If they preceded the written word then I thought I might be better looking for the older legends."
"Yes, I see." Wesley replied distractedly. "This is excellent. Very good work."
-
Spike had persuaded Angel to return to the slayer house to meet his girls.
Buffy appeared at one point looking decidedly groggy.
"Why didn't you stop me?" She asked Spike. "You know me and drink are non- mixy things."
"But you were having such a good time." Spike replied.
She noticed Angel lurking slightly in the shadows and suddenly became aware of her appearance, trying to smooth down her bed hair.
"Oh, Angel and I look...I mean it's good to see you, looking so bright...and perky...and ...excuse me, I think I'm going to be sick."
"Shouldn't we...?" Angel asked in concern.
"What? Go in and watch her being sick? It might be amusing...up to the point where she stakes our hides."
"Ah. Right."
The slayers were in the training room waiting. Spike introduced them to Angel.
"I've been told you had a day off yesterday, so we're going to be making up for it today. Today we're going to teach you to take down Angelus."
"We are?" Angel asked, obvious misgivings showing on his face.
"Yeah, Peaches we are. You're gonna think like Angelus for an hour."
"But can't they get to know Angel first?" He asked.
"And supposing you lose your soul in your ten minutes making nice time? What will the bints do then?"
"That's ridiculous..." He realised that all the slayers were listening intently to their conversation and sighed. He let down some barriers and could feel the demon's delight.
Spike was saying, "Notice the different. His stance has changed, his eyes are brighter and he looks more alert and watchful."
"Hello, Spike."
"Angelus."
"So you got a soul, too. You're a fool childe. Not even the 'perfect happiness' escape clause. Which is a shame because there are a few tasty morsels here just aching to give it to you." His lecherous look made the girls nervous.
"He has a quick tongue and he'll use it to weaken to you. Divide and conquer. It's an effective stratagem." Spike instructed.
"What my dear childe didn't say is that I tell the truth, nothing is quite so hurtful as the truth." He turned to Erica. "Don't you think you're a bit...fat to be an effective slayer?" He asked amiably. Erica stared him down, completely unfazed.
"In your pairs." Spike ordered. "Fight as a team, watch each other's backs."
They moved as a unit, cautiously circling Angelus. He sprang over their heads so that he was outside their threatening circle.
"You need to be quicker than that." Spike said. "Else he'll just start playing games and demoralising you."
"Spike? I'm not playing this game. I'm not going to fight just so that you can teach them to bring me down like some bloody animal. Also you're really starting to irritate me, childe. I know how much you like to talk but would you just hold you tongue for five minutes!"
Spike just grinned impudently, "Defeat my slayers and perhaps I will."
"What's the point, you're not going to let me drink anyway." He pouted.
"Not from them. Defeat them you get my neck."
Angelus looked interested but the girls looked horrified.
"Right. This is not a game any more. If he wins, he'll drain me, make no mistake about it. Not life threatening but I'll be out of it for a few days, maybe weeks. I'm trusting you lot to defend me."
They looked at each other determinedly and moved into attack formation. Erica and Chris took lead and immediately launched an attack. Angelus grinned and crouched to receive them, using their own speed to send them tumbling behind him. Neesha caught him with a roundhouse kick from the side, he caught her foot as he twisted away and sent her spinning, Kirsty was immediately on him with a flurry of kicks and punches, knocking him back. The next pair moved in taking his legs from under, he rolled with the fall and leapt to his feet away from the main action.
He grinned over at Spike. "They're no Buffy are they?"
A well aimed fist connected with the side of his face as Erica put all her weight behind the blow and his head snapped back. The fight continued with the girls gradually becoming accustomed to his turn of speed and taunting tongue. But they weren't really making an impact, there again nor was Angelus.
Suddenly Spike doubled up in pain, of all the time for a vision to strike. He was exposed and vulnerable. Angelus sprang in front of him and turned around, growling threateningly at the girls.
"Keep away from him!"
Chris made a move towards Spike, regardless, and was stuck so quickly that the movement was a blur to her.
"You thought you saw me fight before? That was nothing. Now keep the hell away from him!"
