Title: Unnatural 8/8

Series: Unnatural!Verse. Part One.
Author: Miz Thang
Summary: post-Shells, Illyria has a few thoughts on things. The people she has to deal with. This takes a little twist on canon. I'll just say this doesn't turn out to be a happy ending fic.
Spoilers: Season 5 of Angel, up to Shells, and some plot points beyond that.
Warnings: Spike/Illyria. Sex. Character Death.
Rating: FRM

Author's Note:

1a. This is it, for anyone that cares. The last chapter. I'm not going to guarantee a shipper ending, just to let you know. Hope you had as much fun reading, as I did writing and seeing the reviews. Imzadi, I don't know so much about Lorne. He isn't out of the woods yet. And we find out what Spike does. Thanks for that. I was hoping it was original enough. Believe me, this had not been where I was heading before I started posting and typing. Well, it was, but there wasn't that much sub-plot to it.

1b. And, from your review of Her Happy Ending: I heard that Joss gave her a last name after being asked by a bunch of-I guess potential book writers-what her last name was. I just took to using it. I think I could write one with Lindsey-I just have to catch up on his character. I've never actively written him before, so I think that'll be a challenge.

2. As I'm trying to write the ending of the story, I keep coming back to this damn author's note. I think there might be a sequel. I can never leave a story a lone. It's kind of sad. But now that I know what I have planned, I really can't leave it like this. Sue me. I don't know what I'll call it. I'll think of something. Probably Unnatural: Return. How does that sound?

Unnatural

Chapter Eight: Things Are Changing

Her plan had been automatically set into action the moment she ended the life of that blonde, the slayer, Buffy, before she could come to Los Angeles and confuse Spike's feelings. She had then continued on with the day as if it had not been a repeat for her.

As before, Angel and Wesley had confronted her and Spike about the nature of their relationship. She had even smiled when Spike told them to "bugger off." She was in too good a mood, but was not delusional that both Wesley and Angel would let this lie. That was why the next day, she decided to take action.

She had warned them of the consequences of their actions against her, had never let it on that she would let go of her desire to once again be ruler. That was her destiny, and only Spike shared it beside her. Today was their day of reckoning. She had to strike before the news of Buffy reached Los Angeles. Time was of the essence. The world looked new, refreshed, as she stepped off the elevator. She was almost saddened Spike wouldn't be able to witness this, but it was for the better; he was not ready yet. Things were going to change today, for the better-

"Illie!" Harmony exclaimed and the Old One gritted her teeth. The blonde vampire was annoying, a given that was, but Illyria actually saw usefulness in her. She'd have her purpose soon enough. And for that, and that alone, Illyria would spare the half breed's life.

"Where is Wesley?" Illyria asked. She was glad that Spike was still in his apartment, attempting to sleep off the affects of their earlier fornication. Yes, she used sex in order to keep him out of the way, and she would admit it if she had to chance, if she was asked. Even if it would hurt Spike.

"In his office, as always." Harmony replied. She grabbed her purse, something telling her she didn't want to be here in the next hour. "Tell Angel I'm going on break."

Illyria gave her no reply as she went towards the office of the ex-watcher. If anything, he had to go first; he would certainly be the one most successful in making Spike see reason before she could use the bond they shared against him.

"Things are changing, yet you refuse to change with them. You cannot see the greatness coming."

He looked up from his notes, once again having to force any feelings he may have had aside. He then stood, coming around his desk. "Might this be about your 'relationship' with Spike?"

"It might. You're not accepting it. You pretend you are, but you don't. I think it's because I no longer require your guidance. And if I no longer require you, you can no longer torture yourself, or wallow in you self-pity and misery at my existence."

She didn't know why she was making her last conversation with Wesley so intellectual and psycho-analytic. Perhaps she wanted to keep it as a memory. Maybe to preserve some kind of rightness about him. Who he is, was. At one point, she had spent all her hours with him, trying to understand the world he lived in; she was attached, though not in a way that could even compare to what feeling she'd allowed herself for Spike.

That was why, she decided.

"Is that what you really think?" Wesley questioned calmly. He's trying to call her bluff, only she wasn't-bluffing, that is. He already knew that it was what she thought; she hadn't yet grasped the real concept of lying and deceit. She didn't care about being caught in the act of something heinous. She didn't seem to care about much except for two things, really; Spike and world domination.

She couldn't dare do it behind his back. She actually held respect for him and made sure that he could see that this was the end of the line. "No." She lashed out, catching him by the throat and shoved him back into his desk. "It is what I know."

He barely had time to react, this all happening in a few seconds. She punched him through the chest, ripping his heart out; she'd done it once before when she retook her place in the world and destroyed the shell's soul, so what would it matter if she did it again?

"One down, three to go." She murmured to herself, staring at Wesley's lifeless body with mild curiosity as the door opened behind her.

