Setting the Scene

NOTES: Interlude between 'What Goes Around' and it's planned sequel 'Breaking the Cycle' (coming soon). AU rather than canon, (even though we all know Joss *meant* for Angel to sire Spike really...)

DISCLAIMER: My story but no, I don't own them. If I did, they'd spend more time naked! All owned by a wonderful genius named Joss who should be encouraged to rethink their clothing situation. I get nothing from writing this, apart from a warm fluffy feeling.

FEEDBACK: Yeah, love some! Thanks to everyone who said lovely things about my first fic - Hope you all like this one. DEDICATION: Again, with thanks to my beta Michelle, who never wanted to be an expert on male vampire sex but destiny says otherwise... Cheers Honey!

Angel watched from the doorway as Spike disappeared into the growing darkness of the cemetery, swaggering confidently as he headed for the magic shop. He hadn't wanted to skip town without telling the others where he was going, and Angel was strangely touched by this. Spike was more human in his ways than he realized.

Over the last few hours, they'd gone from being blissfully wrapped in each other's arms, to a more tense discussion of explaining Spike's impending trip to LA to the Scoobies. Angel wished they were still in the passionate kissing stage - he'd enjoyed that a *whole* lot more...

'Of course it makes sense,' he'd rationalized. 'They've got a Slayer, two powerful witches, an ex-demon, an ex- watcher and... Xander. I've only got humans to fight the good fight - We need you more than they do.'

Spike had snorted in derision at this last comment. He liked to pretend that 'fighting the good fight' was below his un-souled demon status, but Angel knew better. He'd spoken to Giles...

'Look,' Spike had replied, 'it's not that I've got anything against what you do, it's... you know... your destiny... redemption, or something... It's just not me.'

Angel took the opportunity of his childe's absence to call ahead and warn his employees to expect both of them. Their reaction was *less* than encouraging. Cordelia asked bluntly if he was out of his tiny mind, and he could hear Wesley coughing and cleaning his glasses in the background. What was it with Watchers and clean glasses?

Never the less, Angel knew that when they arrived, he would, at least in *some* way, be comforted by the knowledge that Spike would not be a total shock. All he had to predict now was how his childe would react to the close-knit community that was Angel Investigations. He wondered, repeatedly, if he was doing the right thing by wanting to bring Spike into his life in LA. Or if he was just being unbelievably selfish?

The bell above the door of 'The Magic Box' jangled cheerily as Spike made his entrance. Despite the late hour, he knew that he'd find them all there... fighting evil on a hellmouth wasn't exactly a nine-to-five gig.

Xander's mouth flapped shut, as the Scoobies feigned interest in their favorite neighborhood vampire and sometime fighting buddy.

'That's nice for you,' said Giles, absentmindedly, flipping through the pages of an old and dusty volume. 'Do send us a postcard, won't you...'

The research continued and Spike seemed to be forgotten. He hated the way they treated him sometimes. Just 'cause he couldn't *actually* bite them anymore, didn't mean he wasn't still a dangerous demon...

'*What*?' Buffy looked as though someone had just dragged her heart out through her mouth. Horror and panic was written over everyone's face.

It took Spike a few seconds to realize that their concern was for Angel. He wanted to be offended... until he realized that, as far as they all knew, the last contact he'd had with his sire had been through a piece of two-by-four and a number of red hot pokers.

Blank faces told him that a vampire's word was not counting for much. Exasperated, Spike fished around in his duster and produced a card, which he handed to Giles. 'Call him if you want, he'll tell you...' he shrugged.

The sound of his cell phone ringing in the silence of the crypt made Angel jump. Fumbling in his pocket, he saw the number of the magic shop flash across the screen. As he'd expected...

The Watcher's voice was concerned but calm, which told him that Spike was still within earshot. Carefully Angel described the fictional evil that was supposedly rising in LA, just as they'd discussed. He explained that now Spike was more used to his chip and had, by Giles's own accounts, been helping them to fight for some time now, that they had put their history of differences behind them. That Angel needed some extra vamp muscle right now and had come to Sunnydale to recruit Spike, who had agreed.

