SERIES: Nobility

AUTHOR: Tisienne Blue

E-MAIL: tisatko@msn.com

DISCLAIMER: Joss owns everyone except Gabriella, and various N.O. people who own themselves. I have no rights to any of the places that actually exist in the crescent city, and am using them without the permission of the owners. (Fortunately, I know most of them so I don't think they'll mind.)

RATING: probably R-ish for now, but future parts will eventually make the foray into NC-17 material.

PAIRINGS: Dawn/Spike; W/A; Anya/Ben;... oh, just a bunch of them.

DISTRIBUTION: If you are Di or Nat, or if I told you yes before, then have at it. Otherwise, just ask me, okay???

FEEDBACK: might make me write faster; you never know...

DEDICATIONS: The usual suspects, for the usual reasons (Di, Nat, Mystra-- for making me think about this pairing in the first place; Myst, etc. for helping with the title... and listening to me babble about it all...); Also: Mystie (again), Jerri, Vampyrgrl, Angel S, Caroline, Whitewolf Alpha, Ali, and Kim-- for the feedback, I thank you all!!!

NOTES: Future-fic, about 6 yrs from now. The hellmouth has been closed for a while, and pretty much everyone's left Sunnyhell. * *= emphasis.

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He watched, amazed, as the girl he'd thought of as a child for so long proved him to be completely wrong. When she'd first taken off the long black coat she'd been wearing, he'd been shocked by the outfit she wore underneath, and he supposed that he still was, in a way. Although, he had to admit that she looked good... *damned* good, to tell the truth! It was just that... he remembered her at fourteen and fifteen, and while she'd been an attractive enough chit even then, he hadn't expected her to turn out to be a downright *stunner*. But that's what she was, he admitted to himself as he watched her playing pool with one of her 'friends'. He almost growled out loud at the looks the unappealing lad was giving her, but he didn't want to embarrass her in front of the people she cared about. It was bad enough that he'd snarled at that cab-driver friend of hers, so... he stared fixedly at the boy, baring his teeth threateningly when he finally caught the git's eye.

Dawn crowed in delight when she made a particularly difficult bank-shot, and glanced across the table at Tom, thinking that he'd be equally excited for her, but... Her brow furrowed for a moment. He hadn't looked sick when they'd started the game, but he sure did *now*! "Tom? You okay?" she asked, leaning her cue against the table and walking around towards him. Her frown became a touch more pronounced when he backed away from her.

"Uhh... no," the young man said, seeing Dawn's friend standing behind her smiling dangerously at him, "I, uhh... must've had some bad oysters or something... Bye, Dawn!" He turned and ran out of Molly's, vowing that he'd never even *think* about Dawn Summers in 'that way' again if he could help it... not as long as her 'friend' was in town, anyway.

Dawn turned back to the table, still confused by Tom's hasty departure, and she sighed sadly. For once, it had looked like she was actually going to *beat* him in a game, and of course that just *had* to be the night when he suddenly 'got sick'. It just wasn't *fair*! She walked back to her pool cue, and picked it up, planning on putting it back in the rack.

"Here, pet," Spike said quickly, trying to hide his satisfaction at the boy's running away, "What are you doing?"

The blonde sighed again, glancing up into his dark blue eyes. "Tom left," she explained slowly, as though to a rather dim-witted child, "So the game's over."

The vampire chuckled, deep in his chest, and plucked a cue from the rack on the wall. "Not necessarily, Dawny," he almost purred, "You can still play with *me*... I'm considered to be quite good, you know..." He coughed slightly at the suddenly amused look in her eye before continuing. "At *pool*, pet..." he clarified, closing his eyes for a moment against the images his brain was creating... not that he minded them, but... Dawn was the last person on earth he should be having those kinds of thoughts about, and... if she knew that he *was*...? Well, she'd kick his sorry ass out of her house, and her life, before he even knew what had happened... he was *sure* of it!

Dawn could barely contain her own giggles. She'd wondered if that sort of a look would work on him, and... it *had*! But she could see that it had made him somewhat uncomfortable, so... "Well, of *course* pool, Spikey! Geez, what *else* would I mean?" She turned back to the table, appraising the positions of the balls for a moment. "So, new game, or finish the old one?"

"I don't know, Dawn," he finally said, watching her closely, "How 'bout a bit of both?" He smirked slightly when she turned around, "Finish the old game, then start a new one maybe..." He looked past her at the table then, eyeing the layout. "Yeah..." he said softly, "I can work with this. I've got stripes, right?"

The girl rolled her eyes at the tone of his voice. She had a feeling that she was being set up, but... "Yes, Spike, you're stripes, I'm spots, and it's *my* turn." She turned back to the table and lined herself up, choosing her shot. "Six ball-- cross corner," she announced, bending over the table. She could feel him watching her, and she smiled slightly. She was going to make this shot; she could just *tell*.

