Insomnia tips for the Undead

The Clockwork Vampire Series IV

Author:Spirit

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A heartbeat.

Nothing less than a pulse of life giving rhythm. Something affected by emotional disposition, stopped and started by a clock over which we have no control. It is both the symbol of our life and its absence is literally our death.

Nothing less than a phenomenon.

He can hear it.

He can hear her pulse beat harder and faster as he chases her, groping down an alley in the hope, the vain hope that she will be able to escape the creature which stalks her.

It is vain of course, because he has her now, he knows her every movement.

He can hear it.

Beating with less than a minute left, she moves quicker than she has done in years, seeking something, anything - a solace from the darkness.

But it will not end.

Her only choice now is how quickly she will succumb. She must face the dark, see the succubus and answer the questions of her own mortality. He comes, this unnatural thing to take everything away. Even to take that final belief.

His hand clasps around her throat and she cries out, knowing that the end is so close and still so very frightening. The flash of silver and a cold pain touches her cheek - a lesser fear than that she has yet to face.

For she turns, her body in one brief gasp of shock, and sees him for the first and only time.

As her death comes so completely, ebbing away at this insistent mouth, her last thought passes.

Such things do exist.
 

*
 

'No!'

Cold sweat is an odd thing to see on a dead person, even if the dead person in question is usually mobile. But it poured off Angel, his dreamlike activities driving the scream from his throat. He was not used to being afraid, at least, not afraid of the dark. By nature it was his cloak, something he could hide in and find solace. But that dream, that filthy violation of everything he has struggled to create, has shattered something inside.

It is too familiar.

Angel panted, a habit he was never quite able to discard and looked down at his lover, lying there next to him so still and calm. Spike was usually active - moving around with a sleek grace. But now, he was just lying peacefully in bed next to him, as if he never got up in the middle of the night and put on those Sex Pistols tracks that made Angel's head spin. Angel wanted him to wake up, just so he could reassure himself that madness was still a long track away from where they were.

It was more than just that even - over the past few weeks, when Angel got what Cordelia had affectionately called his woe-is-me head on, Spike had got him out of it. It usually took some insults, some good sex and on one occasion when the English vampire couldn't take Angel's drunken tirade, a gag and some handcuffs. Although that last had been almost worth the former soul spanking.

But now he was just lying there with one arm casually dropped over his eyes and the other resting somewhere in the region of Angel's upper thigh. Totally relaxed. He was pretending patience and Angel not only didn't buy it, but also wanted Spike to get up and argue with him. He'd prefer to make love to the sleek blond, but he'd do anything except rethink that nightmare which hadn't been as scary as it ought. But Spike was just lying there whilst Angel was suffering from his own personalized night terrors and the bastard hadn't even opened his eyes.

It just wasn't on.

'Spike?'

Spike groaned and moved to roll over.

'Bugger off Angel.'

Angel lay one hand on his shoulder and stopped the smaller vampire from turning away from him. Spike growled softly, without too much malice and normally, if Angel had just been after some escape from his sexual needs, he would have left him alone. But the nightmare had been so very real. He saw himself there. He knew what he had done and he had very much enjoyed it. The demon within had been freed and had done exactly what it was made to. It was both as frightening and deadly as anything he had faced before.

Except a sleep deprived Spike.

Spike opened his eyes and looked up at his lover, determined that Soul Boy would pay for disturbing the dream he'd been enjoying. Sex with Angel was good, but even vampires like to take a break and catch some Z's. He cast a harsh glare at the shadowed face, but when he saw that Angel looked really worried he stopped - Angel usually saved his flagellation until the others had shown up.

'What's up?'

Angel shook his head.

'I don't know.'

'Something capable of muffling Cordelia?'

'I don't know.'

Spike snorted.

'Right Love. You want to start this conversation again where you actually tell me what the problem is?'

Angel sighed. He released Spike's shoulder and sat back against the headboard. Spike shifted and sat up, the sheet pooling in his lap and his eyes, usually perceptive and sparkly, looked more dead than Angel had seen in a long while. It was slightly reassuring when Spike stretched out and grabbed his cig packet, leaving one long leg across his own. But that dream.

If he'd been alone, Angel was sure that he would have believed it real, it was that vivid. But Spike, despite his supernaturalness, was uncannily corporal. His sarcasm was as tangible as Cordelia's and Angel needed that - the knowledge that he wasn't losing his mind along with his precious soul. Spike lit the cigarette and leaned back on one arm, watching his lover's face with a careful and unemotional scrutiny. Whatever it was, it had spooked him and that came under 'Things that stop Angel having Sex' - to be dealt with as soon as possible and then forgotten.

'So, come on then Love, what's giving you the doe eyes?'

'I had a dream,' said Angel simply, wishing the next part would be as easy to explain. 'I was.a killer again, stalking my victim.'

'Being a vampire, in other words,' observed Spike, blowing the smoke away.

Angel nodded.

'So what's the problem? You dreamt of stuff you used to do and it bothered you? Nothing new.'

'There was something new,' interrupted Angel, 'This was new, it was almost.real.'

Spike inhaled a bit, wondering quite how to handle Angel's obvious discomfort.

'Think this was a premonition?'

'What do you mean?'

Spike looked down at his hand, noticing the polish was chipped. He'd have to redo that, he liked the black - it suited him.

'What I mean,' he began slowly, 'Is, whether you think that tonight's nightmare could be tomorrow's reality?'

Angel stared at him, reading the concern his childe tried so hard to hide. Spike may have been a cold-blooded killer and would probably have that mentality till the day that someone introduced him to the great ash stake of all time. But he cared about Angel, a fact painfully obvious to everyone, much to Spike's embarrassment. It was one thing for the love of your unlife to know that you belonged to him, quite another to have everyone else treat you with cutsie gloves and think your love was 'sweet'. Hence Spike's almost constant bickering with Miss Chase.

Angel inclined his head.

'I don't know. It felt real. Too real. Like it was actually happening.'

Spike shrugged.

'But we know it wasn't, because, look, you're still in bed and still naked next to the finest bit of vampire flesh in the known world,' smirked Spike. It didn't have the entire effect that he intended, but the faint smile that touched Angel's lips gave him hope.

'I liked it Spike,' he said dolefully, 'I wanted to kill.'

Spike groaned silently. It was a twist of the same bloody coin that whilst he remembered with a great deal of affection the vampire his sire had once been, the besouled creature that lived in torment was by far the better deal. Whereas Angelus had been selfish and far too enamoured by vampire lore, Angel struggled against it and any decisions he had made as to his relationship with Spike were his own. So he had made the choice to forgo the passionate killer and take on Angel as he was, even if it had meant his own struggle with the demon within.

Spike had no qualms about killing humans. His present hampering by the scientists back in Sunnydale had caused him to adapt his aggressiveness, but not his thoughts. The three mortals they associated with on a regular basis were a constant puzzle to Spike. He knew that he would have killed any one of them before his current status change and the killer was still very evident within him. But this thing with Angel was affecting him. He knew that if he was unexpectedly turned back, he would have to make a decision and every day it seemed to the tempered vampire that his choice grew narrower.

It came down to this - go back to his former life and lose Angel, or deny his demon and stay with his lover. To Spike, it was a decision he never wanted to make and with the same passion that he had wanted to regain his virility as a hunter, he now wanted the moment to never come. But change itself was inevitable, Spike understood that and he knew that one day the choice would have to be made.

Better make the most of things as they are now.

'Peaches, just because you got the horn for a nice bit of neck does not turn you into Attila the Hun.'

'I wanted to kill,' repeated Angel quietly.

'Yeah? Well in my dream I wanted to open a fruit stall in Covent Garden, but we both know that I'm not going to turn into Mr. Carrot the happy grocer.'

Angel looked at him, some of the worry passing from his head.

'I guess you're right.'

'Of course I'm right,' snorted Spike, 'That's why you always used me as the ideas man back then.'

'I was different then.'

'So was I,' said Spike, 'I hadn't heard of peroxide in those days.'
 

*
 

'I mean it's just totally ridiculous!'

Doyle perched on the table whilst Cordelia glared at the empty chair. It wasn't such a bad chair he'd conceded, it was just its lack of customer that was causing his would-be girlfriend to abuse it. She turned to him, expecting sympathy and understanding.

'I mean, he's a hero, right?'

'Right,' nodded Doyle, wondering if she was ever going to change the topic today.

'And this city needs people like him, right?'

'Right.'

'So where is he?'

Doyle looked around, slightly confused.

'Angel?' he hazarded.

'No! The guy who'll land us the huge high profile case that pays the bills!'

'Ah,' said Doyle, 'That Him.'

'It's just so unfair. There's these limited edition pumps on sale now and,' Cordelia threw her arms up, 'I can't even afford those!'

She slumped in her chair and glared at the door, daring it not to produce a client.

It remained unhappily client free.

It did however open to reveal a whistling Wesley, enamoured by the morning sun and far more cheerful than either of the room's occupants.

'Morning everyone!' he trilled, 'I was in the neighborhood and I thought I'd drop by to see how things were with you.'

'Slow,' said Cordelia, 'What's that you brought?'

'Hmmm? Oh, I picked up your post on the way up.'

He glanced at Doyle, and saw the Irishman damping down a frown as Wesley's hand brushed against Cordelia's. It was gone so quickly that the ex-Watcher wasn't sure he had seen it at all - the frown being so inconsistent with what he already knew of Doyle. He grinned pleasantly and turned back to Cordelia.

'I thought we might compare battle plans from our respective fronts.'

Doyle looked at him.

'Didn't I hear that you worked alone? Being a rogue demon hunter and all?'

Wesley gaped a moment before regaining his balance.

'Well yes, normally, but after the last time when we took down that empathy demon, I thought we made quite an effective team.'

'You mean the demon that Spike beat up, right?'

Wesley looked back at Cordelia.

'Yes, I mean, well,' he smiled pleasantly, allowing his boyish charm to do its work, 'All round I thought we had everything covered.'

'Was this before or after you found out you'd been chasing the wrong demon for months?'

The Englishman looked quite dismayed at this and Doyle's pleasant nature couldn't let him go out looking like a puppy who'd had his nose rapped. He reached for the newspaper and nodded a thank you to Wesley.

'So what's your news then?'

'What?'

'On the evil front. Which demon are you after this week?'

'Oh, well,' said Wesley, pushing his glasses back up his nose, 'everything seems quiet. How about you?'

Cordelia shot the empty chair one last glare.

'Like the grave.'

Wesley inclined his head.

'Quiet all round then.'

