Written by: Murray DeLee
Angel came storming downstairs followed by an amused Cordelia, she shook her head as she followed him down into the lobby. “Angel, why are you so mad?”
With his back to her he answered each word coming out of his mouth measured, “Cordy, she is with Spike.” He turned to face her, “Do you really know what that means?”
“Gee, I don’t know. Could it possibly be that he loves her?
“He doesn’t have a soul, you know that, in all probability it means he is planning on killing her.” His voice sounded tired he was so tired of this argument with her and the rest to the LA crew. He just couldn’t understand that they always looked for the good in his wayward childe.
Her voice sounded hurt as she shot back, “He loves her Angel. He would never hurt her. I am beginning to think the real reason you’re so pissed off at this is because you still want her.” She moved closer to him as she spoke what was really on her mind. “You still love her don’t you? That’s the real reason you’re pissed. You just won’t except that she has found someone that actually makes her happy.”
“Cordy, I love you. You know that. I just don’t want to see her hurt.”
Her face and eyes softened as she moved into the brooding vampires arms and buried her face in his chest saying softly, “He won’t hurt her.”
“How can you be so sure, Cord?” He asked his hand stroking her short hair as he kissed the top of her head.
“My vision, showed them together Angel, he was saving her life and she called him baby.”
He stuttered out, “But…but…”
Before he could find the words she struck him hard in the chest, tears running down her face. “I can’t do this with you any more Angel. I can’t have you ripping out my heart every time you think she’s in danger and you need to go to her. You tell me you love me and yet a part of you loves her more. I can feel it. I just…” Her sobs came out in between huge gulps of air as she fought for control. It was tearing her apart. She loved him so much and the big jerk was throwing away the best thing that ever happened to either of them over someone he could never be with.
He held her tighter and rained kisses down her face. Reaching for her lips he crushed his own to them and licked at her lower lip, she opened her mouth as her tongue sought out his. Tasting him. Her hands stroked his hair as she pressed her body closer to his, then she remembered he had hurt her and she pushed back against his chest as her resolve kicked in.
He was momentarily stunned at her actions but on a level he knew why she did it and he felt guilty as hell over it. He had to show her, tell her, she was his life now. He just couldn’t help his reaction over his first true love.
“Cord, I’m sorry.” His right hand gripped her gently under her chin as he lifted her face to him. “I love you, you are everything I have ever and will ever want. It’s just that she was my first and I can’t let her be hurt, not by him.”
She bit her lower lip as she saw the truth in his eyes and said in a trembling voice, “He won’t hurt her Angel. He loves her and I know this is hard for you to understand, but in my vision I saw how much she loves and needs him.”
“You have to accept that she has moved on and finally found someone whom she can love as much as they love her. You always said you wanted her happy. Please, my love, let her be happy,” as her lips sought out his for a gentle kiss she said softly, “Let us be happy!”
He considered her words and then smiling at her nodding once, confirming he was finally getting it. Then something else she said sank in and his eyes widened. “She loves him? Since when?”
She laughed at his confusion and replied, “Ask your ex when you see her?” Having said all she was going to say on the matter, she pulled his head to her own and kissed him with all the love and passion she felt for him, her body trying desperately to mold itself to his.
At that same moment Lorne cleared his throat as he stood with Wesley the ex-watcher and Faith the rogue slayer. “If we are going kids, then we need to get going. The clock is ticking.”
The two lovers slowly came up for air and whimpered slightly at the loss of contact. As one they turned and walked with their bags towards the exit of the hotel, as Cordy passed Lorne she growled out, “I owe you for that.”
He chuckled and followed them out.
Two Hours Later The Summer’s House:
“Oh Spike, do stop pacing around and no smoking in the house.”
“Listen watcher it’s not your bleedin’ sire coming to help save the day is it? I mean I can’t even stand the bloody poof and your telling us he is going to help us save the world.” Disgustedly he put out his cigarette in the ashtray sitting on the coffee table.
Giles took off his glasses as he starting cleaning them with a handkerchief that seemed to materialize in his hand almost by magic. “Yes, that is what the prophecy stated.”
“Did it also state the fact that he is going to try and stake me the first chance he gets?”
“Baby, if anyone is going to stake you it’s going to be me.” His lover told him, a playful smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
“Oh sing me another one, pet that one is getting just so old.” His voice matched her own playful one as he moved and took her into his arms and slowly his lips sought out her own. She moaned at the contact.
“Oh for the love of god,” said Dawn, “Will you two stop it already.”
They both mock growled at her and then kissed anyways. A loud knock on the door brought the small group back to reality as the two jumped away from each other.
“Oh bloody hell,” muttered the newly souled Day Walker as he strode over to the door his hand in Buffy’s, dragging her with him. “Show time love.”
She squeezed his hand to reassure him that she was here by his side and would remain there till time itself came to a grinding halt.
He opened the door and saw a brooding vampire, a green demon with horns, a somewhat smiling ex-cheerleader, a once Watcher and a rogue Slayer.
The others walked past the two blondes as Spike stared hard at Angel. “So peaches what brings you to our humble abode.”