"Wesley?" Lorne called out as he entered, stopping short when Illyria turned to face him, revealing her bloodied hand and the heart. "What-"

"Before I changed things, I warned you. The time has come for me to take my rightful place. I will not destroy the world; it's too precious to Spike. I will dominate, in any case." She said, stalking forward, the bodily organ that had been Wesley's heart just moments ago falling from her hand as if it were worthless now.

Lorne held up two hands. "There's no reason for this-"

She watched his body tumble to the ground, the sword she'd picked up lodged in his chest. His red eyes were wide in surprise and pain as he keeled over. "You are wrong. There is every reason for this."

-

Spike woke up, feeling as if his whole world had turned upside down. If he could have things his way, he wouldn't be waking up anytime in the near future. Something else had woken him up. This really bad feeling swirling in the pit of his gut. He also had a feeling as if a dangerous blood lust was being sated, and with the evidence that Illyria was nowhere in his apartment, he came to the conclusion that it was Illyria he was feeling somehow.

His bad feeling had him immediately wake and dressing before he began the very dangerous task of finding away to get to Wolfram and Hart during the day.

-

Panic.

It was all around the building. It was filling every nook, every cranny, sinking into every pore. To the point where there was nothing else, where it was in every breath taken.

Angel ran out of his office, Gunn at his back to find his employees scampering, the saying "every person for themselves" in good use. "Where the hell is Harmony? What's going on?"

There was no one to answer his question. Angel turned to Gunn. "Find Wes, and Lorne."

Gunn nodded, taking off down the hall towards Wesley's office. Things seemed to slow for Angel as Gunn rounded the corner only to fly back into the wall and slide down. As if his worst fears were coming to life, Illyria stalked around the corner dried blood on her hands. He had no doubts anymore; Wesley and Lorne were most likely dead.

He raced forward, attempting to keep Illyria from killing Gunn. At that exact moment, she fixed ice blue eyes on him and waved her clean hand, sending Angel back several feet and through the clear glass, sliding into the desk in his office.

He shook his head, attempting to clean the cobwebs out of the corner of his mind. And then he passed out.

-

Gunn stumbled to his feet and backed away from Illyria. "What's your whole point, Illyria? Doing this? You're just asking to give Spike a reason to hate you."

"No." She denied, taking one step for every third of his. "He will understand my motives."

"How about you do me a favor then and explain what they are? Just to refresh my memory."

Illyria froze and Gunn hurried to get behind his protection that was in the form of Spike. She straightened, giving him a cool eye. "For us." She said, almost a whisper. Louder, she repeated herself. "Everything I did, is for us."

"Did? What did you do?" Spike asked, his voice dangerously low as his mind raced through the possibilities.

"I will show you." She replied.

It hit him hard, sending him staggering, and his mind was open to hers, to her memories. He saw her standing in the kitchen watching hic blood, a daily routine she'd made of it. And then, when she was sure she wouldn't be caught, the drops of her own blood she mixed in. The purposely skin-breaking punches in the training room, only for her to take the blood she spilt-her own version of a mating.

He saw her walking down the stairs, determination and rage in every step as she disappeared through a portal, and he at the balcony with Angel and Buffy. All apprehensive of what would come. Only it wouldn't, because Illyria had gone back in time. And she…

He would've fallen if Gunn hadn't instinctively caught him. "C'mon, Spike. You're the only thing keepin' me alive here."

Spike didn't hear Gunn. He looked up at Illyria but couldn't get the words out. You killed her? You killed Buffy?

She looked him in the eye. Yes.

Gunn was surprised when Spike suddenly shrugged him off and stood tall. "Spike, what-"

He was fast. Spike. He was a black and white blur as he tackled Illyria and they went flying through the air, crashing through three offices. She tossed him off her, rising to her feet as she rose to her own.

"Why are you attacking me?"

Spike shook his head. "You don't get it, Blue. I don't do the, 'my lover killed my friends, woe is me' crap." He smirked. "Nice try, though, really. You expected that showing me that you killed Buffy was going to have me out of commission long enough to off Gunn and Angel." He looked down and than back at her. "But I'm standin' right here, 'bout to face you off. Think you underestimated me."

"Maybe." Illyria admitted. "I won't repeat that mistake."

She shot out, landing a punch to his face. He barely stumbled back, whipping out to kick her in the gut. She doubled over and he kneed her in the face, sending her crashing through the wall into the wall, right in front of Gunn and Angel.

Spike stalked after her, stepping through the hole with a grin. "This is it, ladies and gents. The showdown to end all." He tensed as Illyria rose to her feet.

She ducked, sweep kicking him, and rising in enough time to land a hard punch to his gut. He flew back into the office. She stepped through it. "And you are a worthy opponent."