He smiled once more and started to back out slowly.

'Ah well, I shall keep myself available. I really do think we could work together again most effectively. What with your visions, Angel and Spike's brawn, my highly developed powers of deduction and Cordelia's.'

They both looked at him whilst Wesley searched desperately for something nice to say.

'.Wonderful way with.handling Tak horns?'

Doyle stifled a smile and Cordelia glared. Wesley shot one last smile and headed out of the door.

'Hey deductive guy! You brought the wrong mail!'

'What?' asked Wesley, coming forward.

Cordelia handed him back the letters and snatched the paper off Doyle.

'The mail, it belongs to the dentist's next door.'

He took them back and looked at them disbelievingly. He saw the article on the front page and Doyle noticed the sinking look of recognition on the Watcher's face.

'Right,' murmured Wesley, 'I'll just return these to their proper owners.'

He walked out abruptly and Cordelia, promptly involved with her own worries again, forgot all about him. Doyle wasn't so easily swayed. He pulled on his coat and followed Wesley out.

'So tell me why, after half a night's sleep with you tossing all over the place, you want to go chasing a plate number?'

'It's what I do, Spike.'

'What you do, is go around saving they who should be dinner. Hi Cordelia,' grinned Spike as they both came into view. She frowned at him and smiled pleasantly at Angel.

'About that license plate.'

'What about it?' asked Angel in a far grumpier tone than normal.

'Well excuse me, Mr. I-spend-all-night-having-sex-with-a-psychoblond! Some of us don't have twisted sex lives to worry about.'

'Doyle not getting any, huh?' grinned Spike.

'Not that it's any of your business, but, it's NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!'

'Cordelia, the plate?' asked Angel again, rubbing his sore eyes.

She looked at her boss, noticing the worryingly dead complexion.

'You look half dead.'

They stared at her.

'Which for someone, who's completely dead, would be - kind of neat?'

Spike snorted and Cordelia picked up the paper she'd written the details down on.

'The BMV is a no go, totally stalker-phobic. I was thinking that maybe you could get policewoman to run it for us on the Q.T.?

'Kate,' murmured Angel.

'You're friends with the police now?' sniggered Spike.

'Oh he's more than "friends" with Kate,' grinned Cordelia, 'they've been all open and emotional for months now.'

Would he ever be able to forget that night?

'I'll go do this now.'

'Hey wait up,' said Spike suspiciously, 'who is Kate then?'

'A friend,' shrugged Angel.

Spike stared at him, but Angel had perfected his blank stare long ago and the English vampire couldn't read the emotions buried there. He shrugged and gestured toward the tunnels.

'Let's go see your little friend then.'

He moved to the gate but Angel caught his arm.

'I think I should go alone,' he said quietly.

Spike pulled out of his reach.

'She *is* more than a friend isn't she?'

'It's not that,' said Angel quickly, 'I just.I don't think she'd be as open with a stranger there.'

'Or his minor flirting skills wouldn't work as well with you to hamper them,' added Cordelia gleefully.

Spike glared at her.

'Fine, go on your own then, see if *she'll* give you a blowjob to take your mind of your nightmares!'

Angel looked down a moment and then sighed.

'I'll be back later.'

Spike didn't answer, but picked up yesterday's paper and started flicking through the pages. Will this ever get easier between us, wondered Angel? Why am I so convinced that it's worth it anyway?

'Bye.' He said and when Spike didn't answer, he headed towards the tunnels, shoulders slumped, wondering what Kate would think if she knew that he was involved with someone who'd drain her dry in a second given the opportunity.

Cordelia looked at Spike, watching as he flinched when the elevator went down.

He looked up at her.

'What?'

'He gets in a bad mood and we all suffer. And I have no intention of being today's beating stick. Just,' she gestured vaguely, 'Go after him and do whatever it is that you two do to make up.'

Spike grinned.

'You giving me love advice, Pet?'

'No,' said Cordelia firmly, 'I'm safe guarding my job. I don't like the idea of Angel stomping round the office all day. And whilst you two are off playing your little vampire sex games all I have to worry about is the noise.'

'He does groan well doesn't he?' smirked Spike.

Cordelia pushed back from the desk.

'I am so not having this conversation.'

'And when he lets out that deep throated sigh,' continued Spike, 'gets me right.'

'NOT having this conversation,' repeated Cordelia and walked off to the bathroom.

Spike chuckled.

'And he yells so provocatively when he comes!'

'I know!' came the strangulated cry from the bathroom, 'Now go make him do it!'
 

*
 

Spike walked slowly along the tunnels, aware that most of the creatures who stalked it were fair game. He'd grown quite familiar with the resident demons who walked these walls, had fought some on a regular basis and was aware that they knew just who was the Big Bad in these parts. They also knew that he was with Angel and that had proved to be a surprising advantage. Angel was gaining quite a reputation in these parts for beating the crap out of invading demons. To be known as his ally was a sure way of off putting your opponent before you started.

He was guessing his way down to the police station, making lefts and rights at random as he followed Angel's scent. It was an intoxicating aroma, causing Spike to adjust his pants as he tracked him down. There hadn't been a day over the past fortnight when they hadn't taken advantage of passion. Angel had proved far more passionate than his stoic exterior would suggest and Spike had spent many an hour watching as his sire explored his body, taking the time to linger over his most sensitive areas.

He guessed he was a good ten minutes behind Angel and hoped that his business with this 'Kate' would be over by then. They hadn't really talked much about Angel's life in LA before Spike had arrived and he found himself increasingly curious about the people he'd associated with during that time. Cordelia had suggested that Kate was more than a friend to Angel, and the vampire himself had seemed wary of revealing too much about her. He guessed that she was attracted to Angel, after all, the vampire was appealing to anyone with eyes, but he had no idea if it was reciprocated. And unless Angel decided to tell him all about it, he had no way of knowing.

'Spike?'

He turned and Angel stood in front of him, hang dog expression back to the fore.

'Were you following me?'

Spike shrugged.

'Helping out Cordelia.'

'Right, cause doing good is your raison d'être?'

'Something like that,' smirked Spike, 'I was told to stop you stomping around the office and since it happily included me playing with that body of yours, I thought doing this bit of good might be worth a go.'

He stepped forward and saw that Angel wasn't upset about their little tiff.

'So what did *Kate* say that got you all angst boy?'

Angel sighed and leaned back against the cool wall.

'There was a case on her desk, photos and all.'

'So?'

Another sigh.

'It was the girl I hunted in my dream. She's really dead, Spike and I saw how it happened.'

Spike read the pain that dwelled in Angel's face. He stepped closer and when Angel closed his arms tightly around him, he didn't pull away. Instead he slid his own arms up and held the vampire, wondering if it was the beginning of the end for them. Angel blinked single tears into Spike's collar and whispered softly, unable to raise his voice more than a whisper.

'I marked her cheek, signed the cross, signed my name, my.' he closed his eyes tightly, 'I don't remember doing this, but the dream was so close. I smelt her fear.'

Spike squeezed him, hoping that the comfort he offered was enough. The passionate kill Angel described had made his mouth water. The need for a hunt was a constant torment to him and whilst he played out his hunger with the demons that crept these depths, his longing for human blood grew larger with each passing day. He couldn't kill, knew he couldn't and his life with Angel was a more than acceptable alternative, but it was hard to give solace when Angel was afraid of the very action Spike wanted to take.

There was something they hadn't thought about.

'If it isn't you doing this, Love and someone actually is, then who is having a liquid lunch?'

Angel shook his head and pulled back so he could see his lover's face.

'I don't know.'

Spike chewed his lip a moment.

'Someone who knows you, knows what you used to do.'

Angel nodded.

'A sire? One of your childer?'

Angel cast his mind back to Kate's photographs.

'There was.someone. The cross, he used the cross, same as me.'

Spike let out a low growl.

'Penn.'
 

*
 

Italy 1903
 

William knew what he was being called for. He had known from the way this particular vampire operated that he would be called. With Angelus missing, he had become Drusilla's favorite toy and her insane adoration was by far preferable than aligning himself with this miserable creature. He walked tall; knowing that to show any sign of humility before this creature was to admit inferiority. He had walked this path for several years now, and was already a well known demon, marking his territory with an ingenious use of railroad spikes.

It was his destruction of a Slayer within this country that had earned him an audience with Angelus' childe. It was his arrogance at his own achievements that caused Penn to believe him an impudent whelp. It was his nature that forced him to face the vampire down instead of following Drusilla to Prague.

He stepped slowly down the stairs, hearing the movements below him in the dark cellar, wondering how anyone who had known Angelus' decadence could scrounge out a living in such dwellings. But vampire lore was specific and when an older vampire demanded your presence, choice was minimal. He could have run, but to become an outcast because of his own cowardice was not William's idea of fun.

He was sick of these cat and mouse games, especially when he didn't get to be the cat.

'I'm here,' he said loudly.

Nothing.

He turned as if to leave and heard Penn's lecherous tones.

'Come down, let me see you.'

William stepped down into the cellar and blinked, allowing his demonic features to shift, giving him better vision. He still couldn't see the other vampire and he turned slowly, trying to smell out his fellow undead.

'Angelus' plaything,' snickered Penn as he walked up behind him. 'Sunk to the arms of that insane creature in his absence.'

'Leave Dru out of this,' said William slowly, 'She's not why you called me here.'

'True,' smiled Penn, before lashing out suddenly and knocking William to his knees. He groaned silently as his shins hit the shallow dirt of the cellar.

'You should remember your role whelp, you should be humble before your elders.'

'I don't do humble,' was the muttered response.

'Really? By all I've heard about your relationship with Angelus, you were used to humility with him.'

William cast his eyes skyward and saw the well-dressed vampire step forward. A warning signal went off in his head, but he couldn't place what it was. He stared out the vampire and waited until Penn had moved round a little. The puritan started to talk again.

'I have done a little research since our beloved sire has disappeared, it would seem that I may act as his stand in, if you would, in your tuition.'

He bent down so that his mouth was level with William's ear.

'Show you all the ropes, as it were.'

'I know the ropes,' William said quickly, feeling his long dead heart flicker as he felt fear steal over him. It's only Penn, he told himself, but it did little to reassure him.

Penn stood up and laughed.

'Ah, your Slayer killing. Nicely done, I thought,' said Penn walking toward a door William had not noticed earlier. 'But it appears that Angelus was very gentle with you, allowing you far too much freedom in your formative years.'

'He recognized a natural talent,' said Spike, his eyes fixed to the handle and the way Penn caressed it.

Penn shrugged.

