Wolfram and Hart's New Guest
Chapter 20
By jessebelle
Author's note: I know, the last chapter was short, but I wanted a bit of a moment between Xander and Cordy, and Hermione. Plus, now she knows a bit of the history. And who could resist a joke about the name Buffy? ) Anyway, this one's longer, no worries.
Toodles,
jessebelle
After their visit to the hospital, Xander brought Hermione back to Wolfram and Hart. It was then that Hermione became a bit suspicious of the, supposedly famed law firm. For starters, as soon as they entered the building, the woman at the desk on the first floor made a phone call, watching them the entire time they went to the elevator. Then, when they got to their floor, she saw a couple of employees quickly ducking into random rooms. But the sight of her cousin, taking phone calls is what really made her suspicious.
As soon as Harmony saw them, she made a face. "Harris, you're still here? Hermione." She nodded to her cousin.
Xander nodded. "Yep, living in LA, so, Angel in?"
Harmony nodded "Yes, but he's in an important meeting, hey, you can't go in there!" Harmony got up to stop him, and Hermione watched in shock as Xander just barged into Angel's office.
They heard his amused voice. "So, some important meeting, huh?"
Hermione looked at her cousin, then followed Xander's lead and went into Angel's office. She found, what she assumed was the original gang, gathered in the office and eating lunch. But Spike was nowhere to be seen. Harmony had followed behind her and came into the room, apologizing "I'm sorry boss, I tried to keep him out bu-"
Angel rolled his eyes. "It's fine Harmony."
She nodded. "Good." A beat. "I'll just be getting back to work then."
"You do that." Finally she left.
"So, Harris, you never got around to telling me why you were here."
Xander pushed himself off of his usual perch, leaning on a wall. He got up and walked over to Angel's desk. Then, he stared into Angel's eyes.
Everyone in the room watched intently, and curiously as to what he was doing, Hermione especially.
Angel kept eye contact with Xander, when the carpenter's hand came out of nowhere and smacked him in the head. Instantly the vampire put a hand to his head and glared at Harris. "What the hell was that for?"
Xander just gave a grin. "What does it matter, it's in the past. Always wanted to say that, but no, actually that was a test. See, if you really were evil, like Buffy and Giles said you were, you would have killed me by now, but, proving my point, you're not."
At the mention of Buffy and Giles' name, the original vampire with a soul scowled. "So you hit me to see if I'd kill you are not?"
"Pretty much."
"Harris, you're an idiot."
"Love you too, dead-boy."
Hermione meanwhile had fully entered the room and now sat down on one of the couches, watching the interaction interestingly.
"so, is that it, are you gonna leave now?"
Xander grinned at the head of Wolfram and Hart. Then he took a seat next to Gunn. "Nope, figured I'd stay here for a while. Africa wasn't a lot of fun, got too much dust in my eye socket."
Everyone in the room winced at the visual. "Plus, hey, get to annoy you, what could be better."
"Hey now, that's my job." Spike's voice came from the doorway, he walked in with a box in his hands.
"Spike." Angel shook his head, and then laid it on his desk. Was it possible for vampires to get headaches?
"Aw, keep you're knickers on. While Hermione might have to stay here, I'm still leavin'."
Angel's eyes looked up and the brightest hope in the universe was there. "Really?"
Spike nodded. "'Course. See, got all my junk packed up and everything."
Angel gave him a skeptical look, then got up and walked over to Spike and his box. After a brief struggle, he got it and started to pull stuff out. "A stapler, paper, pens, a mug-Spike, this isn't your stuff, it's stuff from the supply room, My supply room. "
Spike, very seriously, nodded. "You're right. Then he ran over to Angel's desk and started to pull stuff out. "Paper clips, folders, yeah, this'll do."
On the couch Hermione leaned over to Wesley, who was watching in amusement. "Do they always do this?"
The fellow Brit nodded. "Yes, but at least swords aren't involved, no wait, I take that back." And sure enough, Spike had grabbed one of the swords off of Angel's wall.
"Hey, that's from the Ming dynasty. Put that down. Spike!"
The blond vampire, ran over and handed Xander his box. "Help me move in, roomy."
Xander looked up, startled. "What?"
Spike, while running away from Angel, sword in hand, yelled back. "Hey, you have a place, I need somewhere to crash. You offered yesterday."
"That was when Hermione needed to stay."
"Yeah well, I'll tell everyone about that night I stayed in you're basement."
"Spike, you were tied up to a chair."
"So, you say some mighty interesting stuff when you're asleep."
"Spike!" the vampire had just jumped over a couch, Angel in pursuit, in a suit. (he he hee!)
"I lived with you before."
"That's only because you were insane and Buffy wanted me to watch and make sure you weren't killing again, which you were!"
At this Hermione looked up startled, she and Wesley had been having a nice conversation. She looked at Spike in shock. The blond finally stopped and shrugged at her look. "I told you, you had me pegged the first time we met. What can I say, I'm evi-" Angel finally tackled him to the ground and now they were wrestling on the floor.
She looked at Gunn and Wesley with wide eyes. "Spike's a killer!"
Both lawyer and ex-watcher shared a look. "No, uh, he meant hunting. Buffy was an animal activist and hated it when Spike would ah, hunt deer."
"And bears, don't forget bears."
Hermione, really skeptic now, gave them a look. "There are bears and deer in southern California."
The two accomplices shared a look, and then nodded. "Yeah?"
Hermione closed her eyes. "You're a really bad liar Wesley. I know you're hiding something, and I will figure it out. But for now, lets make sure Spike doesn't kill Angel."
"Don't you mean Angel kill Spike?" Gunn asked from her left.
They looked down to the fighting vampires. Spike still had the sword. She looked up. "Nope."