Chapter eleven: Wind in The Wires
I feel I must clear something up… I don't actually watch the tellitubbies, it was a cunning little word use of mine… (Say this when talking like Russell Brand and it sounds mildly amusing!) Yeah, I don't think I'm getting anymore normal am I?
Wind in the wires
"I feel like naming the stars…" Spike smiled as he looked up at the amazingly clear sky, nearly a year had passed sense he'd really looked at the heavens. Angel wrapped his arms around Spike from behind and grinned when he saw the innocent smile spread across the blond's face.
"Don't go Drusilla on me now." Angel kissed Spike's neck and sighed. He could sense Buffy's still burning eyes on them, but he didn't really care, after what had happened only nights ago her anger seemed of minimal importance. Spike peeled Angel off of him and turned to face his sire. With a grin Spike took Angel's hand and walked over to the others who had congregated around the fire pit where Willow was attempting to show Illyria what a smore was actually for, and how one should go about making the delicious camp-fire treat. Illyria seemed unimpressed at the concoction of graham-crackers, marshmallow and chocolate simply fused together through heat as a form of snack. Spike, not really caring that Illyria had any strong feelings towards the food, snatched the one from the plate in front of her. Unluckily for him even though she didn't particularly want to eat it her self, she still firmly believed that it was her property, and she grabbed his arm and pulled him back as she bent it up behind his back until he dropped it in to her open hand. Angel smirked at the incident, but Buffy and Willow winced, it couldn't have been good for Spike to be roughhousing so shortly after that horrible night. Glancing around Angel noticed they were in fact one person short. "Where's Giles gone?" He asked Buffy as he took a seat between her and Spike, who was at that moment bitching to him self about blue being a bad colour and how smurfs were evil and gay. Willow didn't quite like his use of the word, and she failed to see how he could like it, as he seemed to now be quite openly affectionate to Angel.
"I think he heard the door bell or something, I'm not to sure, he left a minute ago." Buffy looked towards the house, expected the ex-watcher to be coming back any minute. She was still unnerved by the thought of Angel and Spike, she knew the whole 'sire/childe' relationship was normally very dominatrix styled but she just hadn't thought it went for grand-sires and the equivalent. However, even Buffy could tell that it wasn't just a small thing between them, it wasn't like the usual vampire relationships she'd seen, it was almost human. She knew she couldn't change anything, even if she'd wanted to, so she best just make nice and 'be supportive' as Willow had told her to be. "So, how's Spike doing, I mean really. I know he'd put up a brave face around the others, but you can tell me, I want to be supportive." She really did want to. Angel gave a slight laugh and looked at Spike, who had joined Willow and Illyria in their 'Smores vs. Beetles' debate. Oddly enough Spike was undecided over which he preferred more, claiming that beetles could be quite nice when done in a chilli sauce or dipped in chocolate. Willow of course much preferred smores, and Illyria favoured the classic treat, the beetle.
"I think he's okay actually; he's been a bit clingier but he did just nearly die." Angel shivered as he thought of it, but the warmth he'd felt when he's managed to get to Spike on time, and the pride in being able to save his childe, it made him grin as he turned back to Buffy. Before he got the chance to speak again the sound of shouting was heard from the mansion.
"No, you can't go out there!" Angel heard Giles shout, before something green and dressed in a bright suit with sequin detail came rushing out in to the garden. Giles appeared a second later to see the green demon hugging a very uncomfortable looking Angel.
"Umm… Lorne, can you let go please." Angel struggled against Lorne's surprisingly strong grip. Lorne let go at turned to look at the group of people sitting around the fire. Spike grinned slightly when he saw the pylean (sp?), and Illyria gave a slight acknowledgement.
"Angel -cakes, there's some bad mojo heading this way. I mean really bad, not quite 'apocalypse' bad, but still bad." Lorne spoke quickly, taking a seat on one of the benches so he could talk better to Angel. "Where do I start?" Lorne asked himself; unaware of the very odd looks he was getting from the three people of whom he was unacquainted. Willow did recognise the green demon but she'd never really been introduced properly. "You know that last job you gave me? Well, I failed." Lorne winced slightly at the look of pure anger in Angel's eyes, he hastened to explain himself. "I've read Lindsay remember, he's not a truly bad person, I just, I couldn't do it. I shot him with some slow release demon tranquilisers, makes him look dead but he isn't and I ran." Lorne felt quite ashamed for failing the final task Angel had given him, but he knew it wasn't what was meant to happen, Lindsay had been right, Lorne wasn't meant to kill him.
"So, Lindsay is out for revenge?" Angel jumped to the conclusion that the Texan was obviously in someway connected, but he'd got the wrong connection.
"No, Lindsay needs your help, it's serious, and hundreds of people could die if you don't help him." Angel shook his head, never again was he ever going to help that excuse for a human. "Angel, sweetie, I'm serious." Lorne put on his serous face to let Angel know he wasn't joking. "I can't tell you exactly, but I can tell you that it's going to happen here, in this town." Angel sighed; it wasn't very shocking was it?