'You're a beautiful creature - your lust for the kill is so passionate. No wonder Angelus never wanted to share you.'

William rolled his eyes.

'You're not fucking me, if that's what you're after.'

Penn turned the handle slightly, before fiddling with his elegant cuffs.

'You really don't have style, do you William?'

'More than you mate,' said Spike, rising to leave. It was then that the warning signal revealed itself. He's well dressed - he doesn't live here. But it has vampire traces all over it.

There are others.

He half turned and saw them coming down the stairs, fledglings, strong in first blood and loyal to their creator. They looked at him with hunger, wanting something that they had not quantified, even to themselves. He couldn't see a way out and Penn was removing.dear God! Penn was undressing and these things, these creatures, not yet vampires, not yet capable of their own thought, coming toward him, strong and persistent.

As the first two managed to grab him, he felt his own clothes torn away. He yelled and tried to kick out, but there were so many and he couldn't get away, couldn't move. He screamed as they closed in, holding his limbs down, stretching him, rending him defenseless. When he felt Penn's flesh against his back he almost screamed Angelus' name. Penn moved closer, pressing his mouth against his throat, whispering in his ear.

'I think you will learn to beg William. I think I will teach you.'

He struggled to get away, but he was pinned.

No escape.

'Bastard!' he screamed.

'You know, William, I think claiming Angelus' favorite plaything has been my most enjoyable experience as a vampire yet. Imagine that, a hundred years and only when I get to do this.' He pushed forward, eliciting a yell from the pinned vampire, 'That I feel pleasure.'

As William cried out again and again, he turned his mind to thoughts of Angelus. He didn't know if it was hate or love that caused it, but at that moment, he would rather have ceased existing than allow anyone else this pleasure. And when Penn had finished, they left him there, naked and bruised, moving on to their next act as vampires. Penn dressed quickly and stood up, grinning at himself and watching with pleasure as William tried to get to his own feet.

'Angelus never should have helped you,' he said as he fastened his shirt, 'He should have left you to the same fate as the rest of Drusilla's mistakes.'

'I am.not a mistake,' growled Spike. 'I am more of a vampire than you ever will be.'

'Maybe,' murmured Penn as he finished dressing, 'Maybe not.'

He grinned as he walked out.

'See you soon William, I can't wait to find out what other lush pleasures I can discover with you.'

William got to his feet and pulled the rags of his clothes back on. He walked out into the cold streets and began to make his way to the station, waiting for the next train that left the country. He could feel Penn leaving the town, wondering where he was going and realizing that the cold rage that covered his body had decimated his earlier fear.

'I'll see you dust, Penn. I'll use you as snuff before you touch me again.'

He left Italy.
 

*
 

Doyle walked into the office following Wesley. He looked at Cordelia dolefully before allowing Wesley to take centre stage. Wesley took the stake in one hand and glanced about, before realizing they were alone. He smiled anxiously at Cordelia and brandished a newspaper article at her.

'Wesley? What's with the instant Boss destruction tactic?'

Wesley moved to sit her down, leaving her holding the paper.

'Oh My God! You cut up Dr. Folger's newspaper? You're going to get us kicked out of this building.'

'Cordelia! Look at the clipping.'

She looked at Doyle, but the Irishman remained quiet, an uncanny calm across his face. Seeing no help she read the offending article.

'Third body found in alley. So? Not exactly front-page news.'

Wesley sighed.

'Well that is the front page news but look at the modus operandi.'

'The what?'

Doyle sighed and moved next to Cordelia.

'What Wesley here means is that all these corpses turned up with a cross hacked into their cheeks, something Angel had a yen for back when he was feeding on humans.'

Cordelia stood up and flung the paper back at Wesley.

'Angel wouldn't do this.'

'And I'm not saying he did,' said Doyle, moving to put his arm round her, 'But those people died and they had all the hallmarks that our boy used back when he was the big bad.'

'No,' said Cordelia, shaking her head and trying to push them both out of the door, 'Angel's my friend. I'm not buying that he became grrr again without telling me.'

'Cordelia.' Wesley began, 'It's his signature.'

'I don't care!' she yelled. 'You're wrong, he's not like that now.'

'I hate to say it Princess,' said Doyle, 'but Wesley could be right. We have to at least check it out.'

'No! I don't care how many files you have on all the horrible things he did back in the powdered wig days! - He is good now. And he's my friend. And nothing you or anyone else can say will make me turn on a friend!'

'Cordelia, I did it,' said Angel as he and Spike walked into the office.

Cordelia turned grabbed Wesley's stake.

'Calm it, Peaches, he's just being a drama Queen.'

Spike walked into the office and winked at Wesley, admiring the pretty crucifix the ex-Watcher was brandishing.

'What Big and Broody means is that it's his childe that's doing all the killing.'

'Childe?' asked Cordelia.

Wesley turned to her as Spike picked up the Watcher's folder.

'It means someone a vampire has turned.'

Cordelia looked up at Angel.

'He's a Daddy?'

'Something like that,' admitted Angel, 'I wasn't exactly unkeen on bringing mortals over back then. But Penn was something else, a puritan with a big family fixation. The people he's killing now are replacements for each member.'

'He's reliving his first kill?' asked Wesley.

'Now that's a guy you don't want to come to a reunion,' said Doyle, looking over Spike's shoulder for a picture. There was a sketch of someone Spike put his finger on and he slammed the book down on the desk, scaring Wesley into dropping his cross.

'That's him,' murmured Spike. 'He was an arsehole back then. Doesn't seem to have improved with age.'

'Ewww,' said Cordelia, 'Doesn't have much in the way of cheekbones.'

'Or anything in the way of decent behavior,' added Wesley.

They all looked surreptitiously at Spike, expecting him to defend the vampire, but the blond remained strangely quiet, reading each page with a concentration that was unlike him. When he finally noticed them all watching him expectantly, he gave a grin and gestured out the door.

'I say we kill the little fucker now.'

'Don't know where he is,' said Angel, his head down.

'I can find him,' said Spike, 'Sniff him out. Give the little tit a right going over.'

'You'll never find him before he completes his little family re enactment,' reasoned Doyle, 'And then he'll be off.'

'Kate,' said Angel.

'Oh, not her again!' exclaimed Spike, 'Can't we do anything without Little Miss Plod coming in on the act?'

'She's a good cop. She has resources we don't. Eventually she *will* find him.'

'She doesn't know what he is, man,' warned Doyle, 'He'll kill her before she gets a chance and you know that.'

'Then we'll have to make sure we get to him first.'

He swept out, heading for his car in the basement and they all stood there, waiting for inspiration to hit. Spike huffed and walked over to the stairs, jogging down as he realised that payback was finally here. Wesley picked up his folder and trotted after him, hoping that he'd prove useful enough to stay with the team.

Which left Doyle and Cordelia.

He looked at her and she sat down again in the chair, assuming her position by the phone and waiting for him to say it first.

But he didn't.

'We've got to phone her. Let her know what she's dealing with.'

'Who, Kate? What're you gonna tell her? That a 200 hundred year old Puritan's responsible?'

'Please! Like I'd say that a dead guy is up and walking in LA. I was thinking more of a description and the next family member he's going to be after,' she said pulling Penn's description in the Watcher's diary.

'She's going to be suspicious. I mean, who says she'll even believe you?'

'Nobody,' admitted Cordelia, then she smiled.

'Which is why you're phoning her.'

Doyle groaned and held the phone she passed to him, inwardly cursing the luck of the Irish.
 

*
 

Angel heard Kate's authoritative tones warning Penn not to move. When he'd scaled the building, Spike had moved off somewhere in the darkness, moving in stalk mode. He hadn't said much since they'd left the apartment and Angel wondered what had passed between the two once his soul had been restored. He knew that Penn had never liked Spike, viewing Angel's affections for the young vampire as frivolous and unworthy.

At the time he had laughed off the suspicions as envy, knowing that Penn was keen to be top priority in Angel's affections. Spike had obviously supplanted him without knowing and as a childe, Penn was unable to enact any revenge. But once Angel was out of the picture, what had happened then? He didn't know, and somehow he wasn't convinced that Spike would give him a heart to heart with the details.

He heard gunfire and looked through the cracked roof to see Kate approaching the downed vampire. He was about to jump down, knowing how much danger she was in when Spike's sharp English tones came echoing through.

'Leave it out Penn, this meal isn't yours.'

Penn knocked Kate out of the way and stood up, a wide grin etched across his face.

'Well the plaything's back Tell, me, how's life with the Loony?'

Spike stepped dangerously toward him.

'Better than anything you could have offered me.'

Penn shook his head and laughed.

'Always with a snappy comeback, William. How do you manage that?'

'Style, Pet,' growled Spike, 'Remember? That thing you don't have.'

Penn shrugged.

'Oh I don't know, I always thought my killings had a certain panache.'

Kate struggled to the corner, trying to pull her radio out. She spoke into it quietly, her gun arm cocked, watching as the vampires faced off.

'What did you come here for, Spike? To steal my food? That's about your level isn't it?'

Spike shook his head.

'No, Pet, I came here to kill you.'

'Tut tut, against the lore to kill one's elders.'

Spike grinned and morphed.

'What can I say, I'm a criminal.'

He roared and leapt forward, meeting Penn as they swung for each other. Angel crashed through the ceiling as they fought, running for Kate and ushering her out. The stunned cop refused to move and watched as the vampires tore and clawed at one another. Angel wanted her to move, trying to push her out of the room whilst he moved to help his lover.

'Kate, just go.'

'What Angel? What?'

Penn paused a second, grasping Spike under his chin, ignoring the elbowing as the younger vampire tried to free himself.

'Angelus? Well it looks like the whole family's here!'

'Hello Penn.'

'Hmmm, well it seems that young William here thinks he can kill his elders and that's just not going to happen. Here, want a sample?'

He pushed the aggressive vampire forward and Spike tore free of his grasp, snarling at him.

Angel stepped forward, his hand reaching out to comfort Spike before he could stop himself. Penn just laughed.

'You just couldn't resist him, could you? Couldn't leave this bit of English flesh alone.'

'It's not about Spike.'

'No? Who is it about then? Me? That two bit mortal over there?'

Angel walked up to him.

'You don't change do you?'

'Oh I change all right Angel, I've done so many things since you threw me over for this whelp.'

'I am not a bloody Whelp!'

'Whatever,' shrugged off Penn. 'You just had to make him your favorite didn't you? Had to throw me out on my ear because I wasn't scum enough to excite you.'

Spike growled and moved to attack, but Angel lay a firm hand over his own.