He returned the stare and stood just outside the door wondering if he was still invited or if one of the witches had done an uninvited spell, testing the invisible non-existent barrier. His right fist shot out and caught his childe in the chin sending him crashing back into the coffee table in the living room. The wood splintered beneath him as he landed hard on top of it. Getting up he moved quickly towards his sire, as they met half way they gripped each other by the lapels of their shirts. “If you so much as hurt her I am going to stake you.”
A spin kick caught Angel in the right side and two ribs cracked as he went down. A very pissed off blonde slayer stood over the fallen dark haired vampire. No one else moved as they watched, knowing this had to be gotten out of the way before the reason for the visit could be started.
The little blonde slayer reached down and jerked the vampire to his feet. “Three things Angel, this is my house, you are here as a guest and Spike is my mate. Touch him again and I will stake you.” Her eyes glared as she looked into his. For just an instant they flashed an angry yellow. It had happened so quickly that Angel wasn’t sure what he had just seen.
For his part he kept his mouth closed and simply nodded. Trying desperately to digest what she had just said about Spike being her mate and failing miserably. His eyes trailed down from her own to her smooth neck now devoid of all scars save the claiming bite marking the left side of her neck.
Satisfied she smirked at him and helped him to his feet. The others still in shock looked on, except for Spike who moved smoothly and put his right arm around her waist in a protective gesture that said in no unspoken terms she was his.
Buffy looked at Cordelia and said in a pleasant voice, “How are you Cord? I see you brought psycho slayer with you.”
Not deeming it worthy of an answer she went over to Angel and laid her head against his shoulder as her own arm went around his waist.
Spike looked at the group curiously and then to the ex-cheerleader a smile broke out on his face as his eyes settled on her neck.
Her eyes widened as she realized what it was he was looking at and her hand flew up to cover the mark on her own neck.
The bleached blonde vampire laughed as he tightened his hold on his mate, “So peaches claim anyone lately?”
He growled once in response, as he tightened his own hold on his lover.
Faith turned to Wesley and asked, “So tell me again why we came here?”
“Something about a prophecy involving a slayer and a souled vampire. Uniting together to realign the forces of light and dark.”
Spikes burst out laughing as he heard the Ex-Watcher talking to the Rogue Slayer. Buffy shot him a look, rolling her eyes and all he could do was laugh harder.
Lorne looked curiously at the bleached blonde vampire feeling something was off but couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
The small blonde Slayer could contain herself no longer as she said, “And what makes you think, Angel is the souled vampire of the prophecy, Wesley?”
The LA Crew looked at her as if she had just grown a second head. Angel broke the silence, “To my knowledge I am the only souled vampire around.”
Spike for his part started singing, “Please allow me to introduce myself, I’m a man of wealth and fame…” his voice trailed off as Lorne’s surprised look took on a smile and he said, “My god, the prophecy isn’t about Angel, it’s about him.”
Before anyone could protest Giles spoke up, “And so it shall come to pass the light will merge with the dark to beat back the forces of darkness. The best of both shall join together and out of this joining the birth of the Day Walker will come about. He will have help to guide him along the way, a blonde Slayer once his enemy will join her love with his and that love will give him the strength to do what is right. Another souled vampire will join The Day Walker, with help of his own true love to lend strength to the bond. A Slayer once turned from the path of right shall walk with one who once watched to help turn the tide back towards the light. One who is a father and not a father shall join with the sister who is not a sister, a witch and a builder to fight on the side of right.”
He paused to take a breath as Dawn moved towards him to take her hand in his, the whelp and the witch also came forward to lend support.
The dark haired brooding vampire looked at those gathered around the blond slayer and his childe. His head tilted slightly to the left he absorbed the words spoken by Giles and the evidence of his own eyes as he saw the look that passed between the slayer and her vampire, “He really loves her doesn’t he?”
Cordelia, who had no real love for Buffy spoke softly, “Yes, you big dork and it appears she loves him as well.”
“But he can’t love her, he has no soul!”
Lorne came forward and spoke softly, “Actually sweet cheeks he does. I read it as he sang.”
“What next?” asked Angel incredulously? “Does he get to walk in the light of day as well?”
“Actually peaches it’s funny that you should ask that question.” Smirked Spike.
Buffy not able to contain herself any longer buried her face in his chest.
Chapter 10 -The Summer’s Home One Hour To Sunrise:
Xander and Willow had already gone home for the night; Dawn sat in a chair forcing her eyes to stay open afraid if she closed them she would miss something. Wesley and Faith had gone out on patrol 3 hours ago, she needed to kill something. Wesley much to his credit was not going to let her go off on her own. Giles had stayed to make sure that the remaining four did not end up killing each other. It was no secret that Spike despised his Sire. From Angel’s point of view he didn’t have much love for his childe either.
Surprisingly enough it was the blonde slayer and the ex-cheerleader that where getting along. Who would have thought way back in their senior year at Sunnydale High these two, Cordelia Chase, or Queen C, as she was not so affectionately known to her peers and the over opinionated Buffy Summers, who once tolerated each other barely would find a common ground. They were both hopelessly in love with two souled vampires. Buffy found that she actually liked who Cordy had turned into and for her part, Cordelia could not help but like the woman, the petite blonde slayer had turned into.