It had sounded more plausible a few hours ago, when Angel's main concern had been separating Spike from his clothes. However, from the yes's and I see's that he was getting, Giles seemed to be buying it. He just hoped that Giles was not concerned enough to call Wesley, as his own employees had been given a very different story to explain Spike's arrival...

'Well,' Giles began, addressing the questioning faces of the group, 'Everything appears to be in order. Spike's help is needed in LA and, as Angel pointed out, we are fairly well served by Buffy, Willow, Tara, Anya and myself here, so...' He cleaned his glasses pointedly.

'No... I don't think so... oh, yes.' Giles realized his point. 'Well... you, obviously... that goes without saying... of course...'

'And me...' Dawn chipped in. 'Not exactly slacking on the research front here, and if you'd just let Willow show me a few of those...'

The group's bickering was interrupted by the sound of the bell jangling cheerfully over the door, as Spike wandered off into the night, leaving seven slightly bemused humans behind him.

As he crossed the cemetery, he had an odd feeling in his stomach. He thought that maybe he needed to feed again, or that the blood he'd had earlier had disagreed with him. It was a fluttery, jumpy feeling, but it wasn't *just* his stomach, his hands were twitchy and he felt the need to smoke more...

Opening the door of his crypt, he still had to look twice when he saw Angel standing there. God, the man was a magnificent sight. The original tall, dark, and handsome. Maybe a bit on the broody side, but there was time to work on that. Taking in every curve and muscle on his sire's well toned body, Spike mentally checked a list of things that he'd like to work on, starting with that amazing...

'What?' He guessed Angel had been talking to him for a while, but he hadn't heard a word, too busy thinking about his sire's...

Spike dropped down the ladder to the crypt's lower level, only to return a few seconds later. He strode over the door and turned to look questioningly at Angel.

Eventually, Spike had been persuaded to at least pick up some extra clothes to bring, but he hadn't been happy about it. In fact, right now, he was sulking in the passenger seat. He had his feet up on the dashboard. Mainly, Angel was guessing, because he had asked him not to.

God, had he already forgotten the 'First Rule of Spike,' which was 'Never Lay Down Rules Unless You Specifically Want Them Broken'?

Angel sighed and contemplated his complex childe as he smoked yet another cigarette and stared distractedly at the passing scenery. He'd been quiet very quiet since they'd left Sunnydale and Angel thought that there was more to it than being made to pack clothes. He seemed kind of restless... almost nervous...

As they drew closer to LA, he brightened visibly, shaking off his earlier gloom and taking an interest in Angel's life and his friends, asking questions about the work and the hotel. Angel relaxed a little as they talked about Angel Investigations...

'No, Fred's a she. Short for Winifred,' Angel continued, 'We rescued her from an alternate dimension. She's really smart. Good with all things mathematical.'

'So you're telling me that your band of "only-humans" consists of a girl who gets sent visions by some power or other, an ex-watcher and one time rogue demon hunter, a guy who ran his own gang of vamp killers and a super-brain who come from another dimension...?

'Oh no, Fred's comes from Texas originally, she just got sucked through a portal five years ago,' Angel finished cheerfully.

Angel slid his hand onto Spike's leg and squeezed gently. 'I think you already know what I need you for...' he said with a suggestive grin.

He could tell that Spike *wanted* to be offended by this comment, but the inane grin that had just spread over his face told Angel that he probably wouldn't be complaining any time soon... Well, that and the fact that the front of his jeans now looked two sizes too small...

Over the last forty-eight hours, Angel had come to terms with the fact that he would probably never fully understand Spike. First the sulking and the petulant silence, then the animated talking, now the sexy pouting and stroking of his... Fuck, where had he learnt *that*? Oh yeah, Angelus had taught him that one...

As Angel surrendered himself to his childe's expert ministrations, he wondered which mode Spike would be in by the time they arrived...

Not that it was a word he'd consciously use, but deep down, Spike knew he was kinda scared about where he and Angel were going... Physically and metaphorically. He was amazed by the intensity of feelings that had been re-awakened in him. And unsure of how he'd fit into Angel's life in LA. Or even if he could...

He'd felt himself starting to brood about it earlier, and had made a concerted effort to bring things back onto a more familiar footing... Hence the current position of his hand...

