Title: Knowing is Half the Battle

Series: Spike and Angel: the Reunion Tour

Author: CindyCindy

Feedback: You'll get a nice thank you note.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: The vamps get to thinking about the mission ahead.

Disclaimer: I would that they be mine. Alas, it cannot be. Property of Joss Whedon.

Author's Notes: I would like to thank my reviewers, and my husband the beta, and Lucky, the beta, but only in a fish sense. His serenity is invaluable.

Author's Notes II: I have to confess, this will probably not end up a slash piece. As I am not a gay man, or a professional writer, I have a fear of feminizing one of the characters (Spike). But still love the slash myself. I don't have the heart to string my fellow Spangel lovers along.

Author's Notes III: Exposition can be a bitch, bare with me people.

One, two, three, four, five; I got a hare alive. Six, seven, eight, nine, ten; dead is he when I let go again.

The sky over the pond was full of stars. Spike sat on the water's edge and stared at them as he told Angel the events that had brought him to Alabama. He did not see the sick look on Angel's face when he repeated what Willow told him. He did not see the smirk on his face when he told him about Amsterdam. Spike just told the story, and Angel never interrupted. When Spike had related the whole, Angel just sighed.

"So the idea is that the two of us might combined might know her well enough too figure out her game?" Angel asked.

"That seems to be the party line these days." Spike leaned back on his elbows. "Let the demon who made her what she is and the fool who was crazy enough to love her for a century suss it out."

Angel shivered in his wet clothes, but not from the cold. He had always hoped to find some sort of redemption for Drusilla, but as it stood, this was not possible. She had made her self a target by going after the slayers. Setting her ablaze as a warning and letting her go on her merry way was not an option here. Spike seemed to sense his thoughts.

"So, chaining her up in a basement and pumping her full of anti-psychotics and pigs blood not an option then?" Spike said finally looking at the man next to him.

Angel buried his face and his hands. "Not this time, Spike," was his muffled reply.

"Thought as much." Spike searched his pockets for a smoke, but found that his pack of cigarettes was soaked. He threw them away disgusted. "Maybe we could-"

Angel lifted his head from his hands and interrupted Spike. "You said she was traveling with an 'army' of vampires."

"Yeah, what of it?"

"I've never known Dru to travel with strangers. Having minions was one thing, but she only traveled with-"

"Family," Spike finished for him. "Been bugging me too. Almost as much as her targeting slayers. She likes a bit of mayhem as much as the next gal, but making her self vulnerable like that. This really isn't her style."

"She might see it as her only means of survival. There are a lot of slayers out there. It's a clear and present danger. She is a survivor." Angel said.

"Don't I know it," Spike replied. "You should have seen what that mob in Prague did to her. Makes the time you set her on fire look like a paper cut."

"You saw her after that?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, came to Sunnydale looking for a family reunion. Was in the middle of my 'I will make you love me phase' with Buffy. She told me what happened." Spike said. "Always trying to get the family back together, she was. Couldn't leave well enough alone. But after that, I'm sure she gave up on me."

Angel stood up and stretched his arms over his head "How long do you think it would take her to build an army, if they were all, you know, 'family?'" he asked.

"Four or five years at least. She won't vamp just any Tom, Dick, or Harry."

"With the exception of you." Angel interjected.

Spike scowled at Angel. "She saw something in me. Said I walked in world's the others couldn't imagine." Spike plucked at his jeans. "Couldn't forget that night if I wanted too."

Angel turned his head skyward. The twinkling stars held the answer. "She already knew. She knew before they did. It's explains everything," he muttered.

Spike raised his eyebrows. "And knowing is half the battle. She could have known for years."

"She would have told you, if she knew what Buffy and Willow were going to do, the last time she saw you. Or Darla, during their time in LA." Angel said. "But that was nearly five years ago. She must have spent the last five years building her family."

"Would explain why we haven't heard a peep out of her until recently. Bloody hell. This is going to be a battle." Spike sighed. "Now what we have to do is figure out where she's headed. Willow will be some help with that. She's doing most of the magics needed to find the new girls."

"Are you up to this?" Angel asked. More quietly, he added, "Am I?"

"Guess we'll find out. I need to call Willow and let her know you're in. We better find a phone." Spike stood. "I can't wait to tell her what you're wearing." he said with a grin as he began walking towards the path they drove in on.

"There is a very good explanation for that." Angel said indignantly.

"Can't wait to hear it. Sunrise is in a few hours. Let's walk and talk." Spike said motioning for Angel to follow. He looked back at the pond where the two vehicles were submerged. "Bloody shame about the Porsche though."