As the two talked quietly together their mates as it were, were anything but quiet.
“What really has your knickers in a twist, peaches? The fact that I proved you wrong all those many years ago and changed.” Smirking he continued, “Turned your little world upside down did it? Or is it that after you’re noble and might I add, hasty departure from her life, she went and fell in love with me? Out of all the normal gits in this god forsaken Hellmouth. She went and fell in love with a soulless vampire.”
Buffy and Cordelia both stopped talking and listened in on their conversation, not that they could help it. Hell the whole neighborhood could hear those two arguing. Between the two of them they were reinventing the words loud mouth. At the peroxide blonde’s use of the word soulless, Buffy cleared her throat.
He looked at her frowning face and back peddled as fast as he could. “Well, pet, I was soulless when we fell in love, of course now I have a bleedin’ soul. Course unlike Peaches here mine doesn’t go away when I have a happy.”
She could not believe he had said that. Her mouth opened to ball him out when Angel’s right fist came up and struck him in the nose, a crunch was heard as blood splattered outward. His hands coming up to cover his nose as he yelped out in pain.
Giles moved to separate the two, as Cordy and Buffy went to their other half’s. The ex-cheerleader pushed her boyfriend away as hard as she could, unprepared for the shove he ended up on his ass.
“What?” He exclaimed totally shocked that she would do such a thing.
“Do you have to stoop to his level?” She glared at him.
Buffy and Giles looked at Spike’s now broken nose.
“Lean your head back, Spike?” Giles told him trying to be helpful.
“Baby, are you alright?” Buffy asked her voice filled with concern and her body language told him he was in trouble later on.
“Why do they always go for my bleedin’ nose?” He quickly amended, “No pun intended.” Holding his hand to his nose and feeling it gently he continued, “Every single time you people go for the nose.”
He glared at his lover, “Did you teach him that or did he teach you that?”
“Oh, don’t be such a baby, you’ll heal by morning. Besides you had it coming. If he hadn’t hit you I would have.”
He was beside himself as he asked afraid of her answer, “Why? What did I do to deserve the great poofter here striking me?”
“You can be such an ass sometimes, William.” She was furious with him. He was acting like he did before he got his soul and she was not going to let him get away with it.
Angel looked at Cordelia and then they both looked at Giles as he said quietly, “She only calls him William, when she is really angry with him.”
The two shared a look and smiled, then brought their attention back to the two arguing blondes.
He sputtered as he looked at the brassed off Slayer before him, then he realized what he had said, bowing his head he held up his hands in an I surrender motion. Without another thought he moved to his Sire and held out his right hand.
His Sire looked at the hand before him in total surprise, for in the one hundred and twenty years since his childe was turned he never once offered his hand in friendship. His head tilted to the right side as he looked into his childe’s blue eyes after what seemed like an intolerable amount of time to Spike, Angel extended his right hand and took hold of Spike’s in a firm grip and shook it.
“I’m sorry, mate. That was uncalled for.”
“Don’t mention it, William.” Angel said with mischief in his voice. He knew how much his childe hated it when he called him by his given name.
“Your still a poof,” he said, smiling all the earlier hostility gone from his voice and body language.
“And you are still the most disrespectful childe it has ever been my pleasure to sire.” Though the two would never admit it out loud or to themselves they had just made the first steps towards peace between each other.
Giles smiled and walked over to the couch where a sleeping Dawn had missed everything she would have wanted to see. “Dawn,” he said as he shook her.
She looked up at him with tired eyes and muttered, “I don’t want to go to sleep yet. I might miss somethin’.”
He laughed and picked her up. “Say goodnight Dawn, you can play with them tomorrow.”
She grumbled out, “Goodnight Dawn,” as he took her up the stairs to put her in her bed.
“So,” said Spike, “You and the poof are an item now?”
Cordelia ground out between clenched teeth, “Stop calling him a poof.”
Buffy did the only thing she could do and shook her head laughing.
“And you Miss Stake Happy, keep him under control.” She said in a mock angry voice. Turning to Angel she reached up with both hands and pulled his head towards hers and kissed him deeply. Finally the need to breathe overwhelmed her and as the kiss ended she whispered, “I love you, my Angel.”
He smiled at her and stroked her face gently with the back of his left hand as she shivered, “Love you back, my Seer!”
The blonde Slayer took her vampire lover’s hand in hers and tugged him towards the stairs as she said over her shoulder, “Cordy, the extra sheets are in the hall closet, the couch pulls out into a bed.” Not being able to resist she turned and looked at the two a pixyish grin on her face. “Oh, and could you two keep it down with the moaning and groaning, Dawn is a light sleeper.”
Not bothering to wait for a reply she turned away from the two and pulled her lover up the stairs as he said to her in a voice loud enough for the others to hear, “And you call me evil?”
“What’s your point Fang Breath? I learned from you!”
He chuckled and said, “I am so proud!” As the two in the living room watched them ascend the stairs with eyes and mouths wide open. Both speechless.