'Oops! Sorry Angel... Forgot you were still driving there... Oh well, I'm sure you didn't have your eyes closed for too long. Worried that truck driver though...'

Angel growled at him in frustration and grabbed for Spike's hand, fully intending to make him finish what he'd started.

Fortunately for both Spike and the rest of LA's road users, the large hotel and home of Angel Investigations swung into view ahead of them.

Pulling up alongside, Angel could only watch helplessly as his childe eagerly leapt over the top of the car door and went bounding up the steps...

Bursting through the large double doors of the Hyperion, Spike was all heavy boots, billowing duster, bleached hair and attitude. Angel thought he looked fucking incredible... or incredibly fuckable... Well, one of the two anyway. Spike was standing in the middle of the lobby, gazing in wonder at the grandness of it all. Angel hoped that he was just humbled by its magnificent architecture...

'Fuck me, Angel!' Spike exclaimed loudly, 'If this place isn't a penis metaphor, I don't know what is! Jesus... and I thought the car screamed "I've-got-a-small-dick"!'

Fred was the first to make a move. She squeaked and hid under the counter. Cordelia started to bang her head against it, Wesley coughed and cleaned his glasses, and Gunn just stood with his mouth open.

Spike beamed at the assembled crowd. Angel wished for a convenient hell dimension to open up and swallow him... or better still, Spike.

With mumbled words of thanks for their waiting up, and assurance that he would be able to handle things from here, Angel ushered his employees towards the door and their respective homes. Spike had expected Fred to retire upstairs, (once she'd been coaxed out from under the desk), as he'd been told she stayed at the hotel. However, the hushed exchanges he was able to pick up, as he wandered distractedly around the lobby, told him that she was staying with Cordelia... for an unspecified length of time.

Clearly the news of his trip had been received with as much joy in LA as it had been in Sunnydale. God! If he wasn't still a demon, he could start to take this shit personally...

Behind him, the sound of doors closing and Angel sighing told Spike that the hotel was empty and they were alone again.

'Well, I think that went quite well, Pet, don't you?' Without turning round, he started to pat down his pockets in an attempt to find a cigarette...

He didn't hear Angel move until two hundred plus pounds of vampire hit Spike squarely from behind, sending him skidding face first across the polished floor.

'You evil little shit!' Angel yelled, picking him up and shoving him roughly towards the counter. 'You did that deliberately!'

'What? Can't a childe express his thoughts when he walks into his sire's place for the first time?' Spike backed up slowly, wondering if the feigned innocence was working for him.

'Childe, you have *so* much to pay for right now, you won't be walking *anywhere* by the time I've finished with you...'

.'..So I'm gonna make this easy on you...Well, easy-er, anyway.' A tiny grin played at his sire's lips. 'In about ten seconds, Angelus is coming out to play... Start running...'

He got to seven and a half before his resolve broke and he bolted for the staircase. It was still long enough for any vampire of Spike's speed to be long gone. The head start meant that Spike would take longer to find... But then that was half the fun!

Angel reached the top of the stairs and Spike's discarded duster in less than two seconds. He stopped and listened, shrugging off his own coat and laying it carefully across the banister. Further down the corridor he caught sight of one of Spike's black motorcycle boots. The second lay at the bottom of the next flight of stairs. Angel slipped off his own boots, aiming to match his childe's light- footedness.

The hotel was silent, save for the usual creaks and shudders of all old buildings. Listening hard for sounds of movement, Angel moved swiftly up to the next level. Out of habit of working with humans, he turned a few of the soft wall lights on as he went, forgetting that neither himself nor Spike actually needed them to see.

Halfway down the second floor corridor, Angel came across Spike's black shirt. Jesus, he was taking this seriously... Did he really think that the lack of any swishing material would give him the edge? Following the trail, Angel crept along the carpet, checking locked doors and any open rooms for signs of his childe.

He considered trying to track the route of their shared blood, but they hadn't fed from each other in so long, that he knew it would be too weak. Anyway, it kinda smacked of cheating. Good old-fashioned vampire stealth would have to ensure that he won this one. As he could not detect Spike's presence on this floor, he had no choice but to continue upwards...