'You were never my favorite Penn.'

'No?'

Angel laughed.

'Why would I choose someone whose idea of a good time is to re enact his first kill for the next couple of centuries?'

He turned to Spike and smiled affectionately at him.

'Now Spike here was always far more inventive than you ever gave him credit for.'

He turned back to Penn.

'There was never any competition.'

Penn frowned, and then his grin reasserted itself.

'You aren't the only one to know how inventive that boy can be.'

'You stupid Fuck!' yelled Spike, but Angel held onto him tighter.

'Doesn't matter,' said Angel. 'Whatever you were going to brag about doesn't matter.'

'And why is that?' asked Penn.

'Because Spike can beat you everyday of the week.'

Penn looked at Spike and then back to Angel.

'But the lore?'

Angel grinned and kissed Spike briefly before turning back to his wayward childe.

'The lore changes now.'

Spike howled appreciatively and darted forward, the stake he'd carried for the first time thrusting forward into Penn's body. His last expression was of incomprehension and he exploded into dust, two centuries worth of living gone in one accurate stroke. Spike let out a growl of rage and sank to his knees, his relief at revenge wiping him out for the moment. He saw the policewoman out of the corner of his eye and gestured towards Angel.

'Go on then, you'd better see if your precious Kate is all right.'

Angel turned and saw Kate staring uncomprehendingly at them. He bent to his knees and wrapped an arm round Spike. Nuzzling against the blond hairs on his neck he kissed him softly.

'You never said anything about him.'

Spike snorted.

'It's hardly something I sodding well advertise is it?'

Angel smiled.

'I guess not.'

He heard Kate radioing and nudged his lover.

'Come on, we'd better get out of here before she decides that we did do something against the law.'

Spike grinned, 'All you'd have to do is wiggle your arse and we'd be out of here.'

Angel winced.

'Well maybe some other day, I think I've got splinters in it from the ceiling.'

They stood up and started to walk out past the bewildered cop.

'Does that mean it's just you, me and the tweezers tonight, Pet?'

'Could be,' admitted Angel, 'You just have to promise to be gentle.'

'Don't be such a wuss. You didn't just go ten rounds with psycho boy back there.'

'Ten rounds? Five at most.'

'You calling me a pansy, mate?'

Angel laughed as they reached Wesley and the car. He leaned down and kissed Spike tenderly.

'I wouldn't dare.'

Wesley leaned over and unlocked the doors.

'Penn dead then?'

Angel nodded.

'Ah good. So it's, er, back to the apartment?'

Spike grinned.

'Yeah Love, thought we might celebrate by getting out the sacred leather bondage gear.'

'What? Er, oh, right, right, well, none of my business,'

Spike leaned over and laid a hand on the now worried demon hunter's shoulder.

'Actually Wes, Angel and I were wondering if you'd like to make this a threesome, seeing as it's a special celebration and all.'

'What?'

'And we'd be really hurt if you said no.'

Wesley started driving with his head bent close to the steering wheel.

'Actually I believe I have a, er, prior, engagement.'

Spike chuckled.

'Relax Wesley, I was kidding.'

'What? Oh thank goodness,' said the demon hunter, 'For a moment there, I actually thought.'

'Sacred leather bondage doesn't come out till Christmas.'
 

*

Angel stroked his way down Spike's naked back, pressing soft kisses against every bruise and running his tongue down the prominent spine. Beneath him, the dozing vampire groaned and squirmed each time he reached a sensitive spot. Angel chuckled as the skin moved smoothly beneath him, claiming him each time as his own.

He reached the soft cheek of his ass and started to press down, licking his way down to the entrance as Spike moaned deeper, lifting his hips and pressing back against Angel's mouth.

'Mmm, that feels so good, Peaches.'

Angel grinned and licked along the crease.

'Like that do you?'

'Oh yeah, Pet, keep doing that.'

There was a hissing sound and then coldness. Spike tried to pry round and see over his shoulder.

'What was that?'

'Squirty cream.'

Spike chuckled.

'You have become a naughty boy, Angel.'

'Had a good teacher,' murmured Angel with his mouth full.

'Oh God, yeah, mmm, yeah,' Spike gasped at the pillow, 'Oh yeah, Love, just do.that.'

'Angel?'

They let out a mutual groan as Wesley's voice echoed down into the apartment.

'Ignore him, Peaches, maybe he'll go away.'

It wasn't hard to do, the sight being what it was and Angel ran his tongue underneath, licking the saltiness of the soft sac that lay there.

'Angel!'

'Fuck,' said Spike, 'That was Doyle wasn't it?'

Angel groaned and sat up.

'Yeah, I think it was.'

Spike rolled over and reached for his boxers.

'Maybe we can sort this out quick and you can continue with that tongue bath.'

He grinned and kissed Angel.

'Well it was going to wind up a strawberries and cream bath.'

Spike wiggled his eyebrows.

'And where did you get that idea?'

Angel nuzzled at his neck.

'From Mr. Carrot, the happy grocer.'

Spike laughed.

'I think that's veg Love.'

'Well okay, but do you want to look down the wrong end of a parsnip?'
 

*
 

The elevator was an easier way of reaching the office than the stairs, but whilst Angel liked doing the whole 'don't I cut a striking silhouette' entrance, Spike liked the fact that his approach was totally unannounced. That and he knew that Wesley tended to sit with his back to the top of the stairs, and making that boy scout jump was one of the pleasures in life that Spike had left.

He could hear the elevator clang into position and saw Wesley's chair swivel round to face Angel. With a grin, he swept silently into the room, and bided his time, waiting for the perfect moment to announce himself.

Doyle stepped forward to Angel, a worried look across his face and the smell of drying sweat coating his body. It was one of the key signs that he'd had a vision, something that was certainly going to lead to Angel going out and saving the day...again.

It wasn't the whole hero gig that Spike objected to. He was self-serving by nature, not a big advocate of destroying the human race or any of the bum stuff that his fellow vampires were so keen on. Anything he'd done that people, (namely the Slayer and her ilk) had ascribed to Evil had been because of a lesser service to Spike himself. Or Dru. God only knew how may weird and wacky end-of-the-world parties he'd thrown for his Princess. That whole fiasco with the Judge for example. That had been because of her. It was the type of damage she liked - mass scale chaos and ultimate carnage. She knew how to throw a party though and in some ways, he still missed her.

Spike was, he knew, growing used to human company. It had dawned on him when he had gone looking for Angel at Cordelia's request that he was actually listening to her and not just so that he could hurl an insult her way. He couldn't actually recall the day on which his perception had changed and he knew that he didn't actually care about any of them - only that their deaths would devastate Angel and that wouldn't be good for him - but he found himself wondering about them at odd times.

He had always been a perceptive bloke; long before he had been turned he had all the hallmarks of knowing everything that needed to be known. His life as a human hadn't been much more moral than that of a vampire and Spike had managed to make his way in spite of his upbringing. He'd read Oliver Twist a few years ago, when he and Dru had holed up in some unfortunate's house. There had been precious little else to read there, and once he'd bored of the sex mags the guy had hidden under his mattress, he'd moved on to real literature. Happy ending or not, Dickens had painted a far brighter version of the streets he'd known than anything that little orphan faced.

The problem, as he saw it, was that he was beginning to see Cordelia and co as people, a change that was more than dangerous for any vampire. When he'd been back in Sunnydale he'd deliberately not used any of the Scooby gang's names, using their title or role instead. Slayer, Watcher, Lunch, it had all been the same to him, as long as he didn't start to think about them as individuals, everything was fine and dandy in vampire land.

But here in LA, he'd become used to dealing with mortals again and his demon worried. He didn't have a soul like Angel, nothing to give him a reason to fight against the urge to destroy. What he did have was a veracious personality, strong enough to cause the demon to bend to his will. And if he and the demon agreed on something, so much the better. But his needs had changed, and whilst he had adapted, that creature within him was causing all sorts of assaults on his mind, asking him over and over how long he could exist like this.

He thought that Angel would perhaps understand about his difficulty, seeing as he existed in constant torment, but Spike really didn't want to go down that broody path. At the moment they approached each other as equals, lovers who wanted each other desperately. They'd grown used to a mutual comfort, in which Spike jollied Angel out of his moods and Angel made sure that Spike had enough bad guys to fight. It had worked quite well, the dark vampire seeming almost human every now and then and Spike wearing out his aggression on demons who seriously wished they'd never heard of LA. But if Spike told him that he was dealing with something similar to his own problems, he knew that Angel would look on him with pity and that was something that the English vampire just couldn't take.

Spike was musing on such thoughts when he realised that Wesley had spotted him. The demon hunter was watching him, waiting for the sarcastic comment that he was sure was only moments away. When no response came, Wesley raised his glasses, rubbed his eyes and checked to see if Spike was actually there.

'So, Spike, what do you think we should do?'

'Go get shagged,' murmured Spike before trying to recall what had been said.

He couldn't.

Okay.

'Wasn't listening.'

'So I gather,' said the surprised demon hunter, 'dare I even inquire what you were thinking about?'

Spike grinned.

'You.'

Wesley blinked and Spike watched as his hand trailed instinctively to the axe he'd taken to carrying about. Spike looked up and saw Angel suppressing a smile whilst Doyle rolled his eyes. He reached into his jacket for a smoke and as he lit, gestured to the others.

'So what's this big important problem then?'

'Cordelia,' said Angel aptly.

'Figures. What's that dozy bint been up to then?'

Wesley raised an eyebrow.

'Miss Chase has become unavailable.'

'She's blown you out?'

Doyle laughed dryly.

'Well you could say that. Seems that Wesley here had the same idea as me tonight. Invite her out to dinner and a movie.'

'You both asked her on a date? Fuck me, does no one notice what goes on around here?' asked Spike with a grin, 'Getting killed by that slime demon was more enjoyable than one night with Little Miss Gobby and you two both want to get her knickers off!'

'Spike,' said Angel warningly, 'She's disappeared.'

'Huh?'

Doyle sighed.

'Neither of us got to ask her cause when I went round to her apartment, she wasn't in.'

Spike blew out a smoke ring.

'And what about you Pet?'

Wesley scratched his head.

'I telephoned her and, well, I got no reply.'

Spike chuckled and moved over to her desk, looking through the papers that lay on it.

'This isn't funny Spike,' admonished Wesley, 'She could be in real trouble.'

'Yeah, I must admit,' said Doyle, 'She usually leaves a phone number or something where we can get hold of her.'

'Something like this?' said Spike, brandishing a note.

Wesley pushed his glasses up and looked at it.

