Angel's Bad Night

Author's notes: This takes place at some point after Epiphany and The Body, it's a response to Crazy Evil Dru's challenge. I've put the challenge at the end of this part, for those of you who wonder how the heck I came up with this wacky story.

Angel walked into the... not the Angel Investigations office, Cordelia didn't want to call it that anymore. That was fine with him, he was tired of being 'in charge'. He'd shown just how awful he was at it, anyway. Anyway, he walked into the office shortly after sundown to the sound of Cordelia and Wesley arguing, loudly, about something.

"I'm telling you, Wes, we've gotta have the trick..." Cordelia trailed off as she saw Angel walk in. "Hi, Angel. Want some fudge?" She pointed at the plate of fudge sitting on her desk.

Angel quirked an eyebrow at her abrupt change of subject. Then he realized she didn't want to talk about ...whatever-it-was they'd been talking about, in front of him. They'd all been pretty wary of him lately, not that he could blame them. They *had* come pretty close to having to deal with Angelus again, after all. "No, thanks, Cordy," he replied. "Any visions today?"

"Nah, slow AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" She screeched and grabbed her head. Angel grabbed her before she fell and helped her into her chair. When the vision had passed, she glared up at him. "Tell you what, Angel, do me a favor. Just don't ask questions like that, because it's like a wake-up call to The Powers."

Wesley hurried...well, hurriedly rolled, in from the adjoining room, where they kept all their extra books and research materials. "Vision?" he asked rather unnecessarily, as he handed Cordelia a bottle of pills.

She glared at Wesley, too. "No. I just like to answer questions about my visions by screaming in agony," she sighed. She took the pills and added, "Damn it's not fair. I was thinking that since there haven't been any visions lately, I could probably leave work early, I really wanted to go see 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.'"

"HUSH!" She yelled, causing both men to jump. "I mean, we'll go to the..." she looked around, as if that would help her think of what she was trying to say, "magic shop, yes, we'll go to the magic shop some other time, Wesley. I, um...I heard that movie was good, so I...I...VISION!" she yelled again, causing both men to jump... again. "Vision. That's what's the important thing to discuss right now. It was at that Karaoke club. About ten slime demons...yuck...they ran in, and started trashing the place, tearing it apart. Then they tore The Host apart. Did I mention yuck?"

Angel was covered in slime. He looked at his friends; they were too. They'd gotten into the club in time to hear a very tone deaf Chaos demon singing "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." Angel hadn't felt like killing something that badly ever before. Not even when he was soulless. Luckily, or unluckily, depending on your interpretation, the slime demons showed up not too long afterward. That got the Chaos demon off the stage, Angel was at least grateful for that.

Then they'd gone to work killing the slime demons. Angel had gotten The Host, after a little bit of persuasion and threatening, to herd his customers outside and block all doors from the outside so the demons couldn't escape. Now it was just a matter of catching said demons, so Angel, Cordelia and Wesley could get The Host to let them out of the bar again, at some point that evening.

Three demons were still alive, though, and had been running around the bar screaming for a good ten minutes. Angel, Cordelia, and Wesley had been running around after them, for all of those ten minutes. Strike that: Angel and Cordelia were running after two demons. Wesley was rolling his wheelchair after the third demon. Regardless, none of the 'good guys' had caught the 'bad guys' yet.

Angel stopped for a moment. Not to catch his breath, but to attempt to recover his dignity. "Why didn't I bring a crossbow?" he wondered. "No, I just HAD to bring the axe, something that I need to be within arms reach to kill demons with. It's really too dangerous to throw at them, with Cordy and Wes nearby." He sighed in aggravation.

"HA!" She yelled and beheaded her demon. She looked from Angel to Wesley, who were still looking at her like she'd grown horns. "What? It's a word, look it up! Geez, try to expand your vocabulary and everyone acts like you're possessed," she sighed. "I'm done!" she added. "Hurry up and kill your demons, you two, I wanna go home!"

Angel just shook his head. The things he put up with... "Wesley, STOP!" He roared. Wesley obeyed, and Angel threw his axe, hitting one of the remaining slime demons square in the forehead with it. One down. Angel took advantage of the last slime demon's shock at seeing it's friend struck down. He ran at it, reaching it before it could see he was there, and snapped its neck.

Angel refrained from voicing his opinion that saving the place wasn't necessarily a GOOD thing, considering it had been the site of multiple humiliations. Instead he yelled at the door, "LET US OUT!"

Angel growled again, seriously not in the mood for...well, anything anymore. Wisely, The Host got out of his backed out of his way. Angel, Cordelia and Wesley went to his car. "Oh, and you'll be getting our bill in the mail!" Cordelia called out the window to the Host as Angel drove off.

"I see," Angel replied, though he really didn't see. He didn't really care, though, he just wanted the night to be over. Something told him, though, that it would be a very long night, and it would continue to suck, and it would probably get worse before it was over.....

Three hours and several demon slayings later, Angel was in his car again. Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn had decided to order pizza. Angel didn't understand why _he'd_ been the one nominated to go pick up the pizza. He didn't eat pizza. He didn't eat food, period. But there was no use arguing with Cordelia, he should have known that by now. He'd made the mistake of forgetting and as a result, he had a really bad headache now.

And as much as he'd tried to, he hadn't been able to forget the one thing he'd really wanted to forget today. It was his birthday. Well, not HIS birthday really. Liam's birthday. Or, more precisely, it would've been Liam's birthday, if Darla hadn't turned him, over a century ago. But then again, if Darla hadn't turned him, his birthday wouldn't matter to him now, because he'd be dead.

But then again, even death wasn't looking all that bad to him about now. Because at least then he wouldn't have to think about the fact that it was his birthday and nobody cared. Granted, they didn't know... but that was beside the point. The point was that what he really wanted, was to be alone, tonight of all nights. But he obviously wasn't going to get that.

Angel paid for the pizza...he always ended up having to pay. Even though he didn't eat it. He rolled his eyes as the boy at the cash register puzzled out his change, and sighed with relief when it was handed to him finally. He didn't even care that it had been counted out wrong. He just wanted to get home.

"FUCK!" Angel yelled; he'd hit something. Or something had hit him. Either way... He sighed and got out of his car. At least he had insurance. Cordelia had managed, a year ago, to hack into the city's records and get him a driver's license and social security number even. She'd insisted that he needed to appear 'legit' if he was going to be a private investigator. He'd just

Now he was grateful he had followed her advice. Because he had hit another car, and dented their front fender. It was a blue corvette, the driver was...