Angel nodded in agreement and walked after Spike.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary how does your garden grow? I tend to have a black thumb.

A bark of laughter bounced off the pavement of the quiet road. Spike could not contain his self.

"You mean to tell me," he managed through his laughter, "that you tried to rush a fraternity." He had stopped walking and bent over clutching his sides. "And they black balled you."

"For the last time, I was trying to infiltrate the Machine. They were heavy into the Black Arts. It was also a heavy recruiting spot for Wolfram and Hart back in the day." Angel was desperately trying to maintain his dignity. "I thought it would be a good place to keep an ear to the ground."

"So you thought you would just hang about pretending to be a college student?"

"And keep under the radar of people who where looking for me." Angel added.

"How's that?" Spike laughing had lessened a bit.

"The Greek population at the University has some powerful magic. They use the Machine to bring that magic together, and keep it in the family, so to speak. The students use some powerful cloaking spells to keep outsiders from realizing what's going on. They are nearly undetectable to other magic users." Angel explained.

Spike had a moment of realization. "So that's why Willow couldn't find you. You were under the cloak."

"Exactly. Now we will never speak of this again." Angel said through gritted teeth.

The two vampires walked on. The only sounds were the gentle ruffle of the breeze through the leaves and the sound of one pair of boots and one pair of sneakers hitting the pavement. Soon the trees began to thin, and a small town appeared, and on the outskirts of that small town was a run-down motor lodge. Sunrise was just an hour or two away. The motel looked like their best bet.

"Reckon we could use the phone then." Spike stated.

Angel nodded and the two of them continued down the road to the motel.

Spike and Angel walked through the parking lot, past the empty pool and towards what was called, charitably the reception area. A bell chimed as they walked through the door and into a room with shag carpeting, shabby wallpaper and a desk. On that desk sat a black and white T.V. and next to the T.V. sat a telephone.

"Bingo," said Spike when he noticed the phone.

"I'll be right with ya'll," a man's voice called from the next room. "Wasn't expecting anyone this late."

Angel nodded as if the man could hear him. Then he added audibly, "Our car broke down."

A small man of about sixty appeared behind the desk. With his balding head and too-thick eyeglasses, he looked shabby as the room they were standing in. He took a long look at Angel and a longer one at Spike. It was apparent to the vampires; he did not like what he saw.

"How can I help you boys?" he said at length.

"We'd like a room for the night," said Angel.

"I'm sorry, but we don't serve you're kind here." the little man bent down to retrieve something from behind the desk.

Spike walked up to the edge of the desk and leaned against it. "You've got it all wrong man, we're not gay." Then he whispered under his breathe "this decade."

"I see," said the voice from behind the desk. The man was backing there rummaging around for something.

"So hows about a room then mate?" Spike asked.

The man popped up from behind the desk with a crucifix in one hand and a small crossbow in the other. "I said," he said enunciating each word, "we don't serve your kind here. Ain't nothing about any one's sexual orientation."

Spike swiftly took a step back from the desk. This was not the response he had expected. Spike glanced over at Angel, who was standing there with his mouth wide open.

Angel recovered himself from the surprise of seeing the man behind the reception desk emerge with a crossbow. He began smoothly. "Sir, I promise you we aren't here to cause you any trouble."

"You're vampires aren't ya?" the man replied.

Angel cringed a little. "Yes, but we have souls."

"That supposed to mean something to me?" the man asked.

"Well..." Angel began.

Spike interrupted. "If we were here to make trouble you would be nothing but a smear of blood and a few odd bits of hair by now. Since you aren't it is safe for you to assume that we just need a room to sleep the day away in."

"Spike," Angel hissed, "this is not how we get what we want."

Spike continued as if he didn't hear him. "And use your phone."

Angel was stunned. The man behind the desk was obviously considering what Spike had just said.

"I gather you're right about that," the man behind the desk said. "I'll put you up for the day, but I don't want to see hide nor hair of ya'll again after sunset."

Angel nodded in agreement.

"And the phone?" Spike asked.

"Don't push it Spike," Angel said through gritted teeth.

"Is it long distance?" the man asked.

"No." Spike lied easily.

The man motioned to the phone on the desk. Spike walked over directly to it and dialed Willow in Brazil, direct. Angel got out his wallet to pay the man for the room.

Willow answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Red."

"Spike!" Willow said. "Did you find Angel?"

"He's here with me now."

"Is he in?" she asked.

Spike looked over at Angel, who was now holding the key to their room. "He is," he replied. "We're in a bit of a bind though, and you will never believe what he is wearing."

'