'Guys,' he read, 'going out with Serena and the girls. Don't wait up. C.'

Spike chuckled and slapped Wesley on the back.

'Good to know those Watcher reading skills still come in handy, mate.'

Angel grinned and Doyle looked up at him, his own embarrassment annoying him.

'You've got something on your lip.'

'What?' said Angel flicking his tongue out. He tasted cream and caught Spike's suggestive expression, which forced him to look anywhere else if he was to keep a straight, ha ha, face.

'No man, it's gone right up the side of your nose. What have you been doing?'

Angel reached with his finger to wipe the excess away, hoping like Hell that Spike would for once keep his mouth shut. He saw the blond vampire walk quickly toward him and grin, before moving Angel's hand away. Spike moved his face closer and reached out his long tongue to lick off the rest of the cream.

'Oh,' said Wesley, turning away, 'That really is, I mean, couldn't you do that elsewhere?'

Spike trailed his tongue down and licked Angel's lips briefly, feeling the other vampire open his mouth before pulling away with a wicked smile. The look of pure longing on Angel's face was enough to carry him a little longer.

'Doyle? Oh honestly I know it was a little embarrassing, but there's no need...'

The vampires looked and saw Doyle writhing on the floor.

'He's having a vision.'

Angel rushed over and tried to cradle the half demon whilst the vision passed. Doyle winced and fitted as the Powers that Be sent their message. He could see flashes of something birthing itself from an egg. Something big bad and ugly. He shuddered one last time and fell back, feeling the agony slowly ebb away as he came back to the present.

'Big baby, argh,' he moaned as his head gave one final pinch.

Spike looked up at Wesley.

'Didn't know Janet and John Books did vision analysis.'

'Spike, shut up,' said Angel, helping Doyle sit up, 'A baby what? Where?'

Doyle winced and covered his forehead with his palm.

'It was hatching from an egg and it looked pissed man, I don't think I wanna meet him when he grows up.'

'Okay,' said Angel, grabbing his coat, 'You show us where and we'll take care of it.'

Spike rolled his eyes and put his duster on, watching as Wesley picked up his fighting axe. The demon hunter slid it inside his jacket and made sure he had a crossbow under there as well. Doyle got to his feet slowly and reached inside the desk for a matching pair of knives, hiding each one up his sleeves and wincing slightly as one caught his forearm. Spike turned as Angel withdrew a nasty looking sword from the closet and moved toward the door.

It was too much.

'Oi! Where's my demon slicer?'

'What?' said Angel, sheathing the sword and making sure it was concealed beneath his coat.

'Well everyone here gets a weapon to play with except me. Anyone would think you don't trust me or something.'

They all turned in unison, sharing the same frank gaze.

'What?'

Angel sighed and opened the closet.

'Just don't take anything too big.'

Spike looked at the weapons stored in there and sighed in happy appreciation. He saw something that he liked and grabbed it.

'Now let's see the demon who can get past this!'
 

*
 

'I told you not to bring anything too big?'

Spike picked up the double handed axe and weighed it against Wesley's hand sized one. The watcher looked it up and down and then continued his stalk towards the address Doyle had directed them to.

'It's not too big. I can handle it.'

He hefted it between his hands and twirled it expertly, almost cleaving off Doyle's ear. The half demon blinked and then stepped forward, determined that nothing was going to cut him into bits.

'You can't handle that thing,' said Angel quietly.

'I bloody can,' growled Spike, 'I've wielded loads of weapons bigger than this.'

'What for?'

'Stuff,' said Spike. He sniffed. 'Anyway, I'm not the one walking in there with a bloody broad sword now am I?'

'It's not a broadsword,' said Angel, 'It's a bastard sword, see? Lighter than a two handed but it's got enough weight to...'

'To what? To make you fall over?'

'You know what I mean.'

'Unfortunately I do.'

Spike sniffed and watched as Wesley kicked the door of some unsuspecting couple and brandished his weapons at them. He turned back to Angel.

'So have you got a name for your pet sword then, Peaches?'

Angel shook his head.

'No.'

Spike grinned; watching as Doyle tried to remove the over excited Wesley from the room.

'Oh come on, Peaches, every weapon worth its weight has a name. Excaliber, Mjolnir, Albion...you forge it, they name it.'

'I'm not naming my sword, Spike, forget it.'

The creature Doyle had seen was emerging from its egg in the next apartment along and Angel started to walk quickly toward it. Spike laughed as Doyle and Wesley made their excuses and swung his axe over his shoulder.

'Think I'll name this axe though, not one of them poncy names though.'

Angel moved to open the door.

'What are you going to call it? Sid?'

Spike broke the wood with one blow.

'Not a bad idea, Love. Something 20th century.'

He wrenched to pull the axe back out but it stuck, its head embedded deeply within the door. He pulled again, but this time the doorframe gave and Spike fell backwards, the door on top of him, whilst Wesley charged over the top, some kind of battle cry at his lips. Doyle hopped over and started laying blows on the disgusting demon whilst Angel pulled the heavy boards from his lover.

It was strange, but even lying under the rubble, an expression close to rage across his face; Spike looked as horny as Hell. Angel could feel his cock stir pleasantly against his thigh, and promised himself that as soon as they'd taken care of this demon, he'd turn the phones off, lock the doors and give the blond vampire his complete and undivided attention. He still had the strawberries in the fridge and he'd paid Cordelia over the odds to pick up and he'd bought in cream in abundance. He knew that Spike had been struggling with himself about something lately and he had an inkling as to what it was. He just didn't think that Spike would open up to him about it.

They had come a long way, or so Angel thought, since Spike had fallen onto his doorstep. They had established a compromise between Spike's feral nature and Angel's calling. In those early days they had both felt uncertain about everything except that definite attraction that had always existed between them. They had tried to work round the obstacles - Spike's desire to drink Cordelia's blood was still an issue, not helped by the fact that Angel frequently felt the same way. Spike was happy beating up the demons that roamed the tunnels below the city, and since he knew that the English vampire couldn't harm anyone human, it was something known and not discussed.

When they were alone together, (and recently that time had been too rare, Doyle's visions coming too thick and fast to prevent either vampire from doing the same) Angel couldn't manage to keep his mind on anything else than the tender skin of his lover's body. When Spike tumbled into bed at night, Angel generally got in next to him and within moments, hands caressed, teased and tempted until they made love with a frenzy that would deafen Cordelia. It was with Spike that he felt most comfortable, and that was something he wasn't prepared to question, adopting the blond's attitude for once. Spike wouldn't worry about their good luck, he'd just accept it and move on to deal with the next thing. It was a side of his lover that he treasured and he hoped that if something was actually troubling Spike, he would come to him before it was too late.

'Are you going to stare at me all night, or do we leave those two wankers to get eaten by Big Bird's rebel cousin?'

Angel smiled and pulled Spike to his feet.

'Actually I was trying to think of a name for that axe of yours.'

Spike shot him a glance and stormed inside the apartment.

'Something like "Gets stuck in wood" or...'

'Shut up Angel.'

'..."Don't use with timber" or...'

Spike grabbed hold of Angel's collar and hauled him to eye level.

'Listen Peaches, if you ever want me to lay hands on this,' he stroked the hard length beneath Angel's belt, 'I suggest you never mention that again.'

Angel grinned and kissed him briefly.

'Couldn't have that now, could we?'

Spike growled softly and swung at the baby demon. Angel unsheathed his sword and slashed at a tentacle, which seemed to have Wesley cornered. Doyle was hacking away at a head, which tried to bite at him. With the four of them working hard to destroy the creature, it was in several large and numerous small yucky pieces in no time. They were coated in embryonic fluid and other, un namable and disgusting things. Doyle looked down at himself and shuddered, before walking off silently into the night, mumbling things about never ever getting involved in anything that involved eggs again.

Wesley gave them all a hearty congratulation on cleaning up, if you'd excuse the pun, the demonic creature so quickly. He set off to his home with a big grin etched across his face, covered from head to foot in gore. Spike had drained his tension into the baby demon and had consequently been very up close when it exploded. The only bit of clean flesh was at the back of his neck and Angel bent down to kiss it. Spike leaned back into the caress and a globule of yolk dripped down from his hair onto Angel.

'Urgh.'

'Right Peaches, ugh.' He stood up and grinned through the mess. 'Still, we mashed the Hell out of it eh, Love?'

Angel wiped his mouth free of yolk and nodded.

Spike looked around and, seeing nothing else in the vicinity that required smashing into bits, slung his battle axe over one arm and headed out of the door. Angel wiped what he could off his jacket and wished he'd brought something less expensive to clean before following him. Spike was whistling something Angel took to be Punk and didn't inquire in case he got the full song. By the time they reached his apartment, Angel was so disgusted by the drying matter that he stripped off by the shower immediately and ran his clothes under the stream until most of the yuck had run down the drain.

He turned round to the sound of the bath being run. Spike was still dressed, but filling the tub with a load of bubble bath. As he realised Angel was looking at him, he grinned and pulled off his clothes, throwing them on top of Angel's own in the shower. Angel couldn't help but let his gaze travel down Spike's body to his thighs, seeing the stiffening mass of flesh that matched his own. He bit down on his lip and despite the fact that twenty minutes earlier they'd been up to their necks in demon mire, his cock was hard and his balls felt as though they were full of molten lead.

Spike grinned at the sight and whilst the tap was running, he stepped on top of the clothes pile and let the muck run off him. Angel watched with bated breath that he didn't actually need, as the water gushed down Spike's body. It took all his restraint to stop from touching him, but the sight alone was so damned good that he held back, driving his nails into his palms while he waited. The hollows of the English vampire's cheeks seemed to glisten under the torrent and his neck was stretched upwards, pelted by the blissful water that flashed down upon him.

He turned, and Angel moaned softly as dimples appeared in his backside, a lush expanse of flesh that he just wanted to sink his teeth (and his fangs) into. The tattoo flexed as Spike moved from side to side and Angel felt the blood squishing between his fingers as his nails cut the skin. The last of the muck washed off and Spike turned to get out of the shower. He wasn't exactly surprised, but he was pleased to see Angel standing in front of him, panting in that way he always did when he was excited, his cock hard and ready for some attention.

But Spike knew that Angel liked to tease and walked deliberately past him to turn off the taps, allowing his hand to brush momentarily past a firm thigh. He felt the shudder and heard the whispered gasp, grinning to himself and climbing into the bath. Angel turned to get in with him, but Spike held up a restraining arm. Angel's tortured expression was hardly to do with soul searching this time, but for once, Spike enjoyed seeing it.