"Fuck," Angel muttered and leaned against his car in complete resignation. He'd asked for it, when he'd thought the night would probably get worse. He realized that now.

"You worked...AAAHHH!" Angel threw his hands up in aggravation. Trying to have a reasonable conversation with Spike was like trying to reason with Cordelia. He turned back to his car without saying another word. He wasn't going to beat Spike into a bloody mess in the middle of the Domino's Pizza parking lot.

He turned back and saw the unlucky owner of the blue corvette in the back seat of the car. The unlucky DEAD owner. Then he saw red. He grabbed Spike by the arms with a growl and slammed him against his car as he pinned him there. "You come to MY town, and you start killing, and you think you can just get AWAY with that???" He demanded, trying not to shift into gameface with the fury he was feeling.

"I didn't..." Spike frowned and shook his head. "Sod off," he added, his expression suddenly incredibly bored. "You think I planned to run into you tonight? Just bad luck, on both our parts, that's all."

"Fuck you," Angel replied and moved away from Spike abruptly. "If you're here for Drusilla, find her and then both of you get out of my town, Spike. I don't know why I'm not staking you here and now, but take advantage of my generosity. Because if I see you again, you'll be getting a one way trip to hell."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Sure, whatever," he shrugged. He stepped away from Angel's car and noticed the pizza boxes in the front seat. "Better get home, now, *Angel*, don't wanna keep your pet humans waiting." He chuckled as he walked back to his - stolen - car.

Angel shook his head and returned to his car. He sighed as he watched Spike drive off in his rear-view mirror. He was far too tired to deal with all *three* members of his 'family' being in L.A. "What did I do to deserve this?" he asked out loud. "Never mind, don't answer that," he added quickly. Sighing again, he started his car and drove back to the Hyperion.

Angel walked up to the Hyperion, very confused when he saw that it was completely dark. "Did they get tired of waiting for the pizza?" he wondered. He sighed again, then realized he'd been doing that a lot that night. He made a mental note to stop it immediately.

He jumped and dropped the pizza as the lights went on. "What the..." Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn were standing there, wearing party hats. They were also grinning at him like idiots.

"Lucky for you we didn't really want that pizza," Cordelia said as she walked over and retrieved the pizza from the floor. It had, of course escaped from the box as Angel dropped it, and was now face down on the floor. She looked up at him after she'd shoved it back into the box. "Well, stop staring at us like we've turned into demons and go have some cake.

"You think I didn't know it was your birthday today?" Cordelia questioned. "You don't give me enough credit, Mister." She took him by the arm and pulled him over to the counter, where there was... a birthday cake. With easily over a hundred candles on it.

"Are you trying to set the Hyperion on fire?" Angel asked in horror, as he backed away to a safe distance from the cake. "Because, you know, Cordy, vampires and flames? Really not a good combination."

Oops. Full wrath of Cordelia turned on him. Not a good thing. Worse danger than fire. "Okay, okay," he said quickly, his hands up in a defensive gesture. "I'm sorry, Cordelia, I wasn't meaning... Thank you, this is great, really, I'm very, very flattered." Angel edged toward the cake and blew... The candles flickered but didn't go out. He frowned. He tried again. Still, the flames were not extinguished. Angel growled.

"Okay, let's eat," Cordelia said. She'd succeeded in extinguishing and removing the candles from the cake; now she was cutting the cake. "Oh, I know," she said to Angel. "You're probably not going to eat cake. But I got you fresh blood from the bloodbank today, it's in the fridge."

Angel stared at her a moment. "Cordy...Thank you," he said, and this time he really meant it. In the past, she would bitch at him if he even dared to ask her to run to the butcher's shop to get more blood for him. So the fact that she'd done that meant more to him than the birthday party.

"You're welcome," Cordelia said with a shrug. As he retreated to the kitchen, he heard her say, "I swear, I'll never get him. The stupid blood means more to him than the surprise party?"

Angel smiled, grateful for Wes' attempts to get him out of the doghouse. He resolved to act a little more grateful about the party for the remainder of the evening. "She can't know that I don't want to be reminded of the significance of this day," he reminded himself.

He poured the blood into a mug and warmed it up in the microwave. "She went to a lot of trouble because she cares." He realized. "They all do." That

wasn't something easy for him to get his mind around, either. After what he'd put them through, they were willing to do something like this for him? He definitely had to act a little more grateful, because he was grateful for their friendships.

Spike watched through one of the windows of the Hyperion as Angel's pets threw him a birthday party. He could tell that his sire was none too thrilled about it, but he was putting on a good show. Spike wished they would all just fucking go away, though. He and Angel had unfinished business to tend to.

Spike had had the chip out for a little over a month, but no one knew that yet. He'd hidden the fact from the Scoobies, mostly because of the temporary insanity that had been his Slayer obsession. She'd cured him of it right quick, when she'd slammed the door in his face. Rupert had given Spike the extra little push back to sanity when he'd gone Ripper on him. Spike had realized then that he was being an ass. Buffy didn't want him, she never would. So he'd left town, not much having a direction, just driving.

After a few days of wandering, and a little time to think clearly, he realized why he'd fallen for Buffy. It was the same reason he'd stayed with Drusilla for so long. Both women had been links to someone else, someone who Spike had always felt the need to maintain a connection to. The fact that both Drusilla and Buffy tolerated Spike because of the same need for a connection to the same individual, didn't make Spike feel any better about himself.

Who was that someone? Angelus. It always came down to Angelus. Spike was sickened by the thought. He'd spent well over a century as his own vampire. Or so he'd thought. The reality of his life was that all the things he'd held onto had been reminders of his sire.

Spike had finally ended up in L.A. Why? The same reason he'd gone to L.A. after he'd found the ring of Amarra. He couldn't leave well enough alone. He'd always felt drawn to Angelus, he would always need him. Soul or no soul, it didn't matter. Spike was bound to his sire, whether he liked it or not.

After a few days, Spike had succeeded in tracking down Angel. He had told himself he just wanted to see him one last time. He'd leave before he was noticed and he'd go somewhere to try to make a new life for himself. But no, fate had laughed in Spike's face and Angel had run into him, literally earlier that night. He'd lied and told Angel it was a fluke they'd run into each other. The Pouff had been too lost in his own broodiness to suspect otherwise and had let him go.

Spike had been surprised by the fact that he hadn't gotten pounded into the ground instead. He should have been grateful for the reprieve and left town, but he hadn't. No, rather than do the intelligent thing, he pulled the same stalker act that he'd pulled far too many times with the Slayer. He'd followed Angel back to his hotel and now he was watching him. Just a few more minutes, Spike kept telling himself now. Just a little longer, then he'd leave.

Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn left around midnight. Angel walked them out, to make sure they at least got to their vehicles safely. As they drove off, he returned to the hotel to clean up before he went to bed.

He had to admit, it hadn't been a horrible night, really. He'd missed the past few weeks. He wasn't really sure what to think of Cordelia's present to him, though. Bunny slippers? Definitely a bit of human culture he'd never understood, but he was pretty sure they had been a gag gift.

He gathered up his other gifts. Wesley had given him a book of poetry, W.B. Yeats. Angel had been thrilled, Yeats was one of his favorite poets. Gunn had given him a very antique-looking battle axe, a gift he'd also loved. He'd broken his favorite battle axe a few days earlier when he and Gunn had cleared out a nearby warehouse which had become a vampire nest.

He put the axe in his weapons room and then returned to the lobby. He finished cleaning up the dishes and wrapping paper and was about to take the poetry book up to his room, when he remembered the slippers. They were staring back at him. He shuddered; they were creepy. He decided they would stay on the couch. Far away from him. He knew he was being silly, but he was allowed his minor quirks.

He had almost forgotten; he had one more thing to take care of before he could go to bed, anyway. He opened the front door and called out into the night. "You think I don't know you're here? If you've got something to say to me, get in here and say it."

Spike walked in and stood about ten feet away, smirking. "I was just waiting for your 'friends' to leave. Gotta admit, I was having a bit of fun watching you being tortured by them."

"Yeah, well," Spike shrugged. "I saw Dru, but I didn't come here for her. We're through. And I know you want me to leave, but...I have something for you, before I go. Hold on." He walked outside and to his car.

Spike went out to his car and got the item. He returned to the hotel. Angel was watching him, warily, sitting in the same place. Spike imagined he had a stake nearby. "Here," he mumbled as he handed a folder to Angel.

Angel looked at him suspiciously but took the folder. He opened it and gasped. It held sketches that he'd done, over the past hundred years or so. The sketches of his ... Liam's family: his mother and sister, mostly. And more pictures, of Angelus' family: Darla, Dru and Spike. And a few more, of Buffy.

These were the images of the people who had meant the most to Angel at different points in his life. He'd thought he'd lost the sketches. After he'd moved to L.A., he'd not found them in the few boxes he'd taken with him. "Where..." He looked up at Spike.

Spike watched as Angel looked through the pictures. When he looked up at Spike, there were tears in his eyes. Spike looked at the ground and shrugged. "The mansion. I figured you'd want 'em. At least the pictures of the slayer."

He looked at Angel silently a moment before replying, "I figured they might cheer you up a little. He shrugged. "Now, I'll leave town." He turned away.

Spike walked to the door and stopped. He couldn't leave without telling him. He turned, Angel was still looking at him. "I didn't kill 'im," Spike said.

Spike sighed. "The bloke in the car. Yes, I've got my bite back, but I didn't kill that one. I just happened to notice the car on the side of the highway, on my way out of Sunnydale. He was in the car, already dead. I helped myself to the car, just didn't bother to get rid of the body."

Angel's head hurt. He wasn't sure if it was a new headache, or the old one returning. Spike had just done something very... kind, returning Angel's sketches to him. That, in itself, was out of character for Spike. Now Spike was telling him he hadn't killed someone? Spike never worried about being credited with killings he hadn't committed. He liked his reputation as The Big Bad. "Even if I believed you that you didn't kill that human, I'm sure there are others--"

Angel's headache was approaching migraine levels. Spike, William the fucking bloody, didn't kill innocents? This was the same vampire who'd gotten his nickname by pinning his victims to the ground with railroad spikes, then watching them as they screamed in agony for hours until they finally died. Angel found it very hard to believe that he had reformed in such a major way. But he couldn't think of a reason for Spike to lie about it, either. "Spike, maybe I'm being dense here... but even if you HAVE changed, why are you telling ME about it?

"I just...I just am. I figured you'd want to know that I'm not the same anymore." Spike saw the look on Angel's face and knew he shouldn't have wasted his breath. Angel didn't believe him. Spike didn't blame him, he hadn't exactly done a lot to convince anyone of his trustworthiness.

Angel's eyes narrowed. He doubted it was a 'whim' that had brought Spike to L.A. He also had no interest in whatever game younger vampire was planning. Darla had played enough games with Angel, the past few weeks, to last him a good century.

"A whim? Tell the truth," Angel said as he stood. "for once in your pathetic existence." He saw Spike wince at those words. He'd hurt his feelings? ... No, not likely.

Spike growled. He wondered if sometimes his sire just intentionally made things more difficult than they had to be. "Coming here isn't the result of some evil plan, Angelus. I swear to fucking god, it just happened." he said angrily. "I knew the Slayer would figure out I wasn't neutered eventually. I wasn't too interested in finding myself at the wrong end of Mr. Pointy. So I left Sunnyhell and came here."

"YOU!" Spike exploded finally. "You're my fucking SIRE and I wanted to be NEAR YOU!" He took a deep breath and continued, more quietly, "You're the lucky one, you've got the soul so you don't feel the bond anymore. But I don't have that luxury. There, ya arsehole, I said it, now you know. Are ya happy now?!"

Angel fell back onto the couch and just looked at Spike in shock. Spike had come here to see him? It didn't make any sense, but at the same time, it made perfect sense. Spike's lurking outside his home for hours, giving him back the items which had been his most important possessions because he'd wanted to cheer Angel up, telling him he didn't kill innocents anymore...

*And how the hell does he know Liam's birthdate?* Angel wondered. He looked up to see Spike had turned to the door. "WAIT!" he yelled. He realized he couldn't let Spike walk out that door. Because if Spike HAD changed... it was something Angel had wished for, ever since he'd lost his soul. He'd given up on having his entire family with him, but maybe it was at least possible to have one of his childer with him again.

But he wasn't sure of that, either. Expecting Spike not to kill innocents was like expecting fish not to swim. Even if Spike had given it up temporarily, how was Angel to know he wouldn't change back again to the evil Master Vampire Angel had run into again in Sunnydale?

From the look in Spike's eyes, Angel knew he was expecting more humiliation. Strangely enough, Angel discovered he wasn't interested in that. "Stay, for a little while. Have a beer. For old times' sake?" He stood and walked into the kitchen, to get the beers.

Angel winced. He knew Spike was referring to when he'd lost his soul in Sunnydale. He turned and looked at Spike. "Not those times," he replied softly as he threw Spike a bottle of beer. "Spike, I--

Spike caught the beer and cut off Angel's impending apology with a growl, "I swear, don't you fucking go all broody," he warned. "What happened, happened. It isn't like I didn't already get revenge, for the shit you put me through back in Sunnyhell." He smirked and went back out of the kitchen again.