At the top of the stairs, Angel found Spike's tight black T-shirt... and finally he understood the game. Well, he thought, quietly stripping off his own shirt and vest, this certainly adds a new dimension to the proceedings. Angelus was now grinning broadly and Angel knew it might be a struggle to keep him in check. But a fun struggle though...

Floor by floor, Angel tracked his childe, matching him garment for garment all the way, until the discovery of jeans and socks told him that Spike was now officially out of clothes and butt naked. Yummy! Still no sign of him though... Damn! He was really good at this... With all other avenues exhausted, Angel continued up onto the roof.

Spike couldn't help but chuckle quietly to himself. For the first time in... well, a *long* while, he was having fun... The stripping idea had been a stroke of genius, even if he did say so himself. He almost wanted to hang around just to see the look on Angel's face when he realized what was going on... But there was still a slight element of doubt in Spike's mind as to whether his being caught would lead to Angelus kicking his arse or fucking it. Spike had a definite preference, and being naked would probably make sure that things went his way when his sire inevitably caught up with him.

He opened the door to reveal LA's illuminated night sky - and no exit - other than the way he'd just come. Too risky to go back that way now. Angel was undoubtedly close behind. Seeing no other options, Spike swung his leg over the side of the building and started a hasty descent of the hotel's fire escape. He sent a quick mental prayer to any deities who might be listening, asking for the street below to stay free of unsuspecting passers-by. Especially those who might feel the need to call the police and report a naked man climbing down the side of a hotel in the middle of the night...

Reaching the ground, Spike hastily re-entered through the front doors, and dashed back up to the first floor. He hid in one of the rooms, guessing that by now, Angel had already reached the roof and would be starting to retrace his steps. He would probably be pissed off at being outsmarted in his own hotel, too. And if he was playing the game properly... he'd be naked!

Crouching just behind the door, Spike listened with every fiber of his body to the sounds of the hotel. In his nervous excitement, he had unconsciously started to take shallow breaths. Realizing that the sound he could hear was actually coming from him, he stopped breathing and concentrated on any signs of Angel approaching.

Before too long he heard his sire running less-than-lightly down the stairs... Clearly pissed off then, Spike smiled to himself. He guessed that if Angel suspected he was close by, then he was probably *supposed* to hear the older vampire's approach. He was probably *supposed* to be trembling in fear...

Angel was muttering to himself as he passed the very door Spike was hiding behind. Barely able to contain his excitement, he clamped a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. When Spike was sure that Angel had gone, he opened the door and crept out on his hands and knees across the carpet.

Reaching the balcony that looked down into the foyer, Spike's eyes damn near fell out of his head. Angel was most definitely playing the game, 'cause walking across the lobby, making sweeping glances from left to right, was one *very* naked vampire! He stood carefully and leaned over the balustrade, watching Angel's progress in the 'Search For Spike.' A low chuckle emanated from him before he could stop it, but he wasn't too worried, Angel was far too engrossed in the game to notice him...

As his sire continued to curse him, Spike sighed contentedly and propped himself up on his arms to watch the show. Christ! This was better than porn...!

Did Spike really think that he was going to win this one? Did he not realize just how easy it was for a sire to sense his childe?

Admittedly, he'd been thrown when he got up to the roof and still hadn't found him, but one look over the side of the building had told Angel exactly where he'd gone. And credit where credit's due - climbing skin to the wind down that many stories of fire escape took balls in anyone's book...

So Angel had marched back down the way he'd come, intending to head his childe off at the pass, so to speak. He'd almost made it back down to the lobby when he sensed him hiding behind the door of a room on the first floor. How Spike *ever* thought he'd get away with that one was beyond Angel... The scent of arousal was so strong, that he could practically see him. A large grin split his face in two, as he saw his next move. OK... Let Spike think he'd won the battle, but the war was most definitely not over...

Feigning anger, Angel stomped past the door loudly, muttering obscenities to himself. He descended into the brightly lit lobby - a little too brightly lit for Angel's liking, considering he was now stark naked - and continued the pantomime of looking for Spike.