He watched, amazed, as she sank each of the remaining three spotted balls in exactly the manner she announced, and sighed in relief when she missed on the eight. "Oh, so you're actually going to give me a *chance* here, are you, pet?" he said lightly as he stepped up to the table. He had four balls-- plus the eight-- to sink if he wanted to win, but... he thought he could do it. "I don't know why you weren't shooting like that against you little *friend*, though... twelve ball, side pocket..." He grinned as the striped ball sank into the pocket with a crack. "He'd never have known what hit him... fifteen in the corner..." He frowned slightly as that ball went in, as well. "Or is it that you like the bloody pillock?" he asked, not sure of just why that thought would anger him, "Nine ball, cross side... I mean, he's hardly the right sort for you, Dawny; I could tell *that* before he even racked the balls... eleven, right where it lays." he finished, referring to the ball perched on the lip of the far corner pocket. He tapped the cue ball lightly, smirking in satisfaction when it barely grazed the eleven, tapping it in. Unfortunately, he realized, as he glanced from the new position of the cue ball, to the eight ball and back again, he'd sort of...

"Screwed yourself, didn't you, Spikey?" Dawn said, amused, "But I guess you'll have to *try*, anyway... and no, by the way, I *don't* like Tom... or not in the way you mean. I'm not planning to *sleep* with him, anyway." She laughed as his attempted shot went wild, and stroked her pool cue through her fingers a few times before finally deciding on her own attempt. "Eight ball... double-bank, in the far corner," she said optimistically, not seeing any other choice. She bent over the table, and lined herself up, closing her eyes when she actually hit the cue ball. She kept them closed as she listened for Spike's laughter, and opened them when he gasped softly. She was just in time to see the eight ball sink cleanly into the pocket she'd called. Her amazed eyes flew to his equally shocked ones, and she smiled shakily. "You see, Spike? Sometimes you just have to take a chance... even when it seems unlikely, you just never..." Her voice faded away, stopped by the look of puzzled realization in his eyes.

"You... you just never... know..." he finished for her, seeing her then as though for the very first time. He could feel his mind trying to take him down a path he wasn't sure would be appropriate, what with his history with the Summers women, and he shook off the thought. "So, pet," he said softly, not even noticing that he was leaning towards her, "New game?"

She almost shivered when he moved closer. She wasn't sure of exactly what was happening, and... she wasn't sure that she *liked* it. Finally, she stepped back from him and leaned her cue against the wall. "Not right now," she finally said slowly, turning away from his piercing gaze, "Later, I think, though..." She started towards the bar, only to be stopped by his cool hand on her shoulder.

"Dawn..." he almost whispered into her ear, "What's happening here? Why do I feel so..." He shook his head, not knowing quite how to explain it.

"I don't *know*, Spike," she replied equally softly, leaning back against him for a moment. "I don't know what it is, but... it can't be good, can it." She forced herself to pull away from him, and turned towards him, avoiding his eyes. "Whatever it is, it's too... *sudden* to be a *good* thing, right? Maybe... maybe it's just the night, and New Orleans..."

He thought about it for a moment before finally nodding. "Yeah. They say this city has a magic all its own, you know..." He forced himself to release his grip on her smooth shoulder, and sighed softly, stepping back from her. "You're my best friend, Dawny," he said quietly, his hand on her chin forcing her to meet his eyes, "And I refuse to lose that, no matter *what*!" His lips twitched up into a sly grin, and he almost laughed when a matching expression crossed her face as well. "I won't let this... *town* of yours change things between us!"

"I won't either," Dawn agreed, meeting his eyes happily now, "Not unless that's what we decide *we* want, and... right now? We *don't*! It just wouldn't be... *right*." She ignored the little voice in the back of her head that was violently disagreeing with her last statement, and ignored the slight indication in his eyes that his own little voice was telling him the exact same thing. "Now, come on, *William*," she said quickly, "It's midnight; the Dungeon just opened." She turned away, getting her coat from the bartender, and left Molly's knowing that he was right behind her.

He followed her out of the bar, his eyes widening when she turned down a corridor in the wall that was barely wide enough for his shoulders to fit. "Uh... pet..." he managed to say before the slight curve of the passageway revealed a small courtyard, and he grinned as the man guarding the thick wooden door greeted his Dawn by name. Maybe she *hadn't* been delusional when she'd told him that New Orleans was *her* town.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The entire group of them stood on the rather small front porch, waiting impatiently for someone to actually answer Angel's rather loud knocking. Finally, though, Gunn had had enough. "He knew we were coming, right?" he finally asked, trying the doorknob once again.

The dark-haired vampire exchanged worried glances with his Mate. It wasn't like Giles to run off when he was expecting visitors. "Yes, Gunn," Angel finally said, trying to keep the concern from his voice, "He *knew*, but...."

"Maybe something's happened," the redhead said softly, her fingers gripping her Angel's tightly, "Maybe he's... I don't know, *hurt*, or *sick* or something..." She gazed up into her Mate's dark eyes. "Should we..." she nodded at the door.