Slowly Spike straightened up. He looked at the other vampire
"Angelus. I'm ok." Angelus reached out to reassure himself and slowly relaxed.
Spike looked into his eyes and gradually saw Angel staring back at him.
"Listen, you lot carry on do a few work outs and cool down. I have to deal with this. Erica you're in charge."
The girls were left stunned by what had happened, not the vision, they knew Spike was a seer but it was the first time they'd been exposed to the relationship between sire and childe...between Spike and Angelus.
"What did you see?" Angel asked.
"A cave, with a nest of eggs all about to hatch into some charming little demon bugs."
Angel pulled out his phone.
"Wesley, we've got a situation. We need to go clear the caves of a load of hatching bugs."
They made a dash into the safety of Angel's car. The others were waiting and ready, including Fred, bearing a remarkable resemblance to Lara Croft but with more serviceable trousers instead of revealing shorts.
"Oh hi guys. I've got this new thing that I want to try out." She patted at her bulky weapon. "So I thought I'd come with you this time."
"Isn't she fantastic?" Wesley asked.
Spike and Angel resigned themselves to having to protect her and keep her away from trouble.
-
Fred took out a whole wall of egg sacs with her portable flame thrower but she'd failed to notice as one of the bugs skittered up behind her. There was s gunshot. She whipped around to see Wesley holding a smoking pistol and the bug dead on the floor. She grinned at him, they made a good team.
"We got the nest." she said.
"Yes, the others are just doing a sweep. Nasty little buggers."
"They're kind of cool the way they mutate the surrounding microbes to form the eggs."
Wesley's eyes lit up with amusement. "Are you trying to turn me on?"
Fred looked back at the still flaming eggs. "A roaring fire, a cosy nest, it is kind of romantic."
She was so smart and funny and brave. Wesley took her in his arms and they kissed with a fiery passion that made the background flames pale in comparison.
They heard Angel and Spike approach and pulled apart. Angel had been pierced by a sword and where it protruded from his back it had also speared a large bug.
"The thing was about to strike. It was on your back. What was I supposed to do?"
"I don't know. How about asking me to turn around? You just enjoy stabbing me." Angel complained.
"Not true. You know I much prefer hitting you with a blunt instrument."
Angel let out a little growl
"Oh come on! I save you from becoming bug food and you get a bit cranky cus what? I ruined your shirt?"
"It's my favourite!"
"It's the same as twenty others lining your wardrobe."
Angel snorted in disbelief.
"Angel?" Fred asked.
"Ah. I'm alright." Angel replied bravely.
"No. I just wanted the bug. Spike, you managed to keep it in pretty good shape. I burnt all mine." She said. "Hold still Angel, you know how I like new specimens."
-
Whilst Angel was extricating himself from the sword and allowing his wound to be tended to, Wesley took Spike, Fred and Gunn through the extract on the Old Ones.
"It's a short account of one of the first champions. One of these beings escaped from a place called the Deeper Well. The champion managed to return it."
"Well, that's not so bad. We've a few champions knocking around here. Me, Angel, Buffy, probably every single slayer is at least a potential champion." Spike replied in some relief.
"The champion returned it in the end, but as it was dragged back to its resting place it tore and clung to every person it passed. It killed thousands of people."
"Ok, so we're back to ensuring this thing doesn't escape." Gunn replied.
Wesley nodded.
"That would be best. The ritual to return it costs the life of a champion."
Spike finally broke the silence looking to the ceiling in disbelief.
"Bloody typical! There's always a snag and it's always one of us who has to pay the price. You have to kill your lover, or die, or go to hell, or be consumed by fire. Is that all we are? Something to be used and consumed." He ranted.
They looked at him in sympathy.
"Don't tell Buffy or Angel."
"But Spike..."
"No. You look at this and you find another answer, in case the worst happens. You know what Angel's like, he'll go do something noble and stupid and totally unnecessary. Tell him everything else except what happens to the champion. Meanwhile, find some answers."
"Right. We'll get the answer but we also have to discover the location of the Deeper Well."
"Yeah. I'll let you get back to work and I'll go update the pouf."
Later that day the sarcophagus arrived.
Angel had it put in quarantine under twenty four hour guard, until they discovered where it needed to be returned to. As the day drew on without any conclusions he sent them home. He had a feeling there would be some long days ahead.
