The Many Faces of Evil

The next night found Spike wandering about the streets of Sunnydale in a daze. He had only a few minor problems with his new 'gift'. One, he ended up having to buy a drink for some demon when he decided it would be best to go get himself drunk and two, due to a few words thrown during the fight afterwards, he was no longer able to drink the glory of liquor anymore.

Tired, pissed off and sober, Spike could only look back on what had happened to him in just a day. It all hurt really badly, but having been publicly humiliated in front of two of Buffy's friends was the worst – and it was all Buffy's fault too. Spotting a pop can on the road, he sighed and gave it weary kick.

"Why me?" he muttered to himself morosely. " Why do I always have to be Love's Bitch?"

He gave the can another kick.

"Maybe I never changed when Dru turned me. Maybe I'm forever doomed to be the bloody awful poet…"

"I could believe that"

Spike whirled around, not to see who had spoken since he already knew, but to see if his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. And sure enough Angel was there.

The previous night…

"Hello, Angel Investigations"

"Hi, this is Xander Harris from Sunnydale and I need to talk with Angel – it's urgent"

There was the sound of a hand smothering the mouthpiece of the phone and a shrill voice shouted at the other end enough to make Xander wince.

"Hey Angel! There's a man named Xander on the phone – and he says it urgent"

There was the distinct sound of feet to be heard coming towards the phone and it being snatched out of whose ever hand had answered it. "Xander?"

"Hey Deadboy, how's it going?" Xander smiled as he heard the voice of the other vampire he oh so hated.

"You said it was urgent Xander, so cut with the small talk" Angel snapped from the other end. "What happened? Who's hurt? Is Buffy all right?"

"Well… something happened alright – the best thing ever in my books, nobody is exactly hurt and of course Buffy is alright"

"Then what is it?"

"I kinda figured you'd want a chance to get revenge on…"

"Have you gone crazy Xander? I help people, not – "

"Not when that person is Spike" Xander finished before Angel could.

"Spike?" Angel growled. "What about Spike? He's back in Sunnydale?"

"Where have you been? He's been here for over two years"

"What?"

"Yeah… didn't Buffy tell you? I guess not" Xander sighed. "Well just after he returned from L.A. during the incident with the Ring of Amarra, he was captured and experimented on by Buffy's former boyfriend's commando buddies. They implanted a behavioral modification chip in his head so that he would be unable to harm humans in anyway without getting a massive shock. That's what's kept him alive all these years and he's been helping us. Not to say that I like him or anything – you'll always be just a bit better then him…"

"Thanks… is that suppose to be a compliment or an insult?" Angel asked.

"How does a little of both suit you? So anyway Buffy just got back a twenty minutes ago with Spike along with her. Turns out ol' Captain Peroxide has been cursed with something called the 'Gift of Obedience'…"

Suddenly Xander had to yank the phone back from his ear as hysterical laughter tore through it. Angel's laugh lasted about a good three minutes before he was about to speak again.

"You… you mean that… that idiot was stupid enough to… to piss off a Fae?" Angel asked through gasps of unneeded breath.

"What's a Fae?"

"Ancient fairy/demon hybrids, the Fae are neither good nor bad but have an adamant for doing cruel things"

"Oh… so will you come and help me torture him?" Xander asked while crossing his fingers

"I wouldn't miss it for the world"

Spike couldn't help but whimper. He felt really pathetic for doing so because he saw Angel smirk – and Angel never smirked unless he was evil or thinking evil thoughts. This just wasn't his few days.

"I hear you've gotten yourself into a predicament William" Angel said taking a set forward.

"The whelp told you didn't he?" Spike rolled his eyes. "Figures that the Nibblet would scare him out of tormenting me into calling you to do it for him. Oh I'd so kill him if I could"

"So he really made you sing the Rubber Ducky song? Even I'm not that cruel"

"You just haven't let your inner Angelus out yet mate" the blonde scoffed. "So I'm sure that you'll be a lot worse"

Angel made no move to respond, only to look at his grandchilde in a critical manner. Spike growled impatiently and reached into his duster pocket to fish out a cigarette. He lit it then and then took a long claming drag, blowing it out into the chilly night air.

"Then are you going to get with it gramps? I'm not going stand around here all night"

"You mean your not going to try and run?" Angel asked incredulously.

"What's the point?" Spike sighed. "When you have the power to tell me to stop and I have to, then really why would I want to run – for your pleasure? No thank you"

Spike turned and started to walk away. Angel could have his fun when he was ready, but he for one didn't really want to stick around. He'd rather be with Buffy or Dawn or Willow or Tara or even Anya, but Angel and Xander were the last people that Spike wanted around him.

"Wait…"

He felt his pace slow and then stop.

"What do you want"

"I don't know, but for some reason I want to help you" Angel admitted only to receive a suspicious glance from the younger vampire.

"Have I gone deaf or have you really forgotten about when I red hot pokered you two years ago?" Spike laughed and looked at his grandsire like he was crazy.

"No, I haven't forgot about that. Just parental instincts I guess"

"Parental instincts?"

"Never mind"

Spike just shook his head.

"So you want to help me? I never thought I'd see the day"

"Me neither"

Hey, I got it done. Please review. Later!