~Part: 11~
"What did you do, Willow?" Cordy asked, her eyes wide. She wondered if Drusilla was in Angel's bedroom, maybe Willow could dust her off, too.
Willow's skin was ashen as she turned to Angel. "Angel, I-"
He was hunched over on the couch, his shoulders shaking. Could he really that upset? Of course he could, Cordy thought, the man obsessed about Darla for the past 300 years, you don't think he might be a little shaken up over her death happening right in front of him?
"Angel," Spike said, a little worried. What if Pops freaked and ripped Willow's throat out?
Angel leaned back with bloody tears streaking his cheeks. He was laughing, laughing hysterically.
"Angel?" Cordy asked. Angel threw his head back and howled with laughter. When he finally, caught himself, he wiped his tears away and sighed.
"All that build-up, all that pain and torture and manipulation. And in a blink of an eye, Willow does what I couldn't for more than 400 years." He began laughing again, getting up from the couch. Spike watched, helpless with confusion as Angel ambled over to Willow. She watched fearful of what the vampire she loved would do in his manic state. Suddenly she was in his embrace, he kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her chin.
"Thank you," he repeated with every kiss. She laughed, wrapping her arms around Angel's shaking body. "You freed me, Willow."
"Um… guys?" Gunn said, clearing his throat as he and Wesley entered the hotel lobby.
"Gunn!" Cordy exclaimed, running for him. Spike's gut twisted jealously as his brunette queen hugged the pair familiarly.
"How was your vacation?" Gunn asked. "Did you bring me anything?"
"Of course I did," Cordy grinned.
"Cordelia, what is Willow doing here?" Wes asked, hugging his favorite administrative assistant. "What is Willow doing here, hugging Angel? What is Spike doing here?"
"You ask too many questions, Wes," Cordy laughed. She lowered her voice. "Willow just dusted Darla."
Gunn's jaw dropped. "That little thing?"
"She's hardly little," Wes said defensively. "Everyone's short to the man who's 6-foot-5."
"Willow and I met up with Spike on the road and we took a little jaunt down to Mexico," Cordy said as Spike sidled up next to her. He dropped a kiss on his brunette's shoulder as Willow unwrapped herself from Angel's embrace. She dragged the still chuckling vampire to the conversation.
"Wait a minute," Wes said, watching as Spike kissed both of his claimed women. "You two…. You three?"
"Guess who's coming to dinner, mate?" Spike grinned. "Pardon the coincidental disturbing image that comes with the expression."
~Part: 12~
Gunn and Wesley had relecutantly excused themselves sometime around noon. Spike and Angel were exhausted and wanted to get to their normal sleeping schedule.
"Yaaawww." Spike yawned. "I guess we're stuck here for the night, pets. Angel, this may sound stupid in an old hotel, but do you have a spare room we could use?"
Angel nodded. "Cordy, it's the honeymoon suite."
Cordy shuddered. Though the honeymoon suite was once the height of fashion in the 1940's now it was a decrepit, molding old shell of its former splendor. Why in the hell was angel sending them there? A gross joke?
Cordy led Spike upstairs while Willow hung back.
"When are you going to tell them I anchored your soul?" she hissed.
"I tried to tell Cordy the night she said she loved me," Angel said. "But she was so angry. And I was so...."
"Jackassed?" Willow asked.
"For lack of a better word," Angel shrugged.
"But Angel, you've had your soul back for six months."
"I know," Angel said. "Darla knew, too."
"How could Darla know?" Willow demanded. Angel wouldn't meet her gaze. "ANGEL? Did you sleep with Darla?!"
"No," Angel said, his eyes darting back and forth. "You know I'd never do something like that."
"WiiiiilloooooooW!" Cordy cried from upstairs.
Willow blushed. "I'd better go."
"Willow?" Angel asked as she walked away.
She turned.
"Is she happy?" he asked.
"Yes," Willow nodded. "But not as happy as she could be."
Angel grinned as she walked up the stairs.
"AAAH!" Cordy screamed as she bounced around the suite. "Can you believe this!"
Angel had completely redone the suite. Painting the words "Cordelia's suite" on the door in elegant gold script. The walls were done in a tasteful sky blue silk walkpaper with clouds painted on the sky blue ceiling. There was a gorgeous vanity in the corner. The bed was huge and was covered with enough satin to bankrupt a sultan. Spike could only imagine what Angel had planned there.
He tried to be cheerful, but he suspected Angel had extremely ulterior motives for this generosity.
"Wow!" Willow cried as she walked through the door. "I wonder if Gunn and Wesley's rooms look like this?"
"Wesley and Gunn's?" Cordy asked.
"Yah," Willow said. "Angel wanted the three of you to have a place to stay now that you're all working together again."
"I think Wesley's room probably looks like this." Spike grinned. But Cordy looked a little crestfallen. That made her feel significantly less special.
"How about we break in the new bed?" Willow grinned.
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