Angel awoke a good few hours after Wesley had left him feeling more refreshed than he had done in days. He knew that Wes had drugged him, he could smell the tranquiliser in the air, but he was more than grateful. Had he not Angel knew that he wouldn't have slept – he'd have either dreamed and woken up scared out of his mind or he'd have laid there refusing to sleep for fear of dreams or vision flashbacks. He lay in his bed and felt the tickle of the evening air play over his chest. He had no desire to go anywhere for the time being. He just wanted to stay here and escape the world. He revelled in listening to the sounds of the hotel settling. There was no heartbeat, so Wes wasn't here, but the creaks and groans of the old wood gave the hotel a heartbeat of its own. He focused on them, blocking out all the noise from the outside world.

As he drifted off into a boneless slumber, lulled by the soothingly familiar noise of his hotel, he was suddenly aware of the presence of another in his room. He bolted up in bed, the sheets slipping to pool at his waist.

"Still so beautiful amour."

Gabriel.

He was sat in an easy chair in the corner of the room facing the bed, illuminated by the soft light that entered through the window. He looked so majestic as he sat there bathed in the glow of the street lights and Angel couldn't help but shiver at the look he was receiving.

"You shouldn't be in here." Angel wrapped his arms around his torso as if to ward off that gaze. Those green eyes were flaying him alive. He could feel them tracking over his skin leaving burning pathways in their wake.

"Shouldn't? Mon Cher, if you are referring to those little spells that have been set up around the place, I merely bent them to my will. Nothing stands in my way when I want something." He got up from his seat and moved to sit on the bed so close to Angel that their faces were practically touching.

"What about what I want?" Angel could do little more than whisper the question. He shifted further away on the bed as if to deny the magnetism that was pulling and screaming at him to move towards Gabriel.

"You want love Petit; you want someone to hold you and love you and keep you safe from the outside world. I promised to do that once. Does it surprise you that I should want to do it again?" Gabriel moved closer to his desire. He lightly brushed his fingers over Angel's cheek and lips.

"I have a soul…" Angel felt himself falling towards the dark figure that had once been his entire world. He clutched frantically for reasons to hold Gabriel off when all he wanted to do was pull him closer.

"I don't care, I just want you." Gabriel was now whispering across Angel's lips, an imitation of a kiss but all the more intimate.

"But the claim…" Angel tried to pull back but Gabriel followed, pushing him down into the pillows, covering Angel's lips with his own rather than answer.

Angel had forgotten how Gabriel had kissed him; he thought that he had made it up during those nights that the Master ripped him apart, made it too perfect so that it became his only escape. He thought that Gabriel and everything that his kisses had evoked were merely dreams, fantasies he'd created to ward off the demons. He hadn't. It was fireworks and bones melting. It was coming home and going away all at once. It was everything that he had ever wanted. He moaned when the lips left him as Gabriel removed his silk shirt. They were then back with a forceful passion that threatened to undo Angel completely. He was revelling in sensations that he had been unwittingly craving for nearly a quarter of a millennium.

He was drowning in Gabriel's touch, taste and scent.

Gabriel had heard everything that his love had told to the Watcher. He was ready to rip the other vampire apart, and the Powers that sent the visions to such a troubled mind. Right now though, he was more concerned in bringing Angel back to him, he would deal with the claim later. After all, he now had permission to Sire Angel and he wasn't going to let a simple claim stand in the way of that. Theoretically he knew that he'd either have to kill the other vampire or wait for the other to walk away, which was the most likely thing to happen… but he wasn't going to let his Angel go...

"What!" That was the general reaction that met Wesley's confession, although a few choice expletives fell from Spike's mouth.

"Gabriel is here to make Angel his Childe."

"Does that mean that Angel knew he was here before?"

Buffy couldn't help the sense of anger and betrayal that was coursing round her system. Slayers had been killed and Angel had known who the culprit was the whole time. She was going to seriously hurt him when he got back.

Soft lips, soft as feathers, air kissed the sculptured torso that arched to meet every pass those lips made. Gentle fingers traced lazy circles up and down, up and down; never stopping their movement for a second, not even letting silken fabric interrupt their process.

"He knew nothing until Giles confirmed the murder locations yesterday and Gabriel met him last night."

"He met him! Is the vampire a nice big pile of dust now?" There was no humour in Xander's question, just a sheer contempt for all things nocturnal.

"No, Gabriel left but he isn't going away. The only thing standing between you and Gabriel right now is Angel. And I am not sure how long he can keep it up."

"Well he doesn't need to keep it up! Guys suit up – we're going hunting! Now!"