Angel couldn't believe Spike's audacity, daring to give him another reason to stake him, by reminding Angel of how Spike had tortured him a year ago. He got himself a bottle of beer out of the refrigerator and followed Spike back out into the lobby.

But then again, Spike had never been all that interested in wasting time being afraid of him, Angel remembered, when he saw his childe lounging on the couch. Spike looked about as worried as he ever did, which was not at all. Angel knew that, in Spike's case, though, appearances were just that, appearances. In reality, Spike was prepared for whatever could happen. He could go from relaxed to fighting mode in a fraction of a second, if he needed to do so.

Angel wasn't interested in fighting, however. He was tired. He just wanted to sit and relax. The fact that he was sitting and relaxing with Spike didn't even strike him as all that odd, when compared with everything else that had happened in the last few weeks.

Angel walked into the room and sat in a chair next to the couch. Spike watched him warily, still not sure what the hell was going on. Then a possible explanation hit him. *Maybe he's lonely, just like me.* He frowned at the thought. He didn't want to feel sorry for the pouf.

Spike growled. He should've known that was really why Angel wanted him to stick around. To get information about the slayer. "She's just bloody great, Angelus, what with her mum being dead," he replied.

Spike burst out laughing at Angel's reaction. "Oh, now that was worth the trip here, just to see that" Spike said. He gulped down the rest of his beer and watched Angel in amusement as the older vampire tried to recover from his surprise.

"Darla and I have had a few... run-ins," Angel replied once he recovered from the initial surprise. Surely Spike didn't know what had really happened, between himself and Darla.

"WHAT!" Angel yelled. He wasn't drunk enough to understand what Spike found so humorous. But then again, the likelihood of Spike's humor being a result of being drunk was rather rare. So he actually dreaded knowing what was so amusing to Spike.

"run-ins... funny ... way of ... saying it," Spike gasped as he tried to stop laughing so hard. He finally regained control of himself and shook his head. "I've talked to Dru, Angelus. I know you shagged that bitch who used to be your sire, so you can stop trying to pretend otherwise," he said with a grin.

Angel frowned and looked away as he downed the rest of his beer. What had happened with Darla shouldn't have happened, and being reminded of it only made him feel guiltier about it. Even if he hadn't lost his soul, he shouldn't have risked it. He shouldn't have done most of the things he'd done in the last several weeks. *STOP IT!* He ordered himself. *There's NOTHING you can do about it, it's DONE!* That having been settled, he stood, muttering something to the effect that he needed something stronger to drink.

Angel went to the pantry and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. He didn't bother to pour it into a glass, he wanted to be drunk, and fast. He took a swig of it and sighed in contentment at the wonderful warming feeling it produced. That was exactly what he needed.

"Ya gonna share?" Spike asked. He'd followed Angel back into the kitchen, rather pleased with himself that he'd caught his sire so off-guard by what he knew about Darla.

"Aw, cheer up," Spike said with a grin as he walked over. He took the bottle and hopped up on the counter next to Angel. He took a swallow and added, "What d'you have to brood about, anyway? You didn't lose your soul, although that really had to piss her off. But that's a plus, right, on both counts?"

Angel took the bottle back and shrugged. Well, when Spike put it THAT way... He took another long swallow of the liquid. It was starting to relax him, thank the gods. It would take a LOT to actually get him drunk, though. He'd always been a heavy drinker as a human and he hadn't stopped drinking when he was turned either. It was a way to get through the long nights alone, even if it wasn't a healthy one. But it wasn't like he'd die of liver cancer from it, after all. He snorted at the thought.

Spike took the offered bottle again, watching Angel closely. He was trying not to brood, Spike could tell. He took another gulp of the whiskey and said, "So the way I see it, you've got no reason to brood. Now, if Slutty knew about it, that'd be a--"

Spike was kept from finishing his sentence by the hand squeezing his throat. Angel had jumped to his feet and closed his hand around Spike's throat, with a growl. "You. Will. NOT. Tell. Buffy," he said, his eyes flashing yellow as his temper flared.

Angel punched Spike in the nose and Spike reacted by kicking Angel in the groin. Angel howled and backed away, doubling over in pain. Spike jumped off the counter and followed, catching Angel with an upper-cut to the jaw which put him on his ass on the floor.

Spike put his hand to his nose and it came away bloody. "That's my cue to leave, isn't it? This is the way our little encounters always end up. And just for the record, even if I ever DO go back to Sunnyhell, which I doubt, I won't be telling Buffy that you fucked Darla. She doesn't need any more upsetting news to deal with."

Angel saw the look of sadness in Spike's face before he turned and walked out of the kitchen. Angel knew without a doubt at that moment that something had happened to change Spike. The last bit of proof of that was the fact that Spike didn't want to hurt Buffy by telling her what Angel had done with Darla.

Angel didn't know how long that change would last, but he didn't care at the moment. The fact was that Spike _was_ different. Angel couldn't let Spike walk away now. Not without finding out if there was even a chance... He jumped to his feet and ran after Spike. He closed the distance between them and grabbed Spike by the arm as he reached the exit, pulling him back inside. Spike turned to protest and Angel silenced him by pinning him against the door and kissing him.

Angel didn't know what had gotten into him, but he couldn't stop once he started. Just the taste of his childe instantly drove all possible objections to what he was doing away. He needed this so badly, more than he'd needed anything in a very long time. He kissed his boy possessively, his fingers threaded in Spike's hair. When Spike opened his mouth to object, Angel thrust his tongue inside Spike's mouth with a growl. Angel was instantly hard, just after those few seconds of kissing his childe. It had been too long, he'd missed Spike so much. The last time they'd been together had been three years earlier, but Angel preferred not to think of that.

Spike groaned as Angel's tongue swept past his lips, demandingly, acquainting himself with every inch of Spike's mouth. He felt himself growing hard, just in response to the urgent manner in which his sire was kissing him. He finally tore his mouth away, his hands pressed against Angel's chest.

But when he looked into Angel's eyes, he couldn't remember if he wanted to push him away or pull him closer. Angel was looking at him with so much lust, he hadn't looked at him like that in well over a century.

Angel looked at Spike, waiting for him to make the next move. If Spike wanted to leave, he'd let him. He wasn't interested in forcing this. "Spike--"

"Don't," Spike growled. "Don't you dare open your big fat mouth and ruin everything. You started this, now finish it. You want it," he paused to grind his hips against the other vampire, "I want it. Fuck me, Angelus."