The vampires travelled to their house and as they entered through the gate they looked at each other.
"Can you feel it too?" Angel asked.
"Oh yeah."
"We belong here."
"It wants us here. I'm no Dru, but even I can hear the air singing around us."
They got out of the car. Spike walked towards one of the old crooked trees, holding out a hand, almost touching it then...
"Angel! That tree just..." He stopped, he felt foolish but that tree had moved a branch the last fraction, to touch his hand. "I think that tree just said hi."
"Well tell it 'hi' back. Where's your manners boy?"
"Oh sod off." He replied but surreptitiously gave the tree a quick pat.
There were some deliveries awaiting them, still in their plastic.
"Angel?"
"You know...I thought we might stay here tonight so it's just a few bits. A refrigerator, a microwave, a couple of chairs, a bed. Willow arranged it. There should be a cool box around here somewhere already. Hope you don't mind?"
"You spending your money on our house? Hmmm. Well I'm deeply offended but I suppose I'll forgive you. Come on lets drag these downstairs, we'll start our nest. Except...how's the wound?"
"The wound you gave me, is mending nicely thank you. Ok, we'll get this stuff in place. But then we have to go. Don't forget we're shopping tonight."
"Oh. Was hoping you might have forgotten."
-
They'd already been to look at furnishings. Angel had found it particularly frustrating because Spike had no opinion, as long as the couch was comfy enough to sprawl on. Then they got to electrical goods, where the tables were turned. Angel couldn't care less what sort of TV or stereo system they bought, he wanted to go for the cheapest. Spike's look was so contemptuous that he kept his mouth shut after that. In the end they decided they'd had enough of house shopping and it was time to move on.
"Hurry up, Spike. They close in an hour."
"Thank God for that! This is starting to feel like an eternity, Mate."
"Don't be such a wimp." Angel replied striding ahead casually holding half a dozen carriers.
"It's not natural." Spike complained. "You know what you're doing? You're subverting your hunting instincts into shopping. It's downright wussy."
"Come on, Spike. Keep up."
"It's embarrassing, you're supposed to be a vampire, terrifying your prey, not in the mall stalking down bargains...oh...wait up, just need to go in here."
"Spike?"
But Spike had already disappeared into a music store.
"I've lost my music. What Harmony didn't burn is now at the bottom of the Sunnydale crater."
"We haven't got time for this!"
"I ain't got much money with me so I've got to take my time, spend it carefully."
Angel began to get agitated, there was an Armani section tucked away in the next part of the mall.
"You've got three minutes. I'll pay providing you're at the till in exactly three minutes."
Spike shot off using his vampire turn of speed to excellent effect. He was a blur of movement as he raced around the shop.
"Two minutes." Angel called. "I've changed my mind you've got two minutes!"
Angel whinged all the way to the next shop.
"$300 Spike! How can you spend that much on CD's? I bet you haven't even heard of half of them. I mean..." he picked one at random, "...Nine Inch Nails?"
"Bloody fantastic band. You like that entire miserable, sob in your pint, country music? Well that Johnny Cash bloke covered one of their songs. See? You'll probably love it. Anyway, I bought one for you, too."
"Did you?" Angel asked slightly warily. "Which one?"
"An English bint. Dido. You'll appreciate the first song...it's you and Buffy. Also the ponce in the video looked just like you."
"You managed to put that much thought into your two minute spree? I'm actually quite flattered."
"So you should be."
"Though it was my money."
"It's the thought that counts."
Angel sighed with relief when they finally entered his chosen shop. Not that he was here to look for himself. It was Spike he was shopping for. He hoped the English vampire appreciated the effort that he was making. Oh that was a nice button down shirt and they had it in extra large. He picked it up. When he thought about it, these weren't really Spike's sort of clothes. He carried on pulling out things in his own size.
Spike sat slouched in one of the chairs. One of the assistants approached him with a smile. "Can I help you, sir?"
"Well...yeah. I'm after casual. Dark colours."
The assistant's smile never wavered. "Certainly, what size?"