He could now sense Spike on the balcony, watching him. Waves of pure desire were permeating the air all around his childe, making Angel's skin tingle with excitement. He laughed inwardly. I hope you're enjoying this little show, he thought, 'cause the tables are about to be turned...

Mumbling something about the kitchen, which he hoped Spike had caught, Angel wandered down stairs. He could have sworn that he actually heard Spike's characteristic low chuckle. God! He really thought he'd outsmarted his sire... how dumb was that childe?

Angel bolted up the little used back staircase and towards the first floor. This was his hotel, dammit, and he'd make sure that knowing its layout worked in his favor if it killed him... or better still, Spike...

As he stole silently along the corridor, the magnificent naked body of his childe came into view. Hugging the walls, Angel inched ever closer. Never, even in life and death situations (which was pretty much all the time anyway), had he ever put so much effort into going undetected. Just as Spike was starting to wonder where his sire had got to and possibly starting to wonder if he'd somehow been out- maneuvered, Angel pounced.

Seemingly from out of nowhere, Angel launched himself from the shadows and knocked Spike to the ground, pinning him face down with his considerable weight.

'Gotcha, you little shit!' he hissed triumphantly in Spike's ear, as his childe wriggled deliciously underneath him, trying to get away. He was clearly furious at being caught unaware.

He continued to twist and writhe under Angel, which was doing nothing for Angel's self-control. It felt far too good... Time for further baiting, he thought...

That comment earned Angel a sharp kick in the shins... which was about the only part of him that Spike could reach. He straddled the angry blonde, holding his wrists down above his head and leant down across Spike's back to whisper in his ear.

'So... you thought you could win this one, did you?' Angel purred gently. '*tut* *tut* *tut*... And on my territory as well... Did you learn nothing as my childe? Or am I going to have to run through a few lessons again?' Angel felt *every* part of the younger vampire stiffen at those words.

Loosening his grip just a little, Angel let Spike get as far as turning over onto his back, before he grabbed his wrists and pinned him to the ground again. He was now sitting with his full weight on Spike's groin, rocking gently... and despite the occasional tug of his wrists or twist of his hips, Angel knew that the Spike was not in a real hurry to go anywhere...

'So...' Angel deliberated, licking his lips as he took in the sight of his childe lying supine beneath him, 'Where *do* we start...?'

As Spike got to inspect the first floor carpet from very close quarters, he wondered for the fourteenth time in as many seconds, just *how* Angel had managed to end up on top of him, when he should still be downstairs...

And now Angelus seemed to be intent on teaching him a few things... 'Angelus' and 'Teaching' - those words immediately brought two others to Spike's mind. 'Oh' and 'Fuck...'

Spike gave up trying to get away. So far he'd got as far as turning over, only to be held down effortlessly once again. He'd never get over the fact that his poncey, broody, hair-gelled sire was actually physically bigger and stronger than he was... Spike... The 'Big Bad'... Where was the bloody justice in that?

Actually, the justice might be in the fact that Angel was now rocking gently, right *there*... and contemplating him like he was a gourmet feast while deciding where to start. With his arms pinned firmly above his head and his sire straddling his hips, Spike decided that he should just shut up and go along for the ride...

'God... it's been such a long time since I last tortured you, boy...' Spike swallowed hard, 'I'm not sure that I can remember what...'

Without warning, Angel game-faced and sank his teeth into Spike's neck. He screamed in pain and surprise. And pleasure...

As Angel drew back his head, Spike saw that the dark haired vampire's lips were reddened with his own blood. Damn, it was an erotic sight... Spike wanted to crush them to his own, to taste the coppery fluid... But his sire seemed to have other ideas.

'Mmmm...' Angel licked his lips slowly. 'Let's start with a few simple commands shall we... I'm going to let you go in a minute, and you're going to get up and go over to the balcony... and don't even *think* about making a run for it - you *will* come off worse...'

He didn't even make it to the stairs before two large hands came down on him and shoved him forwards against the balcony.

'Wrong move, Spike...' came his sire's voice from behind him, thick with lust and suppressed laughter. 'No, actually - Right move, 'cause now I get to do this...'

A strong leg was pushed between Spike's own, kicking them apart, and equally strong hands grasped his hips, forcing him to bend at the waist. The position was all too familiar, even if the view was a new one...