'Will?' asked Angel, bewildered.

'Not yet, Peaches,' grinned Spike, 'You're not coming in here whilst you're dirty.'

Angel blinked.

'It's a bath, you're supposed to get clean in it.'

Spike grinned and stretched out.

'Well, Love,' his toe touched the tap and played enticingly with the faucet. 'I thought this might be a bath that we got dirty in.'

He shot Angel his best come-fuck-me smile and Angel gulped, turned and climbed under the running water of the shower. Spike was impressed at the speed with which he cleaned up. His hair, normally something the brooding one spent hours over, was given a quick cleansing scrub and left alone. Must have some magic, Spike thought to himself, must have hormones working on overload!

Angel turned the shower off and began to walk over to the tub. Spike held up his hand again and Angel rolled his eyes in frustration.

'What now?'

'Now now,' said Spike, 'don't get your knickers in a twist. I'm offering to wash your hair. Bring the shampoo over with you, Pet.'

Angel paused, wondering if Spike was being serious and then picked up the bottle, before finally, thankfully, climbing into the bath. It was so warm against his cold skin and as he moved to sit facing Spike, the blond vampire moved out of the way to make room. He sat in the steamy water, the head of his cock bobbing happily at the surface whilst Spike's legs slid over his thighs. He felt the hard length of his lover's cock press against his own and let out a happy 'Mmm'. Spike grinned and took the bottle, emptying a large puddle into the palm of his hand.

'That's too much.'

Spike raised an eyebrow.

'Excuse me here, Peaches, but who's washing whose hair?'

Angel grinned and scraped half off.

'What? You never learnt to share?'

Angel reached up to Spike's hair and rubbed the gelatinous liquid into the short strands. He felt Spike's arms come up and repeat the action with his own, moaning softly as the slender fingers massaged his scalp. Wanting to move forward and feel Spike's chest against his own, wanting to possess him, to be so connected with this creature who caused anger and desire in almost equal amounts.

As Angel reacted catlike to Spike's ministrations, the younger vampire realised how good it felt to have Angel pamper him. He'd tended to Angel's wants before. But he'd never had anyone wash his hair and he felt his cock twitch at every movement of Angel's fingers. He slid closer to his sire, letting out a surprised groan as the tender flesh moved against his lover's penis. Spike bent his knees and Angel moved instinctively closer, both wondering if the tub would take the pressure of the two vampires consummating this need.

Angel groped blindly for the jug at the side of the bath, missing by inches and knocking it onto the floor. He groaned in frustration and to his surprise, felt Spike shift his legs, pulling them off his own to a kneel, reaching over Angel for the jug. His thighs pressed so close to Angel's mouth, the dark vampire couldn't resist and bit down hard on the tender flesh. Spike threw his head back and growled as Angel suckled at the skin, not quite breaking the flesh, but raising a deep purple bruise, a true love bite on his childe.

Spike thrust his hips forward and Angel caught hold of the velvety flesh in his fingers, glancing up as he fed the slippery length into his mouth. The English vampire cried out and grasped his hands on Angel's shoulders, feeling the bubbles burst against his legs. Angel reached both hands round to his ass and pulled him in closer, feeling the steady throb of Spike's cock as it slid in and out of his mouth. He could feel Spike letting him dictate the rhythm and pulled hard, letting Spike slide past the natural defenses of his throat.

As Angel's nose nudged his belly, Spike let out a deep moan, feeling the pressure in his balls build. He felt the bubbles slip down from his hair and kept his eyes closed, knowing that he was going to cum, knowing that he wanted to see and that his eyes would sting if he opened them but...Oh God Angel...He felt Angel's fingers slide up and start nudging beneath his balls, stroking and nudging and sliding against his ass. He growled loudly, wanting, needing Angel to slide his finger inside and make him cum, give him the release he wanted to so much. As if reading his mind, Angel's fingers slid to his ass and slipped eagerly inside, finding the gland that Spike needed him to touch, feeling as Spike howled and the sticky liquid squirted down his throat.

As the last of the howl died away, Spike fell forward, supported by Angel as his cock slipped easily from his throat. He lay against Angel's chest for a moment, uncomfortable, but happy, flushed with pleasure. The jug clanked against Angel's neck and Spike picked it up, filled it and washed Angel's hair by touch alone. Angel purred at the caress and once the suds had washed clear of his hair, took the jug and rinsed his lover's. Able to open his eyes, Spike blinked and then reached for his sire, meeting his mouth with a kiss that promised to deliver the same amount of pleasure back.

Angel smiled against the welcoming mouth, feeling the tongue straining against his own, the strong hand reaching round his back and pulling him closer. Leaning backwards, to pull Spike up onto his chest, Angel lost his balance and they both landed with a colossal splash against the sloped edge. Spike broke off the kiss and chuckled.

'If you really wanted me to be on top, you should have asked Love, told you before.'

'Well I was really thinking that maybe we should go to bed and I'll give you that tongue bath I started earlier.'

Spike grinned and squirmed against the throbbing length, causing Angel to moan and buck his hips.

'Hmmm, much as I'd like that Pet, I think you could do with tonguing right now.'

He moved again and Angel had to lift him up to gain any kind of control.

'Bed. You. Now.'

Spike laughed and climbed out of the bath, grabbing the towel. Angel followed him and knocked the towel from his grasp. The younger man raised an eyebrow.

'How am I going to get dry now, Pet?'

Angel pulled him in for a deep kiss before picking him up into a fireman's lift and carrying him into the bedroom.

'Angel!'

The vampire grinned, his eyes dark with lust and he threw Spike down on the bed, trailing his tongue up his leg, feeling Spike moan before he heard it. His hands were everywhere, touching and scratching and pulling whilst the English vampire squirmed and bucked beneath him. He slid up next to him and kissed him hard, letting his tongue work against the fangs, teasing and as Spike started his own finger exploration...

The phone rang.

Spike groaned and fell back against the headboard.

'I'm going to fucking disconnect that bloody thing!'

Angel knelt up, listening to the mechanical tones before getting up out of bed. He looked at Spike, seeing as his face flickered between human and vampire, anger tempered by the knowledge that Angel always came back. That he had to share the man he loved with a world that denied their very existence. It was a harsh price, but Spike believed it was worth paying. Anything else paled in comparison to being with Angel.

The world was emptier.

'Go on, you'd best find out which tossers need your help tonight.'

He rolled over onto his side and listened as Angel rose quietly and headed out of the room. He listened as the ringing stopped and then turned his attention to the book he'd brought to bed - erotic nursery rhymes by Angela Carter - something he'd had no idea existed until he'd found one of her books.

He was just reading what red Riding Hood really did do with the wolf when he felt Angel kissing his way along his back. He half turned and found his sire smiling gently, a tray next to the bed, filled to the brim with strawberries. Spike frowned, wondering why his sire was still naked, but then he saw the wire on the floor, the phone lying useless at the table.

'I thought you were going to go play hero?'

Angel smiled and moved nearer.

'Someone else can save the world tonight.'

Spike chuckled.

'I thought you had to put your good deeds above everything? Thought it was part of the deal, Love?'

Angel stroked his hand along Spike's cheek and kissed him softly.

'I had something important to do.'

'What?'

Angel picked up and strawberry and placed it in the hollow of Spike's shoulder.

'Can't save the day without a good breakfast.'

Spike rolled his eyes.

'Eat me.'

Angel grinned and licked along his collarbone.

'That's exactly what I had in mind.'
 

*
 

'Why the fuck don't you buy any good food in?'

Angel shot a hurt expression at his lover, wanting to point out that he had in fact, gone against all his normal 'Oh look at me I'm a vampire' fridge and actually bought some real food in. It had taken some doing, not only because Angel didn't normally taste anything stronger than a rare AB negative, but also because it had involved asking Cordelia to help him out. Everything he'd asked for her assistance in purchasing had involved a casual raising of her left eyebrow. When he'd asked where he could by squirty cream in bulk, the finely arched hairs had disappeared somewhere under her hairline, presumably never to be seen again.

Still, he had to give it to her; the woman had come through. His fridge was now full of everything a vampire and his lover might need to while away the small hours when the phone was off the hook. He'd promised Spike some time where it was just the two of them and though he still felt guilty, saving the world could wait a night. The reaction from the other vampire was worth it. Spike had reveled in Angel's ministrations, grinning like mad and groaning with gusto when the dark vampire had made him cum.

He'd practically had to fight to stop the blond returning the favor, wanting to spend his time making Spike feel good and loved and warm. He knew he wasn't all that good at talking about what dwelt in his unbeating heart. Wasn't all that good at talking about anything anyway, but his emotions were another matter. His soul had brought with it a capacity to accept his feelings, something; he was embarrassed to note, Spike didn't seem to require. His lover lived by his emotions, letting the passions of his very nature dictate the what and why. Angel practically tripped over himself everytime he'd even considered letting go.

When he'd broken vampire lore with Spike, that first time when he'd allowed his childe to make love to him, he'd felt a bloodrush flooding his body and he'd known then that this was something special. But the demon inside him had compounded the fears he'd had as a man. He could not afford to love; it would undo him and make him weak.

When he'd regained his soul, he'd spent years avoiding others, fearing their loathing and bitterly regretting he'd ever been born. He'd had time to consider his past deeds, not only those actions which had been instantly violent, but those which had taken time to burn deeply. What had prayed upon his mind, alongside his corruption of Drusilla, was the knowledge that love had been in his hands and he had chosen to walk away.

'Oi!'

Angel jumped, aware that frown lines had begun to assume their normal place on his forehead and that the Blond in the kitchen would not be happy. He stretched his face, trying to change his expression and was aware that he probably resembled something close to a clubbed seal.

Not good.

Spike stormed over, completely naked except for what appeared to be a pair of red legwarmers, holding a tray of things salvaged from the freezer. He didn't look best pleased, but Angel forgot all about being non-broody because he couldn't take his eyes of Spike's feet.

'What,' he asked incredulously, 'Are those?'

Spike put the tray down on the side table and stood there a moment, looking at the items in question.

'They're warm.'

'Of course they are, they're called leg warmers. What I don't get, is why you're wearing them.'

Spike raised an eyebrow.

'Because it's bloody cold in the kitchen.

Angel opened his mouth to reply and then closed it again, aware that Spike was very good at being obtuse and could make an argument like this last for days. He did however promise himself that he would find out why his lover had taken to wearing something other than black jeans and a T-shirt before morning. Angel looked over at the tray and found that it was crumbs of what turned out to be the chocolate cake he'd bought in specially.