Angel groaned in reply and kissed Spike again, passionately. He slipped his hands around Spike's body and down to squeeze Spike's ass, pulling him closer. He turned them and backed Spike toward the couch. There was no way they were going to make it up all those stairs.

While they were walking, Spike started unbuttoning Angel's shirt, and shoved it off his shoulders. When he felt the couch pressed against the back of his legs he turned them around and shoved Angel down to sit on the couch.

Angel licked his lips at the sight before him, his childe was so beautiful. And completely aware of that fact too, if the moderately amused look he gave Angel was any indication. He moved to remove his slacks but Spike stopped him.

"Let me," Spike said, as he dropped to his knees on the floor in front of his sire. He unbuttoned and unzipped Angel's pants and moved his hands to the waistband. Angel lifted his hips so Spike could pull the pants down off his legs.

Spike sat back on his heels and let his eyes roam over Angel's nude form. Gods, but his sire was beautiful. The most beautiful man he'd ever come into contact with, in a hundred-some years. There wasn't an inch of his Angelus that wasn't perfect, from his dark brown eyes that revealed every emotion, to his well-sculpted chest, to... Spike grinned as his eyes landed on his favorite of Angelus' features. His beautiful, perfect, thick cock, which was currently fully erect, just begging for attention. Attention that Spike was more than willing to provide.

Angel watched Spike, half-warily, as his childe's eyes roamed over his body hungrily. "Spike..AAAAH!" He finished rather incoherently, when Spike lowered his head to suck just the tip of Angel's cock into his mouth. "Ohfuckdon'tstop," Angel begged, his head thrown back in ecstasy.

Spike smirked and slid his lips further down Angel's cock, still sucking steadily, then pulled back up, lashing his tongue around the head. Angel whimpered and Spike repeated the action again.

Angel was going slowly insane, and loving every second of it. He looked down at his boy's head, bobbing up and down on his cock and growled at the sight. He'd forgotten just how talented Spike was, how well he'd taught him. He soon began panting, an instinctive reaction to the incredible pleasure building inside him. He knew he was moaning and growling, begging incoherently but he didn't care. Anything to keep Spike from stopping what he was doing. He gripped the back of the couch as he felt the tightening in his balls that told him he was close. "Spike, I'm gonna--"

Spike heard the words and deep-throated Angel's cock, swallowing a few times. Angelus howled as he came, his semen spurting down Spike's throat. Spike swallowed it all. He pulled back slightly and continued sucking on Angel's cock gently until he came down from his orgasm. Then he let his cock slide from his mouth and sat there looking up at Angel.

Angel screamed as he experienced the most powerful orgasm he'd had in years, much more powerful than any he'd had with Darla the previous week. When he recovered use of his limbs, he reached down and grabbed Spike by his arms, hauling him up onto his lap. He kissed him, more gently than before.

Spike relaxed against him as they kissed, but he didn't leave it at that for long. He ground his cock against the other vampire's, smiling against Angel's mouth as he felt Angel grow hard again. He reached between their bodies and stroked Angel's cock to hardness once more.

Angel pulled away with a muttered curse. He flipped them over so Spike was lying on his back on the couch and Angel was looming over him. He settled on his side against the back of the couch and began kissing Spike again, slowly, one hand threaded in Spike's hair, the other roaming lightly over his childe's body.

Spike whimpered into Angel's mouth when he felt fingers twisting and teasing his nipples mercilessly. Angel caressed and stroked every inch of skin, as he continued to explore his mouth with his tongue. Spike's hands roamed over Angel's back and ass, reacquainting himself with the other man. He felt as if he were drowning under the attention, though, every inch of skin that had been touched felt like it was on fire. Angel continued like this for several long minutes, touching everywhere but Spike's cock, which was twitching with anticipation. Spike pulled his mouth away, ready to beg for release if that's what the other vampire wanted.

Before Spike could form the words, though, Angel had moved down his body slowly, kissing and nipping at every bare inch of skin. Spike threw his head back gasped for breath. He looked down just in time to see Angel lick up the base of his cock slowly. Spike whimpered, his hips bucking up involuntarily in response. He clawed at the couch cushions in an attempt to keep from spilling his seed right then.

Angel looked up at Spike and chuckled. He'd forgotten the sounds his childe made when they were together, how Spike lost every aspect of 'The Big Bad' and turned into a whimpering fledgling, begging for release.

Spike could count on one hand the number of times Angelus had sucked him off, he was rarely anything other than the dominant in their sexual encounters. Only when he was feeling particularly affectionate would he do this for his childe. So even though Spike really wanted his sire to bury himself inside of him, he wasn't going to ask Angelus to stop what he was doing at the moment.

Spike moaned loudly when his sire finally slid his lips down along his cock and began sucking, done with the teasing at last. "AH...FUCK!" He yelled when Angel's hands slid around to cup his ass and pull him closer, bobbing his head up and down Spike's length. Spike panted and growled as he felt his climax approaching. "AngelusI'mgonna--" Angel pulled back up and let Spike's length slide out of his mouth suddenly.

Angel smiled and slid his mouth down, slowly, around Spike's cock. He kept eye contact with his childe the whole time. He couldn't keep the thought from entering his mind that this might be the only time he and his boy were like this ever again, because he didn't know what would happen afterward. No matter what happened though, he still wanted to make this moment something Spike would never forget.

Spike watched as Angel slowly pulled him into his throat. He growled deep in his chest. When Angel deep throated him and began humming, Spike threw his head back and his eyes rolled back in his head. He heard a high-pitched whining sound and wondered if he'd made that noise. He was so close, so close to falling over the edge. He tried to form the words to warn his sire--

Angel watched as his childe's head thrashed back and forth on the couch cushion, in response to Angel's sucking and humming. He pushed his hands under Spike's ass and trailed a finger down the crack slowly. Spike let out a keening sound that made Angel's cock even harder. He sucked harder and then pushed one finger into his childe's puckered hole.

Spike felt a finger push into his ass and brush over his prostate, that was all he needed to push him over the edge. He came with a scream of "AAAAAAAANGEEEEEEEEL!" His entire body quaked from the force of the orgasm. He panted for breath as he began to come down but then groaned as he felt the pleasure begin to build up again quickly. He realized Angel hadn't let up his assault on his body. He now had two fingers thrusting inside Spike's hole repeatedly and he was still sucking steadily on his cock. Spike whimpered and clutched at Angel's head as he felt the waves of pleasure crash over him. "SIIIIIIIIIIIIIRE!" He howled as he came, more violently than before.