Faster than anyone would have thought possible, least of all him, Angel grabbed his childe's arm and dragged him away from the balcony and down the corridor.

'Angel...? Where are you...? We have... er... a situation...' Wesley disappeared towards the kitchen as Angel bolted into his own room, Spike still in tow.

'Jesus, that was close...' Angel gasped, leaning against the closed door. He looked at his naked, sniggering childe. 'For God sake Spike, get dressed!'

'It's precisely *that* that's stopping me. In case you'd forgotten, my clothes are currently spread the length and breadth of this hotel... And so are yours.'

Angel slapped a hand to his head, astounded at his own stupidity. And Spike's other clothes were still in the trunk of the car. Quickly, he pulled some clean jeans and a top out for himself and then threw some clothes at Spike.

'JUST DO IT!' Angel yelled. He dashed to retrieve their boots, which were fortunately still on this floor, just as Wesley was re-entering the lobby. Quickly putting on his own boots and grabbing his coat, he ran down the stairs.

'What's the deal?' Angel asked, deflecting any queries about why he took so long to materialize, by getting down to business.

'Quite straightforward this one, really. Nest of vampires in one of the warehouses by the docks. Gunn's already on his way there...'

'They're staying at Cordelia's apartment, I said that the three of us would handle this one,' Wesley replied, uncertainly glancing over Angel's shoulder

Behind him, Spike came bounding down the stairs, fully dressed, including boots and duster - which thankfully helped to disguise the fact that Angel's clothes were a couple of sizes too big for him. If Wesley noticed that they both had different clothes on to when they arrived, he didn't say anything.

'Er... do you think it's a good idea to...?' Wesley's remark to Angel tailed off as he the older vampire strode purposefully over to the weapons cabinet.

'Yes, well, you can never be too prepared in these situations, you never know when it could turn nasty, so I think the more the merrier in this case, I'm sure it won't be a problem, so if we're all ready I think we'd best get going, the sooner they're dusted, the sooner we can all get home and back to whatever we were all doing before the powers decided to call in yet another favor, take these and I'll meet you in the car, don't for get to lock the door behind you Wesley.'

Throwing some stakes and other weapons in the direction of the two stunned figures, Angel neatly closed the cabinet door and headed out.

There, he thought, jumping in the driver's seat, smoothed that situation over quite nicely... thank God vampires don't need to breathe...

Spike stood in the lobby, watching the doors swing closed behind one seriously weird vampire. Wesley turned to him and attempted to wipe the look of confusion off his face.

'Are you sure you want to come with us? I mean... we're quite practiced at this sort of thing, if ... you know... you don't feel...'

'Yeah, I'm great, thanks,' Spike interrupted as they closed the doors and headed towards the car. 'Suddenly got all this tension I need to work off...' the pointed comment was *not* missed by Angel as they both climbed in.

A shy, apologetic grin from his sire softened Spike's mood a little. But he was also determined to get to the bottom of Wesley's strange comments... and he had a feeling that Angel wasn't telling him everything...

When they pulled up outside the warehouse, Spike saw that Gunn was already lurking in the shadows at the side of the building. They hauled out of the car and he motioned silently for them to join him. Spike gripped the large sword he'd been (reluctantly) given by Wesley, and patted the stakes that were reassuringly hidden in his duster.

The familiar feeling of nervous anticipation settled in the pit of his stomach, and his vampire senses automatically tuned into the signs of impending danger. He glanced over at Angel and saw a similar look of hunted concentration on his sire's face.

On a silent count of three, both vampires, flanking the double doors, kicked sharply and all four of the assembled team piled inside and fanned out. They had caught the nest unawares and Spike and Angel wasted no time in capitalizing on this unexpected advantage, punching and kicking with practiced ease at everything that came their way.

As the battle continued, Spike noticed that Gunn and Wesley were more than capable of holding their own against the minions, despite being humans, while Angel went straight for the vampires who appeared to be in charge.

A whooshing noise and a cloud of dust indicated that there was already one less vamp in the world... And in under thirty seconds too - Spike was impressed.