'Hey, you asked me to get you that.'

'And?' replied Spike; 'It's not inedible.'

'Not by anyone with the table manners of a pig, no.'

Spike snorted happily.

'Got big plans for that, Peaches!'

Angel shook his head.

'Do you know how long it takes to get stains like that out of these sheets?'

'No,' said Spike, walking up to the TV, 'do tell me the delights of fluff and fold, Love. I'm riveted.'

'I'll rivet you,' said Angel, and flinched as he thought how tacky that last comment had been. He'd seriously intended, at some point over the next - he checked the clock, just after Eleven - eight hours to tell Spike how much he meant to him. With Buffy that part had turned out to be quite easy. She was young and inexperienced; his declarations of devotion had been the very thing she wanted to hear.

Spike was a completely different case.

They'd had their moments of tenderness, but what passed between them was unspoken for the greater part. It wasn't just because of their age. Despite the beliefs of too many poets, Angel did not belief that passion was devoted to the young. Although sometimes he wondered if that had been used as a chat up line by most of them in a prove-me-wrong kind of way. He'd just like to be able to walk up to Spike and say, "You know I love you", but he guessed that before he could get to the follow up line it would be swallowed by a reply on the lines of "...but we only have fourteen hours to save the Earth." Or, "...but you've got a Hell of a lot to learn about rock and roll."

For some reason, he thought that Spike was afraid of admitting how much he cared about him. Only in moments of high passion had the English vampire professed his love, unfettered by their normal flirtations and insults. He guessed that Spike was becoming more bothered about his involvement on the side of The Powers that Fuck about. Powers that Be! Dear God, living with Spike had changed him in ways that even Cordelia had noticed and that HAD to be something big. Still, what she'd said was how much she preferred him in non-brood mode and since Spike had, accidentally saved her life twice, she wasn't too averse to having him around.

'Oi, brooding boy! Get your arse over here and watch this.'

'Watch what?'

Spike was sitting on the couch with his legs resting easily on the coffee table. Angel bit down a request for him to move them and sat down next to him. He looked relaxed in a way that Angel wasn't sure he could manage. It wasn't as though he could just slump back, wearing nothing but red leg warmers, (why? Why?) and brood. Not that he felt like brooding right now. In fact, and he glanced warmly down to Spike's thighs, he was feeling fairly up.

So to speak.

'Spike?'

'Shh, Pet, you'll miss the best bit.'

Angel blinked and looked at the screen. On it were several people dressed in large teddy bear outfits, gyrating and stretching to something that sounded like 'The Teddy bear's picnic'. He watched for a minute in sheer amazement before turning to look at Spike. The Vampire was mesmerized.

'Spike?'

'Wait a minute, Pet, they're about to do this roll thing, it's brilliant!'

Sure enough, the teddy bears got up and formed a shaky circle, a la 'Praise You' and started to do forward rolls. This was unfortunately hampered by their was dreadful coordination and as Teddy Bear with blue ribbon moved forward, so did Teddy Bear with Pink Bow. They crashed very slowly into one another and Blue's head fell off, revealing a rather sweaty man with a sour expression. He bashed out at Pink and there was a rather satisfying oof over the top of the twinkly music. Pink swung back, arm restricted by the lumpy suit and it was clear that sandwiches were off the menu at this picnic.

A kind of strange chaos ensued, with the teddy bears losing heads and arms as they beat one another up, various production staff members bashed out of the way as the fight gained momentum. Angel looked, bewildered at Spike. The blond vampire was laughing so hard that tears rolled down his cheeks. His head was thrown back, revealing a luscious piece of neck that Angel wanted badly to sink his teeth into and his arms were wrapped tightly round his waist, clutching his stomach as his hysteric convulsions continued.

Angel turned back to the screen. Pink was throttling spotty yellow with his own ribbon and Friendly purple was bashing green over the head with someone's arm. He heard Spike scream in amusement and felt a bubble of laughter in his own throat. The teddy's picnic massacre. He chuckled, and then it began to build, Spike's hand stretching out and falling on his leg as the blond Vampire let it all hang out. By the time Spike had fallen forward, his head shuddering with the giggles against Angel's upper thigh, Angel was laughing crazily, lust driven and teddy bear crazed. It was all just too silly for words.

Too perfect.

'I love you, Will.'

Spike snorted against Angel's thigh and felt saliva drip from his mouth onto the firm leg. He wiped it absently with his hand and smiled as Angel tensed beneath his fingers.

'What was that mate?' he managed.

Angel reached down and stroked his way through the close cropped hair.

'I just wanted to tell you that...'

There was another snort and Angel took his hand off, staring anywhere but at the vampire who perplexed him. Spike sat up and stared at Angel's face. It was showing worrying signs of Gloom.

He lay one hand on Angel's neck and pulled him round to face him.

'I know, all right, I know. You don't have to say it.'

Angel leaned into the hand and smiled softly.

'I want to say it though. We leave too much left unsaid.'

Spike grinned gently.

'Some things don't need to be said, Love.'

He trailed his hand towards Angel's nipple and the older vampire snorted a giggle away.

'See, everytime we start having a conversation like this, it always ends up in sex.'

'And you have a problem with that?' said Spike, playing with the tiny nub.

Angel bit his lip and then lay his hand over Spike's, stilling it.

'No. But I wanted you to know that...'

Spike leant forward, kissing him tenderly.

'I know Love, I know.'

Give me strength!

Angel moved quickly and pinned the quickly bemused vampire beneath him on the sofa.

'Um, Angel Pet, I can't see the TV from here.'

'Shut up! Just shut up for five seconds and let me talk.'

Spike clicked his tongue against the top of his mouth and grinned lazily at the seriousness on Angel's face.

'Is this gonna be a proposal, Peaches, cause you've got a funny idea of "on bended knee".'

Angel clamped his free hand over Spike's mouth and held his wrists above the blond hair, dimly aware that Spike had more than enough strength to break free.

'Right, now you have to just shut up and listen!'

He took a deep breath.

'I love you Will, I love you being here with me. I love the way you take up too much room in bed and sleep with the whole sheet wrapped round your waist. I love the fact that you drive me crazy for hours on end with your blasted music. I love the way you try and eat everything in the Fridge, including things that even mortals won't eat.

I love the way you drive me to distraction with lust. That you don't even intend to get me hot, but it happens anyway. I love the way you've adapted to this thing they did to you, that you haven't let it beat you, or change you. I love that you won't let me brood and that you make me see what a fool I can be.

I love that your decisions are always your own, and that everything I have to face...that I don't have to do it alone.'

He paused a moment, watching as Spike's intense gaze softened with each passing word.

'I love you...and I never want you to leave.'

He moved his hand away from Spike's mouth, feeling slightly embarrassed by the unusual length of his speech and a little foolish. Spike raised an eyebrow and ran his tongue out over suddenly dry lips. He looked at Angel's earnest, flushed face and smiled.

'Done now?'

Angel nodded, sitting up slowly and feeling more ridiculous than he had in a long while.

'Yeah, done.' He looked down at Spike, who was shifting slightly to lean on one arm. 'Sorry about that.'

'No, it was...' Spike grinned. 'I liked it.'

Angel closed his eyes.

'I feel so stupid.'

'Protesting true love does that to a bloke,' agreed Spike, 'Especially when it's reciprocated.'

Angel opened one eye and looked at him.

'That's kind of polysyllabic for you.'

Spike sniffed and sat up.

'True love does that to me too.'

'The wacky,' agreed Angel.

Spike chuckled.

'Love, we're a couple of undead poufs who fight against the forces of evil with a half-demon, an ex-Watcher and the brain-dead snob Queen of Sunnydale. We passed Wacky about a month ago.'

Angel chuckled and bent his head to Spikes. He paused within a centimeter of touching his lips and stared into those impossibly perceptive eyes.

'Reciprocated, right?'

'Yeah,' grinned Spike, 'About everything except the bed hogging.'

Angel raised an eyebrow.

'You're shorter than me, and I'm always on the edge.'

'Not just talking about the bed there, Pet!'

'You take up all the room. You hardly ever lay on the pillow and you're always starfish across the bed.'

'Head's never on the pillow cause you flinch everytime I come near your bloody hair!'

'Well I wouldn't worry so much if you didn't use all my hair gel.'

'I don't wear hair gel,' Spike grinned.

Angel frowned.

'Then where does mine go all the time?'

Spike grin widened.

'The plants.'

Angel shifted his gaze to the plants Cordelia had bought for Spike after that incident with the Scourge. Spike, one of nature's brown-fingered individuals, had decided to try something he called 'The Crowley approach'. Angel had stayed well out of it, but noticed every now and then that one of the plants would disappear and the remaining greenery seemed to thrive in its absence. Spike didn't discuss what he did exactly, but Angel had never suspected that hair gel was part of the mystery.

'The plants.'

'Yep.'

'You wasted my hair gel on the plants.'

'Not wasted, Peaches,' said Spike, kissing him lightly, 'They've reacted quite well to the stuff.'

Angel closed his eyes.

'Do you have any idea how many tubes you've gone through and how much they cost?'

'Stop being so anal, Pet. It's only to make your hair pretty. And it already looks fab without it!' he added in a falsetto, running one hand through the spiky mass.

'Don't touch my hair!'

Spike chuckled.

'See! You hate me being anywhere near your precious locks. You go all pouty!'

'I don't,' said Angel.

'You do,' grinned Spike, 'you're doing it now!'

Angel pulled his lips loose, and tried a stern frown.

It wasn't working, Spike was in too cheerful a mood and he was still on a high from Angel's romantic declarations.

'See, you're one step away from being as vain as that blond kid.'

'What blond kid?'

'The one on that bloody show Miss I-still-hold-onto-my-privileged-childhood always watches.'

Angel furrowed his brow, trying to remember. Realization dawned.

'You mean Zack Morris? I don't look anything like him!'

Spike grinned.

'Oh? How's that then, Peaches?'

Angel knew vaguely that he was being ribbed, but the hair gel thing had him on edge. Damn, Spike was right about that too.

'He's blond! Shorter than me! His hair's completely different to mine.'

'Better or worse?'

The 'worse' was out of lips before he could help it, and the puppy dog look he shot to Spike just afterwards was lost as Spike started chuckling again.

'So, one step beyond then, Peaches. You can't help being gorgeous, but you're really going to have to get this vanity shit in check.'

Angel gazed helplessly around, until his gaze hit on Spike's coat, the one thing the vampire had utterly refused to be parted from. He'd agreed to wear other things on occasion, as long as they were in a shade of black or red, but the well-worn duster had never been traded in for anything. It was like Angel's leather pants - something he knew he looked good in and saw no reason to change.

