Waiting

Disclaimer: Don't own them, just using them for my own evil purposes.

Summary: Everyone is waiting but do they know what they're waiting for?

Reviews: I seriously adore everyone who has given me such awesome reviews. You guys are what make the writing so fulfilling. Readers Rock but REVIEWERS RULE!!

WayWard Childe: The sincerity of your review left me breathless. Thank you for leaving me such a sweet compliment.

A/N: I wasn't sure where I was going with this when I started it. My brain was still kind of fried from the last chapter. But it just kinda went in its own direction and this is what you get. It got a little intense toward the end. Hope you like it.

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Angel was driving Cordelia crazy. Not just the everyday broody morose 'because I'm a vampire with a soul' kind of crazy. This was different. He paced, he raged, he walked over to check the door every five minutes and made her insane from the waiting. Wesley had been gone for more than four hours and apart from the one phone call telling them he was going with Susan to take Buffy and Dawn to see Spike, they had heard nothing from him. As much as she loved Angel, she was beginning to feel that if he didn't calm down and do it soon…well… she would stake him.

"Angel!" She called, watching him stalk over to the front door yet again.

"What?" He asked distractedly.

"Why don't you go out and kill something?" She suggested. "He'll call when he can."

He merely growled and continued to pace.

Gunn and Fred came in the front door. Fred was giggling at a joke and Gunn carried a take out bag for Cordy. She accepted it with a smile and sat down to devour the spicy tacos. She checked the monitor, ensuring their captive was still asleep, he was. She set several items aside for him, she didn't like him but she wasn't the type to starve anyone.

Fred busied herself straightening up the kitchen. Angel had torn through it a couple of hours before, heating some blood and had left an uncharacteristic mess. Fred mused that a lot of things about Angel recently were unlike him. She heard him roaming the hotel at night. She knew he had nightmares. He'd had them for six months, ever since that other vampire, Spike, had died.

Finishing in the kitchen she wandered into the lobby. Her large dark eyes followed Angel as he paced. She wished she could do something to help but there were some things that physics just couldn't do. She would like to have gotten a better look at the amulet that was now at the center of so much anxiety but time had been of the essence. Now she regretted not making Angel slow down so she could examine it. She was just hoping for another chance to take a look at it and maybe figure out how and why it appeared to be holding Spike and his memories captive.

"It's getting late." Cordy stated.

"Yeah. So?" Angel gazed in her direction but didn't really see her.

"So. I'm going to go to bed." She told him. She was tired. Tired of his attitude and tired of waiting.

"Good night." Angel said absently from his position next to the door.

She huffed in exasperation and stormed up the stairs. Gunn gazed after her in sympathy. He took over the desk chair and continued to monitor Lindsey. He knew they needed to question the lawyer more the next day but for now he was willing to just watch him on the monitor. A tiny part of Gunn felt sorry for the man but only a very tiny one. He really couldn't drum up much sympathy for the guy who'd tried to steal Angel's soul by resurrecting Darla. As big as the evil law firm was, you'd think they'd have their facts straight before attempting something so dumb. Didn't they know that when Angel's witch friend Willow had restored his soul she'd changed that one word? She had said 'restore' not 'curse'. So Angel's soul had been restored, not cursed. As in no happiness clause, no losing it.

Still, it had been a bad time all around until Angel had finally staked his Sire/GrandChilde again. Drusilla had fled, once more proving beyond a doubt that she was no longer as insane as everyone thought. It had been months before the vampire had come to some sort of terms with the whole debacle. Lindsey had been in trouble with his bosses for a while but had redeemed himself somewhat by handing Angel the amulet that would have removed him from Wolfram and Hart's way.

Angel's grief over losing his Childe had kept him off Evil Incorporated's radar for a while but now it seemed that things would heat up all over again. Gunn shrugged and began a new crossword puzzle, keeping one eye on the monitor ensuring their captive could not move without being seen.

After a few minutes, Gunn shook his shaved head. He would never begin to understand vampire lore. At one time he'd thought the only thing he wanted to know about vampires was how to kill them. Now there seemed to be a daily lesson. Sometimes he still thought it would be easier to just dust them. But then, he liked Angel and now that Angel Investigations was doing so much better, the pay was decent, even if the hours were a little wonky. Deciding he'd done enough reflecting for one day, he turned his attention to figuring out the answer to thirty-two across.

Angel stalked over to the sofa. Fred walked over and placed a small hand on his arm.

"I'm going up now too. Can I get you anything first?" She asked in her quiet Texas drawl.

He shook his head, forcing a smile for her. "No, thanks. Sleep well." He told her.

"It will be all right." She assured him.

"I hope so." He said.

She smiled suddenly. "You know this is going to cost you."

Angel tilted his head in puzzlement. "How?"

"Cordy's going to go shopping tomorrow because you ignored her." Fred revealed seriously, with a sparkle in her brown gaze.

Angel smiled for real this time. "I guess I've been kinda horrible."

"Yeah, kinda." She agreed. "But you'll make it up to her."

Angel shook his dark head mournfully. "Not looking forward to it."

She grinned. "Yes, you are."

A glint appeared in his dark eyes. "Yes, I am." He agreed.