Having dispensed of the vamp he was fighting, a pile of boxes caught Spike's eye. Stepping away from the fight, he approached cautiously. Peering behind them, he saw two pretty little female vampires, cowering in the shadows. They gasped when they saw him.

'Is it...?' Questioning eyes blinked up at him. 'It is... you... you're William the Bloody, aren't you?' one of them asked, tentatively.

Spike puffed out his chest in spite of himself. They were only fledges, barely a few days old by the look of them, and still feeling very human.

'That's right, Love,' he beamed dramatically. 'The Big Bad's come to LA! Here to fight the forces of darkness... which in this case is you... er... sorry about that...' They backed away from him even further, so he settled himself down on one of the boxes, taking a more conversational position.

'Er... Spike?' Angel yelled as he staggered past, a large vamp kicking him backwards across the warehouse. 'We're supposed to be fighting them, not chatting them up...'

'Yes,' whispered the other, conspiratorially, 'The vampire with the face of an angel, cursed by gypsies to spend the rest of eternity as a eunuch...'

Spike laughed so hard, he fell sideways off the crate. 'A...a *what*...? Trust me, Love... he's really not... oh... I can't... it's too much...' he clutched his sides, rolling helplessly on the floor.

'Yeah, OK Pet, just gimme a minute here.' Spike yelled back. He pulled himself up to standing, still chuckling, and turned to address the two female vamps.

'Well, it's been a blast, and I really hate to do this to you... It's been enlightening... really... but I *am* gonna have to dust you both now... nothing personal you understand...' As he reached inside his duster for a couple of stakes, their eyes widened in total fear and horror.

'Look, I'll make it as quick as I can, but I can't let you go... See that gorgeous broody one over there? That's my sire and I'm supposed to be helping him. And between you two potential piles of dust and me, this little mission interrupted what was promising to be a very satisfying shag, and I'm pretty keen to pick up where we left off.' He raised the stake above his head

Angel was exhausted, but close to finishing off the last of the nest. The fight had been a tough one and it wasn't without its casualties. Gunn and Wesley were slumped in the corner, tending to each other's wounds. Angel was fairly sure that if *he* didn't end up staking his childe when that blonde fucking moron finally showed himself, then one of the others definitely would.

'Impotent...? IMPOTENT?! That fucking does it!' Two clouds of dust exploded over the top of the boxes and the blonde vampire strode calmly out from behind them, brushing ashes from his precious duster.

Angel was still battling the last vampire as Spike approached them silently from behind and took off the vamp's head with one clean sweep of a sword. Angel fanned the air dramatically as the dust dissipated.

Angel watched Spike brandishing the sword in an extremely obscene manner as he shot him a filthy grin. God, but he was sexy... Angel felt his anger fading quickly.

'When you two have quite finished...' Wesley was limping towards them, supported by Gunn. 'I suggest we get going. It'll be sunrise soon, and if memory serves, that's a time of day that doesn't agree with either of you.'

'Then again, if memory serves, vampires are supposed to kill, not bore their prey to death...' he muttered to Gunn, heading back towards Angel's car. 'Still, I suppose it's the best we can hope for, considering...'

Angel caught the look Spike gave him. He hoped that his childe had missed that last comment, but no such luck. He really had some explaining to do...

Angel dropped Wesley back at his apartment, telling him to take it easy and have a lie in tomorrow, knowing full well that he would still be at the office on time. He and Spike got back to the hotel just before sunrise, and Angel wanted to distract him as quickly as possible... before he could start asking questions.

As soon as they were through the doors, Angel dropped the weapons and made a grab for his childe, pinning him against the wall. He pushed his groin against Spike's and entwined his fingers in those soft blonde locks, kissing him hungrily, his tongue demanding entry. Spike responded by holding Angel tightly and grabbing his behind, pushing them harder together and kissing back with equal passion. Fighting had always brought out the fervor in them, and right now they were both as horny as hell...

Angel tried to rein in his snarling libido as he watched his childe calmly take a seat on the reception desk and light a cigarette ...

'What's with all the comment's I'm getting from the watcher... is it a good idea - do I feel up to it - the best we can expect...? What is it that I don't know here?' A raised eyebrow...