Angel watched as his childe had two powerful orgasms, one after the other. The first time, Spike called his name, his real name: Angel, not Angelus. Even though he doubted Spike knew he'd done it, it still meant something to Angel. He continued sucking his childe's cock and thrusting his fingers inside Spike's hole, intent in bringing his boy back to orgasm as quickly as possible.

Soon Angel felt Spike tense up and groan in pleasure. Angel began sucking harder and Spike whimpered, clutching at his head. He climaxed again with a scream of 'SIREe' and Angel followed him over the edge, just by hearing that word torn from his childe's throat. He withdrew his fingers gently and continued to suck on Spike's cock until it was spent, bringing him down more slowly this time.

Spike realized he had a death-grip on Angel's hair and released it, letting his hands fall to the couch. He was so sated he didn't think he could find the energy to open his eyes, so he felt rather than saw Angel crawl up along his body again. When Angel kissed him, Spike wrapped his arms around his shoulders and sighed into his mouth.

Angel reached over the edge of the couch and found his shirt. He wiped the cum off his stomach and cock and threw the shirt back on the floor. He crawled up Spike's body, smiling at the completely content look on his boy's face. He cradled Spike's face and kissed him tenderly.

Angel realized he was pretty damn content himself. He wasn't content enough to be in danger of losing his soul, but he considered that to be a good thing. He'd figured out, after his encounter with Darla, why he hadn't been in danger of losing his soul with her. The reason he'd lost his soul with Buffy was because for a moment in time she made him forget what he truly was: a vampire, a demon who had killed and tortured hundreds of people.

But with Darla or Spike, he'd never forget that. With Darla, he couldn't, it's what she'd made him. With Spike, he couldn't either, because he couldn't forget he was responsible for Spike's existence as a demon.

There was a crucial difference between Spike and Darla, though. This difference caused Angel to see the futility in trying to be with Darla but the possibility of being with Spike. Darla couldn't accept him with his soul, she only wanted him to try to push him over the edge of controlling the demon. Spike, though, Angel couldn't help thinking that possibly his boy could accept him with his soul. Surely, he hadn't come to L.A. looking for some remnant of Angelus, not after what he'd done to Spike back in Sunnydale. Maybe there was hope?

He wasn't certain of this, however. How could he even ask Spike something like that? He settled next to Spike with a sigh, his head on Spike's chest. He smiled when Spike started running his hands through his hair. Angel purred deep in his chest in response. Soon they were both asleep, arms and legs tangled together.

Spike woke some time later, Angel still half-lying on top of him. Spike smiled and wrapped his arms around Angel's shoulders again. Angel mumbled something in his sleep and nuzzled Spike's neck. Spike chuckled and sighed contentedly. This felt good, it felt right. As long as he kept his eyes closed, he could almost believe they'd traveled back in time, to before the curse... before Darla had tried to drive them apart. Before Angelus had left him.

He knew that he couldn't hold onto the illusion for long, though. Eventually Angel's sense of duty would compel him to kick Spike out of his home and out of his life again. But Spike could enjoy the closeness while it lasted. The memory of this night would be something to hold on to, once he was alone again.

Spike felt the tears stinging his eyelids and couldn't keep them from escaping. He cursed himself internally. He was turning into as broody a creature as his sire. He tensed when he felt Angel lick at the trails his tears had left. *Now he knows I was crying. Just fucking great, humiliation time.*

Angel woke to the wonderful sensation of his childe's hands trailing up and down his spine lazily. He felt Spike take in a shaky breath and knew he was awake too. He raised his head in time to see two tears roll down his face. Spike's eyes were still shut, Angel suspected he was trying to pretend they were in a simpler time and place. He wasn't sure exactly what had upset his boy, but if it was killable, Angel was determined to kill it...slowly and painfully. He licked Spike's cheeks, tasting his tears.

He felt Spike tense up underneath him. "Talk to me," he whispered in Spike's ear, resting his head next to Spike's. He ran his fingers through his boy's hair in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.

Hearing his old name fall so easily from Angel's mouth caused something inside Spike to snap. He couldn't hold back a sob and he tried to get off the couch, away from Angel. Angel grabbed him around the waist, cutting off his escape.

"No," Angel whispered in Spike's ear, as he held onto his boy as tightly as he could. "I won't let go until you've told me what's bothering you. Tell me what I can do to make it right."

"No," Angel said. "I won't let go. I made that mistake once, I won't do it again. I can't. Not until I tell you how wrong you are." He took a deep breath, trying to find the courage to say the words. "Maybe for you, this was just a 'fuck for old time's sake', but that's not what it was to me, Spike. It was about how much I've missed you for the past hundred years."

Spike went still and Angel took that as his cue to keep talking. "Ever since the night I left the three of you, I've wished that I could have figured out how to stay. I just... I never thought it would work, Spike. Darla sure as hell wouldn't accept me like this, how could I expect you and Drusilla to do it? So I left, but I never stopped wanting you. Not a day has gone by that I haven't missed you... all of you, but you most of all, my William, my favorite childe.

"Maybe it's too late, maybe you hate me, maybe you can't accept me with my soul. But even if that's true, you deserved to know that you weren't just a convenient fuck. If that's what it was for you, that's okay. You can go, I won't stop you." Angel somehow managed to remove his death grip around Spike's waist. He laid there and waited, certain he'd be forced to watch Spike walk out the door and out of his life again.

Spike couldn't believe his ears. Angel had just said all the things Spike had been dying to hear from him, for well over a century. He couldn't breathe, suddenly. Then he reminded himself that he didn't need to breathe. That was something of a relief. "What do you want from me?" he asked, once he trusted his voice not to betray him.

Spike sighed. "Killing isn't really all that fun anymore, when I don't have anyone to hunt with," he said. "Besides, human blood's all the same, in fact it tastes better from killers. So I guess... if it mattered... to anyone... I could stick to drinking from murderers."

"Oh," Angel said, because it was all he could say at the moment. He felt like crying, he was so relieved to hear Spike say that he didn't mind giving up killing innocents. Maybe that meant that Angel could have what he really wanted. Then he remembered Spike was still waiting for an answer to his question.

"To answer your question, I want *you*," Angel replied softly. "I always did, I just never saw a way for it to work with us. But now...if you are willing to stop killing innocents...Stay with me. Of course the real question is whether you can accept who I am."

"Whether I can..." Spike frowned. He thought they'd already established the fact that Spike still wanted Angel and could accept him. He turned onto his back and looked up at Angel, "You do realize you're crazy, don't you?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot," Angel replied with a smile, as he climbed over Spike and off the couch. He wandered into the kitchen, not bothering to pull his jeans on. Spike followed him, also not bothering with clothing. Angel found the blood bags in the refrigerator and emptied two of them into two mugs. He put them in the microwave and turned back to look at Spike.