Buffy moved from her seat at the table and slung her weapons kit over her shoulder. Xander, Kennedy, Andrew and Giles followed suit. No one else moved – they kept their eyes trained on Wes who was desperately trying to avoid their gaze. He'd backed himself into a corner though. They had all heard the worry in his voice. Moreover, they had all heard his last comment for what it was. A huge slip meant more for Wes' ears then for theirs.

"Guys?"

Buffy and her team were waiting by the door. Waiting for everyone to come with.

"Spike?"

Spike didn't waver. His baby blues darkening to a deep unforgiving beryl as gut wrenching fear flooded his system. The vampire that they didn't stand a chance against was here for his Claim, his Angel. If he thought that he could take Spike's property then he had never heard of William the Bloody! What they needed to do was come up with a plan, bring Angel here and then…

"Watcher… where is Angel?"

Cool skin against cool skin, friction steadily causing an increase in temperature. Sweat coating both deific figures with a golden dew that made their immortality glow, easing the slow undulating movements of their bodies. Strong nails teasing the velvety flesh leaving quivering furrows in their wake. Teeth nipped all the protuberant muscle that they could reach. Some bites harder than the others eliciting low whines of penury.

"Wesley?"

Fred moved to take the hand of her man. She could see that he was hurting so much and wanted nothing more that to reach out and hold him. Rock him gently like you would a child and banish the demons that were troubling his mind. Unfortunately though, the only demon troubling Wes was one that she would never banish – he was their demon, their Angel, her handsome man. He squeezed her hand lightly and shook himself from his stupor.

"Angel's safe. I thought it best to keep him away from this until I decide what to do." Wes sighed, a slow, heavy sigh that only began to tell the tale of his apprehension.

"What's to decide? We go, we slay, we party! Isn't that what we usually do when facing creatures of the night?"

"Haven't you heard a single thing that I have said! My God! Are you stupid or just being purposefully obstructive? Gabriel isn't an ordinary vampire! If we did face him the best that we can hope for is that he kills us. If somehow we manage to kill him then his Order will rain down fire and brimstone on every slayer they can get their hands on. Your girls haven't had their powers for even a year, how do you think that they will cope against an Order who's youngest member is 200 years old? How are they going to fight magic?"

Wes stared at each and every one of them in turn – the time for nicety was over. They needed to have their butts kicked into realising that there was too much at stake to go rushing in… stakes raised. He needed them to realise it now.

"Sit down. No one is leaving this office until they understand what is at risk. You're actions here may very well cost hundreds of girls their lives. You gave them that power it is therefore you bloody responsibility to keep them alive because you are the ones who damned them."

"That's what I am trying to do!" Buffy slammed her fists down on the table, splintering the wood in her anger.

"I said sit down Buffy. You never thought of the consequences of your actions and now they are going to cost you something. But I will be damned if I let any girls die because you rush out of here half –cocked. I took an oath as a Watcher to protect the Slayer line at all costs and I intend to uphold that oath with every breath still left in my body. But know this – I will walk through hell before I let your actions bring any harm to Angel. He has suffered enough."

"And how will this harm Angel?"

Despite the force of Wes' words, the honour in their meaning and the deadly calm way in which they were delivered, something in Giles still rebelled at the idea of this competent Watcher before him. A watcher that he knew the Council would be lucky to have.

"Firstly – it will break his heart."

Angel moaned deep in his throat as he welcomed Gabriel back into his body, his heart, his mind... into his soul. He felt so complete for the first time in so long that tears escaped his eyes to make room for all of the new and old feelings that were flooding back.

"Secondly, I fear that it will break his body."

He arched up into the protection of Gabriel's chest, matching each deep, gentle thrust with his own twist of his hips. He wrapped his arms around his salvation and held it tight.

"Lastly – I fear that it will break his mind."

Angel screamed in ecstasy as he came, a splash of cool liquid coating their chests and filling him inside – the total antithesis of the heat of their passion.

"Angel loves him."

White hot tips of iridescent fangs pushed through corded muscle and he was sucked into the swell of blood loss…

"He's loved him for 240 years. What makes you think that he won't protect Gabriel with everything he is?"

Wine and roses and anise and cardamom and paprika danced together, joining and mixing and flowing from the lacerated wrist in a stream of scarlet and into Angel's mouth.

"What has he got holding him here?"

Both figures, weakened and strengthened by the exchange collapsed into one another, arms holding tight, legs mingling, dark head resting upon a pale milky chest as brown eyes drifted into a safe slumber.

There was a spectrum of emotion laid out before Wes like an appetising buffet ranging from Buffy's disbelief to Fred's wide eyed heartbreak. All the emotions that humanity was capable of flickered over their faces within the few moments of silence Wes allowed them. He didn't dare look at Spike; the fact that the vampire had said nothing immediately chilled him to the bone. He was dangerous when silent.

"Do you see what I am saying? This isn't you're ordinary vampire and he has us by the balls. This may destroy what's left of Angel."