Spike flipped to his feet, side stepping her attempt to back hand him. He then noticed that they had crashed into Angel's office. He knocked one of the swords off the wall behind his desk, whipping it through the air with deadly accuracy. He raced as Illyria, attempting to slice her in half.

She caught his wrists and flipped him over her. She turned to see him land on Angel's conference table, and it collapsed with his weight. She neared him warily, noticing him to be unconscious. She kneeled before him. Her eyes landed on the sword and she realized that she should kill him, make sure he wouldn't interrupt a second time, but she couldn't get it, reach for it. She was actually in love. It sickened her.

He surprised her, flipping her on to her back and pinning her; he had faked being unconscious. "Always called myself Love's Bitch. No matter what I do, I always fall for the wrong bloody women. Gets pathetic after a while."

Illyria didn't attempt to move him off of her, staring up into equally blue eyes. He was leaning towards her ever so slowly. "What does that make me?"

"Don't really know." His lips then met hers softly, against all comprehension, even with all the chaos going on and Illyria felt that maybe she had won after all. She had used love and she was to be victorious-

An undeniable pain bloomed in her chest and she felt as if every nerve in her body was burning. Spike pulled away, standing, and as she inspected her sudden wound, she realized he'd stabbed her. Never once had anything penetrated her skin. Never before had it happened.

You also never fell in love or lost half your strength. Though, I have to say, I hope you're on the fast track to hell, bitch.

The shell, she was speaking to Illyria. And Illyria realized that this was what the shell had felt when the Old One had taken over. She was dying, vanishing from existence. She looked up at Spike with wide, innocent eyes as he backed away from her. "Spike?"

"I can't let you." He said, still moving away. She couldn't…she couldn't understand why he was doing it.

"Why…why are you…so far away?" she asked, she blinked attempting to keep her eyes open. And then she began to blink repeatedly, feeling awfully tired. "I need you." She admitted, stretching out a hand, a hand stained with her own blood, and Wesley's, towards him. Urgently, a sense of survival kicking in, she said, "Help me."

"I want to…but I can't let you." He said. "Sorry, love."

She smelled salt. The salt of tears. And because he shed them, obviously over her, she gave up. Her hair started to fade. The lively blue returning to that dull brown that had been Fred's. "I…know. I…could you…hold me?"

There was something intensely wrong with this situation, Spike was aware of that as he respected her request, kneeling by her and pulling her into his arms. She was the forever, strong Illyria. She didn't die. She didn't ask for anything. She didn't need anything. And she didn't fall in love.

Kiss me good bye, my mate.

And she didn't say that, either.

He did it anyway. He leaned down for one last kiss, because, stupid prat that he was, he'd fallen in love with her. A blue electricity ran through him, and he could hear her telling him that she'd live forever, in him. They were attached forever.

He pulled away in time to she lifeless blue eyes thaw and fade back to brown. And then he let her go. The armor Illyria had prided herself on wearing had faded away, returning to the burgundy dress Fred had died in. This wasn't his girl. Not anymore. She'd been on loan.

A hand touched his shoulder. He didn't even have to turn around. It was Angel. He knew it. Not by sense, not by the vampric bond. But with this all-knowing capability that had him wondering where it came from.

"It's better it ended this way, Spike. I mean…you and Illyria…you two were just…unnatural." Angel said, unaware that every word he spoke drove Spike further away from ever being the same again. "Not that-I don't mean-"

"I know what you mean." Spike cut Angel off, just looking for a way to stop him from speaking at all. "Wouldn't have worked out, got it. Not the first bloody time, is it? After all, she tried to end the world."

He reached forward to close her eyes as Angel spoke, even if Spike's held a warning. "I know that you loved-"

He didn't see the backhand coming, but he definitely felt it. It sent him flying through the body-shaped hole already in the window until his back slammed into the railing. It cracked and creaked, almost tipping over and taking Angel with it.

Angel blinked away the pain and raised his eyes to Spike's. Spike only glared at him angrily, his eyes seeming to crystallize as Fred's did before Illyria took over. "Don't try to tell me how I feel, you tit. You don't know."

Spike stepped through the glass and started down the stairs, passing Gunn without acknowledging his presence and stepping onto the elevator the moment the doors opened. To himself, he whispered, "You'll never know."

End .

Author's Note:

3. Oh my goodness. It's over. Now, I would sit here and explain what the ending means and what happened between Spike and Illyria, but what would be the point, and where would the fun be, if there's a sequel in mind. I think I like Unnatural: The Return. I think you can expect cameos from Lindsey, Eve, Hamilton, Willow, Faith and Dawn. Well, maybe some of them. I haven't actually decided, this being a spur of the moment decision.

Anyway, review, tell me what you think. About the story, about my maybe-plans. Whatever you feel the need to click that submit a review button for.

Go on, do it. I dare ya.