'Well what about your coat?' he asked, 'You're vain about that.'

'Burn it,' said Spike, 'Material crap just rots after a century or so.'

Angel stood up slowly and picked up the coat. He reached in the pocket for Spike's matches and stared at the blond. Spike sat back on the sofa, his naked body tense in every way, aside from the lazy grin on his face. He didn't look entirely worried, but Angel could feel his anxiety and lit the match with a grin. He moved it over the coat and Spike jumped up, knocking the garment out of his hand before it could catch light. Angel laughed as he shook out the match.

'I thought you weren't vain?'

'I like that coat, and I've had it less than a century.'

Angel grinned.

'It'll rot.'

'Eventually, and then you'll have to buy me a new one, Pet.'

Angel raised his eyebrows.

'You think we'll still be together in a hundred years?'

'Well you did say you never wanted me to leave.'

'That was before I knew what you'd done with my hair gel.'

Spike chuckled.

'True love doesn't last long these days.'

Angel grabbed him by the shoulders.

'Yes it does.'

Spike looked at him in mock suspicion.

'You're not going to pin me down to the sofa again Pet?'

Angel smiled.

'Not unless you ask me nicely.'

'Fuck that!'

Spike kissed him briefly, letting his tongue stray for a second inside that welcoming mouth for a second. He moved over to the kitchen and picked up the nearest bottle. After he'd started consuming some of Angel's treasured poncy wines, the brooding one had insisted on buying in something more to Spike's taste. His assumption that all Spike really liked was strong liquor had resulted in the purchase of several bottle of Absolut; vodka that was as strong as it was cheap. He'd already had half a bottle this evening, but his vampire constitution absorbed that easily and it would take several more to get him drunk.

He walked back over to the front room, where Angel had turned off the Teddy video and was searching through the albums by the stereo for something he didn't mind listening to. It was a difficult choice, since Spike had populated the collection with his Punk tastes. There were some other tracks there, some that looked more like Doyle's choice than anything either vampire would buy, but Spike saw Angel pulling out what looked to be a Cure album and wondered whether Angel was harboring a secret fascination with modern music.

'What is this doing in here?'

Obviously not.

'Not mine, Pet. You know my stuff.'

'Yeah, my ears are still ringing from your last singalong.'

Spike grinned. Angel had just about got used to the Sex Pistols when he'd changed to The Who. The whole collection of course. At full volume. Until that bastard dentist from next door had complained about the noise.

Some people have no taste.

Angel slipped the disc inside the machine and remembered to turn the volume down. The bittersweet tones of Robert Smith's voice rolled out of the speakers and Spike raised an eyebrow. Angel tilted his head from side to side, weighing up whether he liked it or not.

'You know, even when you finally land in the Twenty First Century you're still back with Byron and the lacey gloved posse.'

'Hmm,' said Angel, enjoying the track, 'This isn't bad. It must be Doyle's. I wonder if he knows he's left it here?'

Spike listened carefully to the lyrics and let out a throaty chuckle.

'What?'

'It's us, you great Nonce.'

'What's us?' asked Angel, confused.

'Smith and his bloody cronies. They've managed to describe your I'm so tortured act to a tee! Listen!'

Angel obliged, aware after he'd obeyed that he was willing to do anything this vampire asked of him.

no I won't do it again; I don't want to pretend

If it can't be like before I've got to let it end,

I don't want what I was; I had a change of head

But maybe someday...

Yeah maybe someday
 

Spike grinned at him and Angel failed to hide the smile that crossed his lips. Spike saw Angel's boxer clad hips swaying with the music and wondered if his sire still remembered how to dance. He'd seen him once or twice with that Slayer, her head pressed against his shoulder, swaying from foot to foot as they moved. That wasn't the kind of dancing Spike liked.

As a man, he'd been the wrong class to learn any formal dancing - no one he'd known, except from a few choice prostitutes had the time to beat out a rhythm. But once he'd been turned, Angel had spent several weeks showing him a few steps here and there. He hadn't really started enjoying himself until the fifties, when Drusilla had eaten a Teddy Boy or two. He liked the birth of rock and roll, had hung around Liverpool for a while when the Beetles had started up and avoided feeding on John Lennon simply because he wanted to know what they were going to write next. A groupie had sufficed that time and Spike had begun to like dancing the night away.

Of course, he spent half the night trying to find Dru again, usually locked in the arms of some unfortunate who'd thought he'd struck lucky. They were always half drained by the time he'd got there. But his Princess had liked sharing, and they'd frequently performed their own private dirty dancing in the glow of someone's corpse.

Angel looked damnably horny and Spike wondered how the vampire would feel about dancing with him. Not to this music though, Spike preferred something more upbeat. Still, he conceded, it should have a little romance to it, not quite this much though! He moved to the CD's and picked up a Def Leppard track.

Compromise, right?

'Spike?'

Angel looked at his lover, wondering why he was hearing something that sounded suspiciously like soft rock coming out of the speakers. He didn't know Spike even owned anything that was soft rock, let alone wanted to play it now. And then as Spike slid the silly leg warmers off and walked over to him, Angel caught the look on his face. Spike, for all his violence and aggression, was also the owner of a romantic streak. He wasn't a hearts and flowers type of man, but Spike did like to give his loved one what he thought they'd want. Drusilla had received all manner of things over the years, but each and every one was given with love and affection, something Angelus couldn't and Angel struggled to manage.

As the vocals kicked in, Angel realised it was definitely a love song and as Spike slung one arm round his waist and the vodka clasped hand over his shoulder, the dark vampire closed his own arms around Spike's torso and pulled him close. Despite his earlier assertion that he didn't like the way Buffy and Angel had danced, he found himself leaning into Angel just so, his head resting neatly against the strong neck and his body pressed tightly into his sire's.

Why save your kisses for a rainy day

Baby let the moment take your heart away

Have you ever needed someone so bad, yeah

Have you ever wanted someone

You just couldn't have

Did you ever try so hard

That your world just fell apart

Have you ever needed someone so bad

Angel rested his chin on Spike's hair and closed his eyes, relishing the closeness of the younger vampire. He was almost afraid to question their luck. It had held out for far longer than anyone had any right to, but he wanted Spike so badly. Oh that's so funny, Spike knows exactly what he's doing playing this track. And maybe he's wrong about not needing words, but maybe he doesn't have to be the one to say them. We're both afraid that this will end, but God I don't want to lose him. I'll fight everything you throw at me forever, just let me keep this, this closeness, this love.

Every dream I dream is like

Some Kinda rash 'n' reckless scene

To give out such crazy love

You must be some kinda drug

And if my time don't ever come

For me you're still the same

Damned if I don't, damned if I do

I gotta get a fix on you

Damned indeed and I don't care. He felt Spike nuzzling against his neck and thought again that Spike was at his most affectionate when he was silent. It was an odd state for the hyperactive vampire, but Angel loved it, loved him and....

Smash!

'What was that?'

Spike jumped back, the vodka now missing from his hand.

'Shit!'

Angel turned and saw the duster Spike had saved earlier swathed in vodka. Unfortunately it was a little too near the candles Angel had lit to set a romantic mood and the whole thing was going up in flames. Spike growled and started beating out the fire as Angel stood back, trying hard not to laugh, unable to do anything to help his infuriated childe.

'Don't pratt about Angel, help me!'

Angel reached for the fire extinguisher and passed it over. Spike squirted its contents over the charred coat and it let a damp puff of smoke up as it surrendered to its horrible death. Spike stared disconsolately at the remains and slowly registered Angel's low laughter.

'It's not bleeding funny!'

'No, right, sure,' said Angel, trying hard to keep a straight face.

Impossible.

'Right!' said Spike walking over to the closet. 'Laugh this one off then!'

He pulled out Angel's favorite leather pants and tore them into three shredded pieces, exerting his vampire strength in a previously underused way.

'Hey!'

Spike grinned.

'Laughing on the other side now, Peaches!'

Angel took a look at his leathers and growled.

'That was childish.'

'That was retribution.'

'No, retribution is when I tell Cordelia you were wearing her legwarmers.'

'Well gee,' said Spike with a grin, 'Wouldn't that be a shame!'

Angel frowned as Spike picked up the wooly items and dunked them in the vodka that was left. He draped them over the table and Angel finally figured it out. Cordelia was meant to know that Spike had been parading around in her gym equipment. She just wasn't supposed to find out before she'd worn them again.

'You are a sick little man.'

'It's my upbringing.'

'You weren't brought up, you were dragged.'

Spike grinned and walked toward him.

'Oh yeah, and this is coming from the bloke who was born in the land of the potato people?'

'We're over the famine now, thanks.'

'Yeah? Well how come your prize asset is selling his butt off selling cereal?'

Spike closed the distance between them and Angel grinned, stepping backwards to the bed.

'You're just after me lucky charms.'

Spike gave a predatory growl.

'Very rural Love, keep that accent up and I'll be shagging you until your lot go through another potato famine.'

Angel kept moving backwards and felt the bedside table against his legs.

'You haven't got the stamina.'

Spike was very close.

'Try me.'

Angel stumbled and sat down.

Right in the middle of the chocolate cake.

'Oh fuck!'

'Language Peaches! You're supposed to say it's magically delicious or something.'

Angel looked up at Spike and frowned.

'I've got chocolate fudge all over my ass and you want me to be a Leprechaun.'

Spike pulled him to his feet and slowly turned him round.

'No ducks. They're a little short for my liking.'

He looked at the chocolate plastered to Angel's firm ass and felt his cock come to full attention. He heard Angel's laugh in his voice.

'I thought I was supposed to be eating you?'

Spike bent to his knees and bite down, nipping the skin.

'Sue me. I've never had Angel cake before, Pet, and I'm not missing the chance now.'

Angel did laugh then, and then cried out as Spike proved that eating like a pig might be bad manners, but it was a hell of a lot better than practicing Miss Manners. As Spike gorged himself on cake and ass, his heart soared and he stopped eating a moment.

'Angel?'

A deep moan.

'Yes, Will?'

'I love you too.'

A low chuckle.

'I know Will, I know.'

Silence.

'And Peaches?'

A slightly more frustrated groan.

'What Will?'

'Can we get sticky toffee pudding next time?'

'Next time? You think I'm sitting in desert again?'

Spike bit down hard on a fleshy cheek, eliciting a wild cry from the dark vampire. He grinned.

'And you say it like it's a problem, Pet.'

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