"Medium. 32 inch waist, regular length. Need about four outfits, jeans, a couple of jackets...I'm looking for cool, not teenage trendy. That man over there is paying."
She looked at the lean, ascetic man, with dirty, worn clothes and then over at Angel's powerful, sleek, well dressed, well groomed figure. "Yes. I understand." She replied, her mouth tightening somewhat. "In that case, I think you should also be looking at two or three pairs of shoes, socks, underwear, belts and of course accessories. We do some rather nice watches? Could I also persuade you to add a suit?"
Spike smiled at her, "Sounds perfect."
"Spike? Why does the shop assistant keep looking at me in that strange way? What have you said to her?"
"Nothing. Just asked her to look for some stuff for me and told her you'd put them on your card."
"Oh. I don't think she likes me."
"We'll leave if you want." Spike said magnanimously.
Angel looked at the assortment of clothes he'd gathered and decided not to be put off by one rude shop assistant. Spike waited for him outside the shop and counted down to the explosion. Three. Two. One.
"How much?! What the hell has the little sod bought?"
They walked back to the car in silence.
"Hey? I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd mind. Well not really...do you mind? It's only money."
"It's not the money." Angel growled.
"Not the money? Then what's got you so upset?"
"That woman thought you were...I was...we were..."
"For Godsake, Angel. Just spit it out."
"She thought I was your...sugar daddy!"
Spike began to laugh. Angel glared at him.
"It's not FUNNY!"
"Lighten up, Peaches. What the hell does it matter what anyone thinks we are? It's gonna happen occasionally, two guys living with each other, so what? Are you going to stand there and patiently explain what we are to each other? Cus I vote for no, they're not going to understand so why bother?"
"I guess. I wouldn't know where to start, even when I try to explain to people who know us. Not sure I can explain it to myself." Angel admitted.
"Its not easy, it gets confusing...spent a hundred years denying that we're sire and childe, acting like it's not important that we don't care. Just all meaningless vampire shit."
"But it's not meaningless, is it? It's the one thing that gives meaning to everything else." Angel said frowning.
"If it helps, I find it as confusing as you. I don't think there are rules or lore that deal with this...two souled vampires. Sire and childe."
"So we'll just make up the rules as we go? And damn what the rest of the world thinks."
"Exactly."
They walked in silence but this time it was comfortable.
"So what did you buy?" Angel finally asked. "I think you've seriously wounded my credit card, it may never recover."
"Not sure, I let the bint choose."
"Spike! How can you just trust a stranger to choose your clothes?"
"I wanted surprises, couldn't help noticing that if I left it up to you the surprise would be that I got nothing."
"Oh." Angel looked guiltily at all his bags.
"Ah, don't worry about it. C'mon. Lets go to Wal-Mart, they're open all night."
"Wal-Mart? I don't..."
"Yeah, you do. I need some Cocoa Pops."
An hour later, Cocoa Pops had turned into a trolley load of food and booze, as well as various household items - crockery, glasses; cutlery; bedding.
"How can we call in for one item and come out with all this?" Angel asked plaintively as he put his card back into his wallet.
"Beats me." Spike replied, reaching for his carton of fags and pulling out a bag of nacho chips.
They returned to their house, weighed down with purchases. Spike began unpacking the food until he reached the beer. He opened a can and tossed one to Angel. They took a chair each and settled back in these strange and yet familiar surroundings.
"Comfy?" Angel asked.
"Yeah. Can't believe we're here. Even as empty as it is, it feels right."
"I know. The house, everything, it just seems to fits itself around us."
"I was speaking to Red. She said this place had been waiting for us. She did the spell but never expected it to react so powerfully. It belongs to us. Feel it in my bones."
They spent a pleasant night with Spike dissing Angel's taste in clothes and Angel bemoaning Spike's lack of taste in music. Spike finally pulled his bags out and started examining the clothes chosen by the shop assistant.
"A suit?" Angel said in surprise.
"Yeah. She said it was, ageless, a classic. Well you never know. Might need one sometime in the next century." Spike replied as he continued to explore his bags.
"Oh these are good." He pulled out some soft leather trousers.
"Just don't wear them when I've got mine on else we'll look totally gay."
"Thought we decided we didn't give a damn?"
