Part 5
"Spike, what are you doing here," Angel growled at the blonde vampire. Willow and Cordelia moved to stand behind Angel.
"What no welcome home party for me," Spike asked feigning hurt. "I’m hurt, Peaches, I truly am."
"Spike, I am not really in the mood to deal with you right now, so why don’t you just tell me what you want and, maybe, I’ll consider not killing you," Angel said, stepping closer to his childe and making sure that he was between the other vampire and the girls. Spike could see the murderous gleam in his sire’s eyes and realized that Angelus was very close to coming out. (Damn, he’s more affected by the slayer’s betrayal than I though. Maybe I shouldn’t goad him quite so much.)
"I’m actually her because of Red," Spike replied, pointing in Willow’s direction. Her eyes grew wide at his words. Angel grabbed Spike and wrapped his hands around the younger man’s throat.
"You will not touch Willow," Angel threatened. "Do you understand me?" Spike pulled the Angel’s hands away from his throat and massaged the sore area.
"Relax, Peaches, I don’t want to hurt the girl," Spike explained, "I want to help her, and I guess, in a way, you." Angel looked at his childe skeptically. Spike ignored him and made his way over to the couch, laughing as the two girls moved away from him.
"Look, I said I won’t hurt you and I won’t," Spike said exasperated. "I saw the two of you in the park last night and I figure you’ve already been hurt enough." Willow and Angel look at each other, realizing that Spike knew about Buffy and Oz. Willow slowly made her way over to Spike, much to Angel’s chagrin.
"Why do you care about what happened?" she asked, realizing that her hurt over Buffy and Oz was outweighing her fear of Spike. "I mean, you usually take pleasure in other people’s pain."
"Yeah, well, that’s true, but let’s just say that I have been where you are right now and it wasn’t pleasant," Spike replied, glaring at a guilty looking Angel. (He’s talking about what I did with Drusilla.) "Besides, you reminded me a bit of Dru, pet. I mean, you were all frail one minute and then a little spitfire the next." Willow looked at Spike for a long moment, trying to see if he was deceiving them. She was surprised when she saw the sincerity in his eyes. But she had to know something.
"Okay, say I believe you. Is that the only reason you want to help us?"
"You, pet. I want to help you," Spike corrected Willow. Willow glared at Spike, who couldn’t help himself. "Okay, so I wouldn’t mind playing games with the slayer. Hey a guy’s gotta have some fun."
Willow couldn’t help herself, the events finally having become too much for her. She laughed. She laughed so hard that she was doubled over at the absurdity of everything that was going on around her. (Buffy and Oz screwing. Angel’s soul being permanent. Spike offering to help us. Oh man, can this just get a little weirder.) Angel, Spike and Cordelia looked on with concern at the young girl who appeared to be losing her sanity. Angel went over and knelt in front of Willow as Cordelia sat next to her.
Angel grabbed her hands in his, "Willow?" he spoke quietly. "Willow, honey, are you okay?" When Willow didn’t answer, Angel looked over at Cordelia and Spike, concern etched on his face. He had seen this before, when Angelus was torturing Drusilla, and he was afraid that Willow was going mad.
That’s when he heard it. At first, he thought it was just his imagination, but it started to get louder. Willow was crying. Not just crying, but bawling. Angel enveloped Willow in his arms, pulling her tightly against him. Both Spike and Cordelia started rubbing her back, trying to soothe the stricken girl. They weren’t sure what was going on in Willow’s mind and they were scared for her, knowing how vulnerable she was feeling. Finally, Angel lifted Willow in his arms and started carrying her into the room they had shared the night before.
"Cordelia, can you grab her suitcase and bring it back to the room?" Cordelia went over to the door and grabbed the other girl’s case. She and Spike followed Angel to a large bedroom and watched as he gently set the still crying girl in the bed. He watched as she seemed to curl up into herself and he felt his heart tearing in two to see what the betrayal of her best friend and boyfriend had done to her. Cordelia walked over and rested her hand on Angel’s arm.
"I’ll look after her Angel," Cordelia told the concerned vampire. "Sometimes a girl needs another girl to help her get through things." Angel looked at Cordelia gratefully. He wasn’t sure how to handle Willow and was glad the Cordelia was willing to help.
Angel backed away from the bed, giving Cordelia room to sit on the bed. He walked over to Spike and forced the other man into the living room, giving the two girls privacy. Angel wasn’t sure whether to believe his childe and he wanted to make sure that Spike would not harm Willow. Angel walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bag of blood and put it in the microwave to heat up. Spike just stood at the doorway and watched him. When the microwave went off, Angel removed the bag and poured the contents into a mug. He leaned non-chalantly against the counter and looked over at the blonde.