Angel sighed. "Fine." He turned back to the microwave to get the mugs of blood. He handed one to Spike. Then he watched in a mixture of disgust and fascination when Spike put a gob of whipped cream into the cup. "That's revolting," he said.

"Don't knock it if ya haven't tried it," Spike replied with a grin. He found a spoon and stirred up the concoction and Angel was sure he was going to be ill. Spike laughed at Angel's expression, "I swear, though, you find the strangest things revolting. Think about what revolting things you fight every day!"

Spike laughed harder at that. "I think that could be arranged," he said with a smirk. He downed the rest of his blood and stalked up to Angel slowly. He pulled Angel's head down for a kiss and stroked Angel's cock lightly with one hand.

Spike grinned and turned them around. He jumped up on the counter to get better access and pulled Angel closer. He nibbled and sucked on his sire's earlobe as he continued to stroke Angel's cock. He growled when Angel returned the favor, as he licked and bit at the skin of his childe's throat.

Spike chuckled when Angel whimpered, obviously very close to coming. "I want you to fuck me, Angel," he growled in Angel's ear. "I want to feel you inside me, NOW."

Angel groaned and his eyes shot open. He looked into his boy's eyes, questioningly. He didn't see any hesitation or doubt in them. "But I don't have--"

"Live a little," Spike urged. He jumped off the counter and walked over to the table. He bent over it and wiggled his ass in the air. "Come on, I'm waiting, ya wanker."

Angel growled at the beautiful sight in front of him. He had wanted to be inside his childe all evening, but he hadn't wanted to hurt him. But now that Spike had taken care of the lube problem... Angel shrugged and decided he wasn't going to try to talk Spike out of it.

Spike looked over his shoulder to see Angel walking up to him. Angel scooped some whipped cream onto his hand and Spike laid his forehead against the table, waiting. He hissed at the feeling of the cold substance smeared between the cheeks of his ass. He spread his legs further apart in encouragement.

Angel smeared some of the whipped cream in the crack of Spike's ass. Spike hissed and Angel grinned. He hadn't even started yet. He parted his boy's ass cheeks with one hand and with the other, he used a finger to tease around his childe's opening.

"Stop teasing," Spike muttered as he felt a finger circling his hole. It was removed and he growled in disappointment. "ANGELUS!" He yelled in surprise, as a cold, lubricated finger pushed its way inside his ass.

Angel bit his lower lip at the sound of his boy's pleasure. He removed the finger and then covered another with the whipped cream. Spike had time to beg him, before Angel thrust two fingers into Spike's tight passage.

"AHHHHH," Spike groaned. "Pleaseyespleasedon'tstop," he whimpered as Angel began fucking him with his fingers, hitting that perfect spot, repeatedly. He moaned when the fingers were pulled out again.

Angel smirked at his childe's moan. He couldn't wait any longer, he needed to feel himself buried inside his boy. He coated his cock with the whipped cream and then grabbed Spike's hips, holding him steady. He pushed inside Spike's tight hole, slowly. "Gods, Spike, you're so tight," he growled.

Spike couldn't form coherent words at the moment. He was in heaven at the combination of pleasure/pain caused by his sire entering him ever so slowly. He whimpered something, but wasn't certain it was English.

Angel chuckled at the completely new language Spike had invented. He was finally completely sheathed inside his childe and paused to collect himself again. He growled when Spike squeezed his muscles around his shaft. He nearly spilled his semen inside his boy, he had to reach between them and pinch the base of his cock to hold off his orgasm. "Spike?"

"Stop talking and fuck me," Spike groaned. For the first time, in a very long time, he finally felt like he was where he belonged. After all, whether Spike liked it or not, this is one of the reasons Angelus had made him. To be his submissive. "Oh gods," He whimpered when Angelus finally began moving inside him. Slow withdrawals, followed by quick, hard thrusts back inside him. "Angel, don't stop, harder, please" he gasped.

Angel felt his orgasm approaching all too quickly and slipped into gameface. He sank his fangs into Spike's neck and the minute the blood hit his throat, he climaxed, snarling and growling. He heard Spike's howl in response to the bite and offered his wrist.

Spike came hard at the sensation of his sire's teeth tearing into his throat. When Angel offered up his own blood, Spike didn't think twice. He grabbed Angel's arm and sank his teeth into the vein at the wrist. He moaned at the taste of his sire's blood, as Angel continued to pound into him.

Angel collapsed onto Spike's back, sated. He realized he was purring and he smiled. He was happy, happier than he'd been in a long time. It was a safe happy, however. He was certain now that he wouldn't lose his soul with Spike. He didn't feel like a man, he felt like what he was. A vampire, a sire, one whose childe wanted him even with a soul.

He wondered if Spike would always have been willing to accept him like this. He didn't know the answer and he doubted that Spike would see the relevance in the question. He had to admit it wasn't all that important a question, anyway. He couldn't change what had happened. Even though he wished he had that century back to do over again, he would never be granted that wish. All he could do was spend at least the next century with his favorite childe, making up for lost time.

"Get off before you break a rib," Spike grumbled. He was all for a hard, fast fuck. However, he drew the line when his sire, all two hundred some pounds of him, decided to use him for a pillow afterward.

Angel was too exhausted to move, but he complied. He knew Spike was right, he was well over twice his childe's weight. He withdrew from Spike's body and leaned back against the counter. "I need a shower," he decided.

Spike grunted, still leaning against the table. Showers could wait. Taking a shower required moving. And moving required conscious thought. And the only thought that Spike was capable of at the moment was "Sleep now. Sleep good." So that's what he was going to do: sleep. Right here.

Spike shot up off the table and whirled around. Before Angel could take back his offer, Spike kissed him, soundly and thoroughly. He groaned as he felt himself growing hard again. Damn vampire stamina. He smiled against Angel's mouth as he felt the other vampire's erection pressing against his stomach. On second thought, vampire stamina wasn't all that bad when it was mutual.

"Lead the way," Spike said and followed Angel out into the lobby. He rolled his eyes when Angel gathered up their clothes, before proceeding upstairs. He followed Angel up to the second floor and down a long hall. They finally reached what was apparently Angel's bedroom, if the black silk sheets on the bed were any indication. *Pouf.*

Further strengthening Spike's assessment of him, Angel laid their clothes carefully over a chair before retreating to the bathroom. Spike rolled his eyes again and decided it was a good thing he'd shown up in L.A. when he had. He was desperately needed here, to teach his sire how to brood less and lighten up more.