To die: to sleep:
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd.

He slumped further down in his chair and dropped his head into his hands. There was nothing that he could do. Hearing it from Angel had been bad enough but saying it himself… saying it himself meant that he had to truly realise the reality of the situation. Steady, slow tears began to fall when Fred turned to him, hope and disbelief alive in her innocent eyes.

"But, he's a Champion… he's my handsome man. He's not going to just walk away. Wes? Why would he just walk away?"

Wes couldn't answer her, but Lorne could.

"Because Honeypie there isn't that much of Angel left anymore. He's been drowning not waving and we've all missed it." He glanced at Wesley's bereft face. "Well maybe not all of us, but we should have seen more than we did."

"English? Is he right?" Wes had never heard that choked sound in Gunn's voice before. Chocolate eyes sparkled, wetter than they were usually.

Wes couldn't respond.

He moved to look out at the city that they had all done so much for. Why was it that they had to sacrifice so much for the good of people they didn't know?

"Remember just over a month ago? We found those five murdered nuns?"

"You mean when Holloway skipped dimensions on us?"

"No I mean when Angel quit." He turned back to everyone. The backdrop of the city lights wasn't cheery, despite their gaudy colours, it was oppressive… it reminded them all that there were all those people out there that needed Angel.

"He was ready to give up then. He hates it here; he hates the fact that he has had to compromise his ideals to try to help people. Before all of this he didn't doubt anything. He knew that he was redeeming himself. He never thought that he would ever balance out the cosmic scales but he realised that it wasn't about that, it was about doing what you can do because you have that power. It wasn't about destiny or a mission; it was a choice that he made freely. He'd been given the chance to try to show the world that there were still heroes out there. He knew that the Powers had his back, even though they enjoyed putting it in a lot of danger, he knew they had faith in him.

"Then we lost Cordy and came here and a tiny voice of doubt started to gnaw at him. Then Spike arrived and Lindsey started his little game up, made Angel doubt that he was a Champion. He doubted it so much that he no longer believed he could do any good here and he was ready to quit. Angel doesn't quit. So Cordy was sent back to put her guy back track – that's what she told him. She said that the Powers owed her one and that she called it in to pull Angel out of his funk and set him on the path again. He made her proud. He threw himself back into it with a vengeance; he was a force to be reckoned with.

"But things change. Dreams can destroy our souls if we let them. Angel got a temporary reprieve from his nightmares and for a whole month he found a peace and safety that he had never known before. He felt so safe and loved and he felt as though he could do anything. But his dreams are back and he is terrified of sleeping because he can feel himself being pulled back into hell, he can feel it on the back of his neck and it is killing him."

He saw Spike shudder as the realisations of what Wes was saying got through to him – he was beginning to understand…

"Do you know that he hasn't slept for the past five nights? That every morning I have picked him up off the floor of his living room because he has been too afraid to try to sleep and that he is waiting until he has the courage to walk into the sun? have any of you seen that he has been walking funny because he has broken ribs and bruises all over him? Have any of you paid any attention to the fact that he has barely spoken since you got here? Or were you all too caught up in your own goddam lives!"

With every statement he made Wes' ire grew. It was infectious. It spread into every pore of his body and festered. It began to boil, making his skin glow with a pink tinge and his body quake at the power of his emotions. He wasn't sure who he was yelling at any more – Spike, the Scoobies, them, Gabriel, the Powers… Angel? No he wasn't mad at Angel. How could he be? Angel was hanging on by a thread and that thread was Wes. He wished to god that he had some kind of power; that he was as strong as Buffy so he could batter some sense into her and Spike or that he was as talented a practioner as Willow so he could make them all feel the despair he had seen in Angel's eyes. All he had was his voice and he wasn't sure that was enough.

"None of you have the right to call yourselves heroes or friends! He is dying from this – its will kill him unless he finds a way to get out!"

"I think that you're being a bit melodramatic now Wesley. Dreams can be intense yes but…"

Giles never got to finish his patronising statement as Wes' fist collided with his jaw, snapping his head back. Not giving the older man chance to recover he wound a hand round his throat, slamming him into the hard table top. Before he could do more a furious Buffy threw him off Giles, tossing him effortlessly across the room. Fred hurried to his side as did Gunn and Lorne; all worried that Buffy might have seriously hurt him. The Scoobies were at Giles' side in a second, all staring in horror at Wes – unsure of what was wrong with Wes but knowing that he was seriously unhinged.

In the middle of both groups was a devastated Spike, unsure of where he belonged or what he was going to do. No, he knew where he belonged, he belonged with Angel, but would admitting that cost him his friends? Would he have to choose between Buffy and Angel – because if that was the case then he wasn't sure that he could choose. He was so in love with Angel that it hurt, he had always loved the dark vampire but he had loved Buffy too. She had been his world at one point and he wasn't sure that he could cut that part out of himself. It would be the same with Dru… He ignored the traitorous voice that told him he had threatened to stake her for Buffy.