Angel wandered tentatively over to where Spike was seated, hoping that his childe wasn't about to go ballistic on him. 'It may be... because of what I told them... about why you're here...' he finally mumbled.

'Which was...?' Spike grabbed Angel's duster with both hands and pulled him closer, so he was standing between Spike's legs and looking up into those intensely dark blue eyes.

'I may have used the word... fruit loop... once or twice...' Angel desperately wanted to back away at this point, but Spike still had a tight hold on him. He waited for the violence to ensue...

That thought set him off again into further hysterics. God, he'd laughed more in the last forty-eight hours than he had in years... Angel was *so* good for him.

Regaining some control, Spike tried to compose himself to reassure Angel that he *was* still playing with a full deck...

'So,' he began, wiping his eyes, 'you're telling me that after I've been chipped for *this* many years, your band of merry men actually believed that I went mad *now*?'

'On whether you need me to play the, er, 'fruit loop' or whether I can safely claim I've had a speedy recovery?' A large grin spread its way across Spike's face.

Angel visibly breathed a sigh of relief. Spike reached for him once again, pulling his sire back towards him. In the comfortable silence, the blonde vampire remembered his less-than-subtle entrance, earlier that night.

'Mind you, Pet... considering the impression I've made *so* far, it might be a while before they start buying the 'recovery' idea...?'

'Yeah,' agreed Angel, with a small laugh, ' But then I should have known that I could rely on you to make my story sound credible...'

More silence. Angel stood between Spike's legs again, his arms wrapped around the younger vampire's waist, his head resting on Spike's chest. Silence... or possibly brooding. Spike decided to let it slide... just this once.

'You know,' Angel continued, looking slightly embarrassed. 'When you first got chipped. I *was* worried about you... worried you might do something stupid... worried you wouldn't cope. I wanted to speak to you, but...' he trailed off.

'But I kept remembering what happened when Angelus...you know. Somehow, there just didn't seem to be a right way to ask how you were doing without sounding like a...'

'That I'm not you...' he said simply. 'Just 'cause *you* made a complete arse of the first century you spent with a soul, doesn't mean that the same's gonna happen to me.'

The word reverberated around Angel's head... Soul...? Was that how Spike saw his chip. Although he was still wary of this strange new relationship that they were building, Angel knew that he had to press the point...

'Rub it in why don't you...' Spike tried to look hurt, but then softened. 'Come on, mate... you've already admitted to checking up on me... you know how it's changed me.'

Angel nodded silently, marveling in the discovery of yet another facet to his already complex childe. Spike roused him from his thoughts as he gently hopped down off the desk and lit another cigarette.

'I'm not sayin' that I like it, mind... or that if it got taken out tomorrow that there's not a few people out there who'd have a good chewin' comin' their way... but basically, I like bein' one of the good guys... for now...'

'Little tip for you, Pet... Avoid big glass doors, especially after sunrise.' Angel glanced towards the front of the lobby to see a couple of rays snaking their way across the floor. They had been up all night. A quick glance at his watch told Angel that the team would start showing up for work before too much longer. He sighed deeply and redirected Spike towards the kitchen.

'Mmm... great idea... Bring mine up would you, I'm gonna put the weapons and stuff away before the others get in. Now *that* should lend weight to the 'Spike's-a fruit-loop' argument...'

Angel watched in awe as the beautiful blonde vampire sauntered back across the lobby before he turned and headed down to the kitchen. Filling two mugs with blood, he popped them in the microwave and rested his elbows on the counter while he waited.

He felt slightly dazed, like it would take a while before the events of the last couple of days finally caught up with him... Spike living with him... Spike with a soul, of sorts... Just Spike in general was enough to blow Angel's mind.

He knew, deep down, that there was still a lot of history between them, still so much that they could fuck up - God knows, between them, they'd had almost four hundred years of practice at doing precisely that. But for some reason, he felt that this time, they could make things work... somehow. Well, it would be a lot of fun trying...

A loud crash from the offices above and Cordelia's dulcet tones screeching at Spike to 'get-the-hell-away-from-her-computer,' rudely interrupted Angel's soft and fluffy thoughts. He grabbed the mugs and headed back upstairs, preparing himself for the inevitable Armageddon that would be awaiting him.