Not that he wouldn't enjoy every minute of it, he acknowledged as he stood in the doorway of the bathroom and admired the view. His sire had to be the most beautiful, perfect creature that Spike had ever laid eyes on. The inspiration for pages upon pages of poetry written by his devoted childe, though Angelus had never laid eyes on one paragraph of it. William had been too unsure, too frightened of the possibility of being mocked, to let Angelus anywhere near his writing. Later, as he and his sire had drifted further apart due to that bitch of a grand-sire's manipulations, Spike had abandoned his poetry. Instead, he sought relief from his traitorous feelings for Angelus in the distractions provided by booze and railroad spikes.

So much had happened in a hundred and twenty-four years. But still one thing remained the same: the way Spike felt about the other vampire. Angelus or Angel, it didn't matter, he was still Spike's Sire. In fact, the only reason Spike had tried so hard to despise Angel was because he had been certain that was how Angel had felt about him. He hadn't wanted to want someone that didn't want him.

At least with Angelus, even when he was being beaten, there was an underlying message: He was Angelus'. Until tonight, Spike had been certain that wasn't how Angel felt; on the contrary, Spike was a reminder of all that Angel despised about his past.

Spike had never even imagined that, like him, Angel had been ignoring what he'd wanted, certain it could never be. He wondered how long this would last, though. He didn't want to start something that would just end in his being alone eventually. Spike wasn't so sure he could stand it if his sire left him again.

Angel had not been unaware that his childe was standing in the doorway. He had ignored him long enough to get the shower running, though. He turned and was surprised by the incredibly sad look on his boy's face. "Spike?" Angel frowned, and walked up to him. "What is it?"

Angel understood the question, of course. It was the same thing he was wondering about Spike. How long until he changes his mind again? He reached out and cradled Spike's face in his hands."I'm not going to wake up tomorrow or the next day or any day in the future and change my mind about this," he assured the younger vampire.

"I'm not going to lie to you and say it's always going to be easy, though. I know it won't be. But I'm tired of this life, Spike. What good is an eternity without another person to share it with? So if you're willing to be that person, I'm willing to do everything in my power to make this work."

Angel smiled. "If you're willing to compromise and not kill innocent people, I'm willing to compromise and look the other way when you hunt murderers or rapists. Cordy, Wes and Gunn will accept you, as long as you don't antagonize them." At Spike's 'you're kidding' look, he amended, "...too much?"

"That's good enough for me," Angel replied with a smile of his own. "Now I'm taking that shower before the hot water disappears." He turned and got into the shower, pulling the curtain closed again. He stood under the hot water for almost five minutes and had begun to think if Spike had regained his sanity and fled, when the curtain was pulled back.

Spike smiled at the obviously relieved look in his sire's eyes as he stepped into the shower. He _had_ thought for a moment that the smart thing would really be to leave, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Spike knew that the fledgling William who had always wanted nothing more than to be with his sire was still in there somewhere, and therefore he would never be the one to do the leaving.

"Tough," Spike grinned over at him. "Wanker," he added with a chuckle. "Hey!" he yelled in surprise when he was shoved back against the cold tile wall, but his protest was stifled by a passionate kiss.

Angel enclosed his boy's already erect cock in his hand, as he kissed him thoroughly, swallowing Spike's groan of pleasure. He growled when Spike's hand found his cock, matching him stroke for stroke. He moved to Spike's throat to suck and nip at the skin, as Spike panted and gasped underneath his attentions.

Angel felt himself approaching climax and sped up the movements of his hand, causing Spike to whimper in pleasure. "That's it," he whispered in his boy's ear. "Come for me, my William."

"Angel," Spike groaned as his orgasm washed over him. He heard Angel follow him over the edge. He was grateful for the weight of his sire for once, as it pinned him against the wall and kept him from collapsing to the floor. "Bloody hell," he gasped when he'd recovered use of his voice

After getting washed up, the two vampires dried and finally emerged from the bathroom. Spike pulled on his jeans again and ran downstairs to get the bag with his few belongings out of his car.

Angel pulled on a pair of black silk boxer shorts and collapsed in a chair in his room, completely exhausted. It had been a very long night. He looked up when Spike walked back in.

"Oh," Angel hadn't thought about it till then, but Spike would probably want his own room. He'd been a Master Vampire for quite some time, after all and Angel had no intention of turning him back into a fledgling. "You can use any room you want," he said.

"Okay," Spike nodded. "Guess all the others would be free." He turned and went across the hall, figuring correctly that all the rooms would be identical. He tried not to think too hard about the fact that he chose a room close to his sire's, he was not that pathetic. *I'm not,* he insisted to the voice in his head that felt otherwise.

"Yeah," Spike replied, taking the sheets and throwing them on the bed along with his duffel bag of the few clothes and cd's he'd taken with him from Sunnydale. He didn't look up at Angel, trying not to show his disappointment that he wasn't being asked to stay with Angel tonight. Not that he didn't want his own room, but he'd never been much for sleeping alone. Best example of that fact: Harmony.

"You're my childe, but I have no interest in dominance games. You're your own vampire and have been for a very long time. I want you to understand, I'm not going to try to change that, That is why I offered you a room of your own." Angel said. "Not because I don't want you to stay with me. Tonight or any other night, you're always welcome in my room and in my bed."

Angel paused, wanting to say more but fearing he'd said too much already. He turned and left, returning to his own room. He flipped off the light switch and crawled into bed with a weary sigh.

Fifteen minutes later, he sensed a presence in the room and smiled. He'd been hoping his boy would take the hint. He turned his head and could just make out the form of the other vampire in the dark room, standing in the doorway.

Spike knew the moment when his sire sensed his presence. When Angel turned to look at him, Spike whined, "I'm too tired to make my bed, ya wore me out."

"Damn right I will," Spike nodded. He walked over and slipped into the bed next to Angel with a contented sigh. His souled sire was a pouf, but a pouf who had really good taste in silk sheets. He smiled when Angel curled up behind him and threw an arm around Spike's waist, pulling him back against his chest. *I can definitely get used to this,* was his last thought as he drifted off to sleep.

Angel pulled Spike back against his chest and smiled contentedly. *Why wouldn't I be content? I've got my favorite childe back, I don't feel alone, like I have since I left my family. The night may have begun on a bad note, but the morning definitely turned out much better than I could ever have dreamed it would. Hopefully it will stay this way for a very long time, because I can definitely get used to mornings like this.* With that thought, Angel followed his childe into pleasant dreams.