"Yeah..." Angel said slowly, "...in principle."
As the night wore on Angel became increasingly restless. "I hope this house is really protecting us because I need to tell you something."
Spike went still. "Go on."
"Soon there is going to be stuff happening."
"Why, what are you doing?"
"I've got a chance to bring down Wolfram and Hart. It's going to look bad but whatever happens, I need you to trust me."
"You need to ask?"
"You don't know..."
"What have you done? Sold your soul?"
"No. I signed away Shanshu."
"What?"
"It's the price I had to pay for this chance."
"Is that why I won that fight? The cup of eternal torment....is that why I won?"
"As if I would ever deliberately lose a fight to you, childe. You won fair and square."
"But it's not fair is it? Surely just the fact that you'd give it up to win a battle must mean that you're the one who deserves it? It was your hope, your dream."
"I had a taste of it once and it wasn't what I expected." Angel said quietly. Spike cocked an eyebrow at him.
"A Mohra demon brought me to life, made me human again. I had a day in the sun with Buffy but it wasn't enough. When I became human I expected fanfares and trumpets heralding the hero's reward. Instead I got a few drops of demon blood. I couldn't help Buffy fight. I was a liability. I wanted my strength, my power back."
"Even if it condemns you to hell?" Spike was genuinely confused.
"I've been to hell. I survived."
"There must have been something good about being human?"
"I made love to Buffy and didn't lose my soul. Oh and food tastes better...though it gave me indigestion and made me sick."
"Doesn't sound like a barrel load of laughs."
They sat in silence for a while.
"So what have you set in motion?"
"I can't tell you. We're being watched all the time and it's important that everyone reacts naturally, even you. Just...don't ever stop trusting me."
Spike nodded.
They spent their first night in their new house, falling quickly into a deep dreamless sleep. They awoke naturally for once, no alarms or phones, feeling more refreshed that they could ever remember.
"I wish we didn't have to leave here. Not yet." Spike said.
"We'll be back tonight. Something to look forward to."
The car bounced down the drive. Angel looked back.
"What are those?"
"Well the house is protecting us so I thought I'd show that we were protecting it. I just put up a few trespasser warnings and such like."
Angel read a couple of the hand painted signs.
"'Trespassers Will Be Sold As Slaves'? 'Vandals Will Be Sold As Eunuchs'?"
"Yeah?"
"Nice sentiments but probably not legal...I'll get Gunn to look into it."
-
"Giles, Willow, Buffy and Andrew are visiting us today. They want to take a look at the sarcophagus and hear what we have. At least Giles, Willow and Andrew do, I think Buffy is just curious about this place."
"You mean she's a nosy little bint." He saw Angel's eyes focus behind him, sniffed the air and quickly added "And I mean that in the most affectionate way...oh hello Buffy, I didn't see you there."
"I'm not little...petite, maybe slight, but not little, am I?"
"Sweetheart. You walk in and you fill the room." Lorne reassured her.
"Oh. Well, I know I've put on a bit of weight..."
"Buffy, you're perfect. And insecurities are like petticoats, best if they don't show."
"Well, thanks. I've now hit an all time low, fashion advice from the man in the eighties time warp."
Angel stepped in, he had a feeling these two could bicker for hours.
"Where are the others?"
"Wesley is taking them through what they've found so far."
"Well then. Let's join our guests." He held out his arm to allow them to precede him through the door.
Wesley was once again explaining their search for the Deeper Well.
"Would this be like a giant hole in the ground?" Willow asked with a frown.
"Well the name certainly suggests it."
"We might be able to help." She turned to Giles. "The coven taught me about the earth and how everything is connected. If there is a hole in the ground containing that sort of power then they're going to know about it."
"Of course! Why didn't I think of that? Willow, you get on the phone. Angel, we may have an answer for you shortly and you'll be able to take this thing back."
"Really? That's great news. I have to admit I never thought it would be this easy."
"Well, don't celebrate too soon, we're not done yet." Willow replied as she picked up a phone and began dialling a number.
"Where's Andrew?" Spike asked.
"Fred took him to see the sarcophagus." Giles replied.
Angel whirled around. "I gave specific orders that Fred was to go nowhere near that thing!"