"Look, whatever it is, I'm sure the slayer and her minions can 'andle it." Spike piped in from where he was sitting. Buffy scowled at him, her 'minions' weren't his to command. Lorne looked at Spike then at Buffy, he waved slightly and realised he didn't really know any of the others.
"Um, look, green guy," Buffy started, unsure exactly what she was even going to say, luckily Angel suddenly realised that they hadn't been introduced.
"Oh, right. Lorne, this is Buffy, Willow and Giles. Guys, this is Lorne, he's an empathy demon, and he can read people when they sing karaoke." Oddly enough this didn't seem to faze any of the three. Buffy was still confused about the 'angel-cakes' remark, she was actually starting to think that Angel may have actually been gay for some time, and it wasn't simply an 'only for Spike' thing, which he had told her only the night prior to this moment. "Lorne, what is it that's going to happen?" Angel knew he would only get a bunch of cryptic remarks and 'I'm sorry, I'd really love to tell ya', but he still felt like asking.
"All I can say is that if Lindsay isn't found and protected then people, innocent people, could die. Don't you do the 'help the helpless' gig any more?" Lorne needed Angel's help, he saw what could happen if he didn't help.
"I can't risk it anymore, I may not have a life to risk but I still have someone who needs my protection. I can't leave them alone." Lorne was even more confused now, he'd heard of all three of the people he'd just been introduced to and none of them seemed the type to need the protection of Angel, but then he saw it. Angel's eyes flicked quickly past Lorne to look at the Blond who was watching them both intently, slightly pissed off at the comment about needing Angel's protection, but he didn't much want Angel going off and risking his life either. Lorne glanced behind him quickly and felt a chill as his red eyes met the piercing gaze of the vampire. "Oh." There was a slight pause, almost awkward but then Lorne smiled, "Well finally! God with all the master and servant vibes you two were sending off some of us at the office had a pool going." Then there was an awkward silence, "If we were still there Fred would have won, she and I were the only ones who actually thought it possible though, every one else was just joking around." Lorne smiled, trying to bi-pass the conversation about Fred, Gunn and Wes, who he had noted weren't there.
"Lorne, I'd really love to help, but I don't think I should, we're both still recovering. Could Buffy help or is it one of those 'it has to be you' situations?" Lorne looked at Buffy, who was constantly glancing over at the conversation, still curious about the mention of her name she opted to just eavesdrop. Lorne nodded then looked at Buffy who was looking at him until he looked at her, she then ever so quickly, glance away. "Buffy, could you help us out?" Angel asked, his voice pleading almost as much as his eyes. She sighed; it had actually been a nice demon free couple of weeks, the only trouble being Spike and Angel. She nodded, not entirely sure what she'd just agreed to help with, but she knew that both vampires were preoccupied with each other, then getting better, then finding out who had poisoned Spike. The old man who'd helped them save the blond had said that it was happening more and more often, no real connection between the victims, chances are it was just some one trying to get red of the vampires, ignoring the possibility that a human who idolised and wanted to be a vampire would drink the blood.
0-o-0-o-0-o
Later that night after the scoobies had gone back to their places of rest and Lorne had returned to his hotel and Illyria had retreated to one of the dark and dusty rooms which she seemed to love, Angel and Spike were sitting alone in the newly furnished 'Spike's room' which was conveniently located directly across from Angel's room. They were talking, about nothing much, but they were content with the company and the banter. It was Spike who smiled, stopped talking and then leaned in to kiss Angel, quickly the kiss was deepened. Pushing his sire backwards on to the bed Spike leaned over him and grinned at the slightly shocked look on Angel's face. It wasn't the first time they'd been in a similar situation, but it was the first time Angel could remember Spike being the one to do something like that, for all his sarcasm and attitude Spike was normally very quiet and almost submissive in these situations. Angel's mind trailed back to that one time, the only truly intimate time, but they'd fooled around a couple of times. Smiling back Angel pushed himself up on his elbows and kissed Spike, clutching to the blonds shirt and pulling him in to him. Spike's hands began to roam across the fabric of Angel's black shirt, reaching the bottom he started to fiddle with the buttons, pushing the shirt back to reveal Angel's bare chest. Angel pushed himself up again to remove his shirt fully. Laying back down he reached up and stroked the side of Spike's pale face. The blond closed his eyes and leaned in to Angel's hand. Suddenly he started to shake and a choked sob escaped him as he let him self fall down to lie next to Angel. His sire wrapped his arms protectively around Spike and pulled him close, his childe's head rested on his chest as they both just lay their, Spike quietly crying and Angel not sure what he could do other then let Spike know he was their with him.
End of chapter 11
Well… I've never written anything quite like that final little bit before, sorry I know it's not very good but I guess I can only get better anyways, the story has a clear direction now, and this chapter does have some relevance… you'll just have to wait and see I guess!