The tall vampire sighed before nodding emphatically. "Yes, my love, we *should*."

Willow nodded, herself, and placed one finger lightly on the lock, murmuring a few words before pulling away, shaking her hand wildly. "It... it *bit* me!" she said, shocked.

"Well, *duh*." Anya stared back at her friends when they looked at her in surprise. "What did you expect?" she demanded, "Gabriella's a voodoo *Priestess*, after all; of *course* she's got her house warded! No, if we're gonna get in, we'll have to do it the old-fashioned way." She stepped slowly off of the porch, staring up at the house intently, until she saw the slightly opened window on the second floor. "There," she said, pointing. "If one of us can just climb up *there*, they can get in and open the door for the rest of us."

Gunn rolled his eyes as the rest of the group began discussing which of them was going to do the climbing, and quickly made his way around the house, smiling when he found the back door unlocked. He stalked quickly through the house and opened the front door, grinning in amusement as he silently watched then trying to hoist Wesley on to the roof. "Hey!" he finally said, when it looked like the man might end up getting hurt, "You guys want to come in, or would you rather play around some more?" He smirked when they looked at him in surprise. "Back door," was all he said as they filed past him, and into the small entry way.

Angel grinned slightly. He should have known that Gunn would find a way in. "All right," he finally said, meeting each of his companions eyes for a moment, "Spread out. Find Giles." He waited a moment while they just stared at him. "Well?" he demanded, "Go!" He smiled down into his Willow's lovely green eyes, still wondering what he'd ever done to deserve having her in his life. "And I suppose *we'd* better look, too, my heart..."

Willow grinned up at him, her arm slipping comfortably around his waist. "Yeah," she drawled, "I guess we should..." She leaned her head against him as they walked to the stairs and started climbing. She had a fair idea of where they'd find the former watcher, mostly because Dawn had told her all about his little 'office', so she wasn't terribly surprised when she recognized the door, with it's hand-drawn verves of protection. What she wasn't prepared for, however, was the sight that greeted her when she opened the door. "Giles!" she cried, suddenly afraid.

Angel could feel his Mate's fear, and seeing the body slumped bonelessly over the desk, he shared a good portion of it, but... standing and staring wasn't getting it done. He stepped away from his redhead, a slight hand gesture telling her to stay where she was as he stepped into the room and slowly approached the man who had been more of a father to his beloved than her own had even considered being. He stopped beside the desk, sighing in relief when he heard the man's slow but steady heartbeat. That was when he noticed the smell, and he almost laughed as he turned and met his Mate's frightened eyes. "He's *drunk*, Will," he said quietly, trying to hide his amusement. It was a losing battle though, and he laughed out loud when her relieved chuckles filled the air.

She'd been so worried, scared even, when she'd seen him just... sitting there collapsed over his desk like that, and when her love told her what was actually wrong with him... She'd felt like dancing. But that would have been silly, and so she'd laughed instead. She darted quickly into the room, her arms wrapping around her Mate's waist in a fierce, but brief, hug. "Well," she finally said, her eyes much happier than they'd been before, "Let's put him to bed, then..." She followed her vampire as he carried Giles down the hallway, and sighed when they finally found his bedroom. "I wonder where Gabriella is," she said softly, as Angel lay the former watcher down. "Is it one of her holidays?"

Angel shrugged. "I don't really know too much about her religion, Will... maybe it is, though." He smiled slightly as he joined her in the doorway. "C'mon, love... let's find the others. Giles will be fine..." He took her hand and they headed back downstairs, grinning as they encountered each of their group and shared the news. "One of us is going to have to stay with him," Angel said when they were finally assembled in the kitchen. "Something has obviously happened, because I've only known Giles to get passed-out-drunk twice, and..." He shook his head slowly. "So, I guess we draw straws?"

Gunn rolled his eyes. Trust Angel to make things as difficult as possible. "I'll stay," he announced firmly. "What?" he said, in response to the surprise they were showing, "You've all got your... partners with you, so go! I mean, *my* wife's still in LA, so what do I care about a hotel room?" He grinned and wandered into the living room, sitting down on the couch. "This'll do," he said, satisfied, "After all, I've slept in worse places..."

Angel hung back as the rest filed out of the house and headed to the rental cars they had parked outside. "Thanks, Gunn," he said quietly, his eyes sincere, "I appreciate it."

Gunn rolled his eyes again and pulled the hooded sweatshirt over his head. "Yeah, whatever, man... See you tomorrow." He lay down on the couch and turned onto his side, ignoring the amusement of his vampire boss.

Angel grinned in the darkness and turned away. Gunn always tried to act so unmoved, but... *he* knew the truth. Deep down inside, the handsome black man was just a big old softie. He was still grinning when he joined his Mate in their car, and headed towards their hotel. He hadn't known-- until they'd arrived in New Orleans-- that David owned a hotel there, but it was a good thing he *did*. They'd have had a hell of a time finding rooms at this time of night otherwise.

End-- pt 6

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