Gunn picked up the phone on the first ring. "Angel Investigations, we help the… Hi Wes. Yeah, he's right here." He handed the receiver to the vampire who'd used preternatural speed to cross the room. The young man strolled over to Fred and gave her a hug.

"I got lawyer watch tonight, Babe." He told her with a kiss.

She placed a small hand on his face. "It's okay. I'll see you in the morning." They kissed again and turned to Angel as he hung up the phone.

"It is Spike. He recognized Dawn and Buffy but the shock caused him to pass out again. They're waiting for him to wake up now." He stretched. "I'm tired. Think I'll go to bed for a bit. Gunn, wake me up in a couple of hours and I'll 'lawyer watch' for you."

Gunn grinned. "Thanks, man. Will do. Sleep good now."

Angel walked Fred up the stairs. They separated on the third floor where she went into her own room and he continued on to the top floor. He'd relocated to the farthest room he had so his midnight disturbances wouldn't bother the rest. He stretched out on the bed and relaxed, or tried to. He still couldn't believe it. Spike was alive. Finally he drifted into a light sleep.

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Wesley returned to the table, closing his cell phone. Everyone was talking idly in the wake of the truly delicious lasagna that Jake had prepared. The artist had made sure he saved a portion for Will claiming it was one of his favorite dishes. Dawn had smiled at the care Jake took of the vampire. For a long time, before his soul, the teenager had felt she was the only one who gave a damn about Spike so she was happy to find someone else who did.

'Two someones.' She thought happily, noticing how Susan also considered the vampire. She'd put the wings away, refusing to let Jake have any until Spike could wake up and share them. She knew she needed to start thinking of him as 'Will' but couldn't seem to. Spike was her best friend and Spike is the one she'd mourned for six months. She'd spent some time before his death angry at Spike, she'd actually threatened to set him on fire, but had gotten over it. She was thrilled she finally had a chance to let him know.

Once everyone had gotten over the shock of seeing him keel over, they had carefully moved him onto the sofa. Jake had mentioned that this was different from the other times he'd passed out. He didn't appear to be in any pain. All in all that was considered of the good. Now it was just a matter of him waking up. Every few minutes one of them would go into the living room and check on the sleeping vampire. They seemed to rotate their turns. Buffy had gone in a couple of times. Jake had made the trip several times and Susan had checked on him again just a few minutes ago. Dawn had spent quite a while just looking at him until dinner had been announced. Now she sat only half listening to the conversation around her. Most of her attention was on her newly recovered best friend.

Knowing smiles were traded across the table when Dawn's distraction was noticed. They watched as she got up and absently walked into the living room to sit on the coffee table. She watched the unnaturally still form stretched out before her with bemused joy. Slowly it occurred to her that he was no longer still. His body was becoming restless.

He wandered into the empty house, wondering where everyone was. He noticed the disturbed furniture in the small living room. He entered the room to investigate more, stopping next to the sofa. A scent lingered in the air. Death. The whole place smelled of death. Fear shot through his unbeating heart. The Slayer? No. He'd know if it were her. The Little Bit? Again, it didn't feel right. His thoughts stuttered to a stop. Joyce. She'd been ill. The doctors had assured his girls that their mum was fine. Apparently doctors in this century were as incompetent has they had been in his own. Anger chased the fear away followed quickly by anguish. 'Not her! Not now!' The denial roared through his mind. He sank to his knees, a howl of pain erupting from his throat. He buried his head in the sofa cushions where her scent was the strongest. "Joyce." He moaned. His tears soaked the fabric beneath his face.

"Joyce." Silent tears sliding down his temples into the pillow cushioning his head accompanied the heartbreaking sound. Dawn jumped in startled haste to let the others know what was going on. Jake was the first to reach the sleeping vampire, having dealt with similar disturbances more than once. Gently placing a hand on Will's shoulder, he tried to calm the increasing restlessness.

Joy pounded through his body. She was back. Walking down the stairs, hiding her bleeding hands behind her back. Bloody Hell! She'd dug herself out of her own grave. He shuddered as memories of doing the very same thing ripped through him. Over one hundred years later he still had nightmares of waking up inside his own coffin. Empathy surged and he extended a caring hand to her. Gently leading her over to the sofa, he told Dawn to fetch some supplies. Awe filled him as he gazed into her face. He shook himself as he realized she'd asked him a question. "One hundred forty-seven yesterday, one hundred forty-eight today. But today doesn't count does it?"

"One hundred forty-seven yesterday, one hundred forty-eight today. But today doesn't count does it?" He mumbled, stunning the watching Slayer. She recalled clearly the night she'd returned. He'd been so caring, so gentle. Then the Scoobies had rushed in and he'd melted away leaving her alone and bereft.

The talking continued, clearer than it had previously been. They could all tell he was still asleep, making the statements all the more chilling.

"I was warm, safe. I was happy. I knew that everyone I loved was okay. I was at peace. I was in heaven. And now I'm not. I don't know how or why. I don't even know who I am. Please. Can someone explain it? Can someone tell…me…WHY??" Deep unneeded breaths hitched as his agitation increased. "THANKS FOR LETTING ME DIE, SIRE." The last was yelled as Will sat up on the sofa, tears streaming from his now open but unseeing eyes.

Over one hundred miles away, Angel bolted upright in his bed. "THANKS FOR LETTING ME DIE, SIRE." The accusation rang in the darkness.