"Angel, calm down. She's not going in. She was just taking Andrew to see it."
Angel wasn't appeased. He had such a bad feeling about this. He left for the quarantined area. And sighed with relief when he saw Fred surveying the sarcophagus through one of the observation windows. Spike caught up and joined Fred. He took a deep breath.
"What the frigging hell is he doing in there?"
"He said he was an expert on these things, so I didn't see any harm in letting him in." Fred explained.
Spike yelled to the security guards to open the door, they looked towards Fred.
"Open the door." Fred ordered beginning to feel some of Spike's panic. Then she noticed that Spike had gone still.
They watched in horror as Andrew laid a hand on one of the gems. A puff of fog seemed to rise from the sarcophagus and Andrew coughed as he breathed it in.
Angel spoke into his phone. "Gunn, we need that information from Willow now. Order the jet, as soon as we have a location we leave."
Spike ran up to Wesley's office.
"Wesley. We need that answer. How do we return Illyria to her resting place without killing the champion?"
Wesley hung his head wearily.
"Who?"
"Andrew."
He nodded.
"We're close, Spike. We need a few more hours. You gave us the idea when you mentioned all the champions we have available. We thought that must be some way of spreading the burden so that the weight of the ritual of returning isn't just on one person's shoulders. You might all feel slightly weaker afterwards but no one should die."
"Thanks Wes. What should I do?"
"Take the slayers with you. Tell Angel that you may need them to fight your way into the Deeper Well. Actually that bit's true. There are guardians. Anyway when we get the answer everyone will be there, in place."
Spike went to tell Giles that they needed the slayers.
"I've got it. They knew exactly the place I was talking about." Willow called. "It's in England."
They finally had the jet ready and the sarcophagus loaded on. Angel agreed to bring the slayers and within half hour the jet was taking off.
Andrew was getting hotter. "His body is being prepared. Once the metamorphosis is complete we will have lost Andrew forever and be dealing with a god." Giles said.
"Are we going to make it in time?" Angel asked.
Nobody answered him.
When they arrived there were cars waiting to drive them through the English countryside. Gunn had never travelled before and spent his time gazing quietly at the lush, green land, so alien to his native California.
The slayers were quiet. They had been given the basic circumstances and knew that they may have to eventually take on a god.
"Don't worry, you'll do fine." Spike said reassuringly.
"Course you will." Buffy agreed. "Just remember what you've been taught."
The car finally pulled to a halt.
"This is it." Willow said.
"Where?" Buffy asked looking around.
"I'm guessing that tree." Angel replied pointing out an old gnarled tree. His guess was confirmed as demons started to pour forth from a crack in the tree.
"Strategy?" Spike asked Angel.
"Take my hand." Spike frowned. Angel wasn't really the sort for public displays of affection.
"Oh. St Petersburg."
"I thought you'd forgotten." Angel grinned.
Demons came roaring towards them. They stepped apart pulling a thin wire taut between them, neatly cutting them in half. They joined the others in the fray but very soon all the guardians had been defeated.
"Is that it?" Angel yelled. "Is that all you've got?"
"I'd say that was enough." A figure stepped forward.
"Drogyn? You're the keeper of the well?" Angel asked.
"Have been for decades."
"Who the hell are...?" Spike began.
"If you ask me a single question I will kill you." Drogyn stated.
Spike turned a startled look to Angel. "He really doesn't like questions." Angel explained.
"Why not?"
"He has to tell the truth."
"You're here about Illyria?"
"Yes."
"Walk in."
Buffy and Giles were supporting Andrew and four slayers picked up the sarcophagus. They followed Drogyn in to a large chamber. It had a pit spanned by an insubstantial seeming bridge.
"There was a race of demons pure. They warred as naturally as you humans breathe. Illyria was one of the most powerful, the most beloved the most feared. Then it disappeared a short time ago."
"That makes you a pretty crap jailer." Spike saw Drogyn's face "Statement." He pointed out.
"Your friend talks a great deal."
"So much so he's sometimes even right." Angel replied.
Drogyn pointed to the endless pit, lined all the way around and down as far as the eye could see with other sarcophagus, similar to the one they had.