"Okay, Spike, how about telling me the real reason that you’re here."
"I told you, mate. I’m here to help Red get back at the slayer," Spike explained again. He took an unneeded breath before proceeding. "Look, I know you don’t trust me, hell why should you. I don’t like you and you don’t like me. But what’s important is the slip of a girl who is currently trying to hold on desperately to something to believe in." Angel nodded his head. There was something in Spike’s voice that told Angel that he was telling the truth. Spike wasn’t going to hurt Willow.
"Okay, Spike, say I believe you," Angel said, reluctantly. "What exactly did you have in mind?"
Spike shrugged, "I don’t know yet, mate. I didn’t get that far in my planning since I wasn’t sure if you would stake me on sight." Before Spike or Angel could say anything else, they were interrupted when Cordelia came into the room. Angel immediately went over to her.
"How is she," he asked, concerned.
"She’s sleeping for now, although I don’t know how long it will last," Cordelia replied wearily. "This whole thing has taken a lot out of her. "
"Thanks Cordelia for helping her. I know you must have had something better to do tonight." Cordelia shook her head.
"Not really," Cordelia sighed. "Folks are out of town and I’m not exactly on the best terms with the others, so it was just going to be me." As soon as Angel heard that, he thought of something.
"Cordelia, why don’t you stay here while your parents are gone. I mean, Willow’s going to be here and I think she would like it if you were around too." Cordelia looked at Angel with surprise in her eyes. She seemed to think about the offer for a moment and Angel could tell the moment she had come to a decision.
"I’d like that Angel," she smiled for the first time since she showed up in the house. "I’d like that a lot." Angel returned Cordelia’s smile and then turned to face Spike.
"I guess you need a place to stay too, right?"
Spike at least had the decency to shrug, "You could say that."
"You’re lucky I’m feeling generous tonight. You can stay here too. That way I can keep an eye on you," Angel said to Spike. Spike grinned like the cat that had eaten the canary, which made Angel instantly regret offering the invitation. "But you better behave or else I’ll stake you myself."
"Oh man, this is definitely got to be of the weird," Cordelia stated. "I’m going to be living with two vamps and a witch. Not exactly how I planned on spending winter break."
"Cordelia, I don’t think any of us are spending winter break the way we thought we would," Angel replied. Angel then remembered his original plans with Willow for the evening.
"Umm, Cordelia, there is kind of one problem." Cordelia looked at Angel concerned. He looked over at her sheepishly, "Willow and I were going to go food shopping tonight, since I don’t exactly have any food here that you might actually like." Cordelia nodded her head in agreement with Angel.
"Yeah, I already had my quotient of pig’s blood for the week." Spike couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his lips. "That’s okay. I have to go home and get some things. I can stop at the store and pick up some food. I have an idea of what Willow will be wanting when she wakes up." Cordelia looked over at Spike, who couldn’t help the smile that was on his face thinking of the coming weeks. She smiled sweetly at him, making him suddenly squirm. "I’m sure Spike won’t mind keeping me company."
This time it was Angel’s turn to laugh as Spike visibly paled at Cordelia’s words. Angel reached into his pocket and took out some money, handing it to Cordelia. She checked to make sure it would be enough before grabbing Spike’s hand and dragging him to the front door. He tried to resist but he was no match for the determined brunette. (Bloody hell, how did I get myself involved with this chit?)
"Come on blondie. You can keep me safe from all the big bad nasties that are out there in the dark," she smirked at the vampire.
"Pet, I am one of those big, bad nasties that are out in the dark." Cordelia just rolled her eyes, finding herself unafraid of the vampire.
"Whatever," Cordelia looked back at Angel. "When we get back, we’ll discuss what happens next, ‘kay?" Angel nodded and watched the two leave. He shook his head at the events that had just taken place. (I think Spike might have just met his match. Wonder if he realizes what he has just gotten into.) Angel couldn’t help but smile at the thought of his favorite childe and Cordelia in a grocery store. (Oh, just to see his face. Gonna be priceless.)
Angel’s thoughts then turned to the red-head that had just lost control of all her emotions. He didn’t know if she would be able to get through everything that has happened. He did know that he would do anything he could to make her happy again, and that he know had two partners to help him succeed in his mission. (We’ll get through this Willow. We will.)