"What the hell is wrong with you Wesley!" Buffy, satisfied that her Watcher was going to be ok wheeled on the man that had threatened him in the first place.

Wesley had had the time to get a grip on his emotions during his reprieve on the floor. He needed to stay strong so that he could work all of this out for Angel. He pulled all of the anger back into himself and honed it, shaped it into a small flame that burned brightly in his despair. He turned icy blue eyes on Buffy, tears frozen in place and not even daring to fall.

"I'm sorry? Did you just ask me what was wrong? I have just told you that the ex love of your life is in the middle of a breakdown that may cost him, if not his sanity, then his life; then you're Watcher has the gall to claim that I'm being melodramatic and you want to know what's wrong with me? When did you all lose your humanity?

"Cordelia and I always used to wonder why it was that Angel would never let us in, why he always felt that he had to do everything alone, why he kept everyone at a distance. He did it because it was the only way he could cope. It has taken him a hundred years to build up a strong enough coat of armour that allows him to deal with his past and all the other crap in his life and still stay strong. Now that armour is gone. Worn down and eroded into nothingness. He has nothing left to keep the demons away and his soul, the soul of a twenty seven year old Irish boy who feared his father, is being ripped to shreds. Good God! I've had to sedate my best friend to get him to go to sleep! He is currently, lying in the Hyperion, drugged and surrounded by countless protective wards and barrier spells because that is the only way he feels safe!"

He paused to take a breath – willing his feelings to calm down to more manageable levels before he continued.

"We're losing him. Angel is on the verge of utter collapse… and we all have Spike to thank for that."

All eyes turned to Spike. The Scoobies were shocked to see him stagger as if those words had dealt him a physical blow. He hung his head in shame at the truth of Wes' words, pulling his duster tight around his hurting form as if to ward off the truth of these words.

"Congratulations Spike – you've managed to break Angel. Not even Hell did that. Guess you are the Big Bad after all. How's the soul? Still there?"

The viciousness bit into his flesh like thousands of tiny needles, pushing in through his skin and leaving poisonous venom in its wake. He could feel it, thick and black and oppressive, moving through his body to the one place that he never wanted it to go – his heart. It oozed through him like bitumen, swallowing every good feeling it came across and leaving a trail of contempt behind it, like the iridescent paths left by snails in the morning sun. This trail wasn't bright and shimmering though, it was dark and abhorrent and he doubted that it would fade. He could feel it clawing up his throat and he felt sick. How could he have done this to Angel?

"Spike, what's he talking about?" Buffy moved towards the blonde vampire, unsure of why he looked so guilty... no… ill. Before she could say anymore, before she could get him to open up to her, Dawn interrupted.

"What? You mean because he saved the world?"

Over the past few days she and Spike had renewed their friendship and her loyalty to him was perhaps stronger than ever before. Wes said nothing to her barely acknowledging the fact that she had spoken at all. He just kept a level arctic blue stare on Spike, his eyes boring blazing holes through his flesh, but Fred acted. They say that the quiet ones are the ones that you have to watch out for and it was definitely the case as Fred delivered a spiteful, stinging slap to Spike's cheek, utter betrayal blazing in her wide eyes. He couldn't meet those eyes.

"Fred, leave him – it's not worth it. We need to help Angel." Lorne's uncharacteristic lack of pet names indicated the state of his feelings. He was so angry at Spike, he had warned the blonde against this very thing and he had been promised that Spike would do nothing to harm Angel. Well he'd got the nothing part right at least…

The Scoobies still looked unconvinced that they should help. Wes could see the thoughts ticking over in their minds, especially in light of Spike's involvement. He could almost hear their arguments and in light of the vivid way that they were dancing around his imagination he knew that he couldn't bear to hear them out loud. If appealing to their humanity wasn't going to work then he had only one more card to play…

"Look, I realise that we are not friends, that you don't trust us and probably never will. I also get that some of you don't like Angel." He avoided glancing directly at Giles and Xander and to a lesser extent Andrew and Kennedy but everyone knew to whom he referred. "But you don't know Angel. He has the biggest heart of anyone I know. He is a true hero and the world is seriously lacking in them nowadays. You haven't ever truly gotten to know him but if you did I think that you would find out how wrong you are. But that's not the point. We need your help to try to sort this mess out. None of us want people to die and somewhere inside I don't think that you want Angel to get hurt. But if that isn't enough motivation for you then I can only hope that this will change your mind."

He looked around and focused in on his group for his next revelation – after all, it affected them the most.

"Angel is the Seer for the Powers that Be."

Angel's eyes snapped open