"As you can see my charges are nor few."
"Bloody hell""
"How far down does this pit go?" Giles asked.
"All the way through the earth." Drogyn replied.
They looked down the chasm in awed silence.
"You wish to return Illyria?"
Spike nodded but then let Angel reply. He stepped back toward the entrance and made a call.
"Wesley. Need it now."
"Not yet, Spike another ten minutes."
Spike returned to Angel.
"You must all keep your distance." Drogyn demanded. "It's already been released and will cling and rip into anyone close, in an attempt to stay."
"I could try to set up some sort of containment around them." Willow offered. She turned to the slayers. "I'm not sure if it will be strong enough to hold a god but if I could borrow some of your strength to augment it, it might just work."
The slayers agreed each nodding at her in turn.
"Which of the champions will perform this rite?" Drogyn asked.
Andrew clutched Spike's arm tightly.
"Yeah, don't worry whelp. Not leaving you now."
"You know this ritual."
"Yeah, I know what needs to be done." Spike replied.
He looked around at the assembled group and felt his eyes sting. He couldn't look at Angel. He turned to Andrew. They didn't have ten minutes, the boy was nearly all used up.
"Come on then." He said hooking an arm around Andrew.
Buffy suddenly darted forward and laid a hand on his arm. "Can I help?" She asked.
Spike gave her a quick kiss and as he pulled away he whispered, "Yeah, look after him."
Confusion etched her face as she watched the pair take their place on the middle of the bridge.
Spike had obviously started the incantation. The air seemed to fizzle around the two men. Willow began speaking in a low voice, her spell draining power from the air around her. The slayers moved in and surrounded her. Spike raised his arms and Andrew slumped on to the bridge, it almost appeared as if he was cracking before their eyes as power poured forth from his body in angry, whipping strands, flashing and sparking as it hit Willow' shield, filling the air with the astringent smell of ozone. The slayers felt a momentary weakness as Willow called on their strength to hold the energy in.
The air within seemed to writhe in fury, almost howling it's frustration as it thrashed within its prison. Suddenly they could clearly make out Andrew. All the power had drained from him leaving him like a rag doll, flopped down with his head resting on his knees. The energy now engulfed Spike, twisting ferociously around him. Despite being hit and buffeted he continued with the rite, holding on to one of the rope supports as the power lashed at him.
And gradually it began to pour away towards the gem embedded in the sarcophagus. The onlookers all began to breathe again. Spike let go of the edge of the bridge. He looked weary and sad as he turned towards them, his eyes finally lingering on Angel.
One last whipcord of energy seemed to enter right through the centre of his body. He threw his head back and screamed. As the rope of twisted energy pulled free from his body it appeared to tug Spike physically. He balanced precariously and then they all watched in horrified silence as he tumbled from the bridge.
His body wheeled through the darkness and disappeared from sight.
Someone screamed his name, just as Willow collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. Buffy flew to her side.
Giles moved to help Andrew but the boy was limp and heavy. "Buffy. Angel." He called.
Buffy turned to one of the slayers, "Look after her." She ordered. Angel too obeyed the call and moved onto the bridge where he saw his childe fall.
Giles, Buffy and Angel stood, avoiding each other's eyes for fear one of them said something and made it real. It had all happened so quickly. Buffy peered over the edge. Spike was strong. He may have survived. He might be clinging to some piece of rock...
"He's gone." Angel said in a voice devoid of any emotion. "He knew. He kissed Buffy and passed the visions on to her. And then he left. I felt him wink out of existence."
Buffy looked at him in disbelief.
Giles stared down at the never ending chasm beneath his feet.
"There's a hole in the world." He said and turned away to hide the tears he was blinking back but he couldn't hide the grief in his voice. "You'd think the world would stand still and take bloody notice."
No one else had words. They helped Andrew outside. There was the sound of sobbing.
One of the slayers turned to him. "Tell us what happened!"
Andrew shook his head. The storyteller had no more stories left to tell.
Angel's phone rang, he answered it automatically.
"Angel, it's Wesley. Listen, this is urgent. I can't get through to Spike. You need to stop him now. There's another way. Tell him there's another way."
Angel pressed 'end call' and tossed the phone away.