Still Ensouled 15

The Adventures of Captain Peroxide and Deadboy

The Angel/Spike Zone of the BtVS Writer's Guild

Chapter XV - Revelations

Angel and Spike had wandered the area around the hotel by foot for half an hour looking for anything out of the ordinary, and finding none. The city was slowly creeping back to what could only be called LA normal. It was not a normal other parts of the country would recognize, but at least there were only the usual demons that lurked in shadows and no longer the non-stop feeding frenzy that had all but engulfed the city for the past several weeks.

"So, do you want to keep wandering aimlessly, or should we head back inside and see what’s cookin’?"

"I guess we better. I was kind of expecting Fred to call." Angel gave a defeated look up the block and turned back towards Hyperion Avenue.

"Maybe little brother couldn’t be bothered, ya know..."

"Shut up Spike." Angel interrupted. "I know that I don’t want to know."

"All the same, maybe we better make use of these rippling butt muscles and hurry back. Big evil brewing, don’t want to be out here alone, do we now." Spike turned a mischievous grin on his sire and took a step in front of him, to give a better view of the aforementioned muscles.

"Nope, don’t want that." Angel said through his own smirk and hurried his pace to keep up with Spike, who was now sashaying his hips like a bayou Madame.

Spike was nearly bowled over by a speeding Fred the second he walked through the door. She grabbed his hand and started pulling him up the stairs before he could protest.

"Okay, so we’re running?" He asked as he tried to keep up with Fred.

"We’re running." Fred agreed, clearly out of breath like this was not her first trip of the stairs since they had left.

"Fred, what is going on?" Angel asked once he had caught up to her.

"Charles and Wesley just found a body in the basement!" She yelled, continuing to run towards Cordelia’s room. "She had her throat slit."

"A human girl?" Spike asked.

"Yes, a very young, very human girl." Wesley answered as he met them in the hallway. Gunn was at his side, holding an axe unsteadily in his trembling hands. "It looked ritual." Wesley added.

"There was somethin’ way stinky poured all over her, and she looked pretty beat up, like she did not come willingly." Gunn said. "Demons I can handle, but that...that was just..."

"So, why are we gathering here?" Spike asked.

"Just seemed natural." Gunn answered, although he lowered his eyes from Angel’s stare.

"We just thought it was a little odd that Connor and Cordelia have been up here all night, I mean with all the activity downstairs. It seemed a little suspicious." Wesley prepared to knock on the door, but Angel stopped his hand.

"Let me go in first."

"Bu what if they’re, ya know..." Fred squirmed as her first thought formed into an image she didn’t really want in her head.

"Yeah, well seen that." Angel said. "Barfed it up." He added quietly as he turned the handle on the door. He heard a quiet moaning coming from within the room, but it was too dark to see. There was a single candle burning near the bed that cast an orange luminescence on the tableau before the group.

Connor was leaning over Cordelia’s nearly naked body holding a dagger dripping with blood. Cordelia’s eyes were shut and she was chanting in a hushed voice, it was a language neither Wesley nor Angel recognized. As she chanted her breathing grew more erratic and her skin began to glisten with sweat. It only took a second for all of the eyes in the room to focus in on her stomach. A collective gasp filled the room as each of them took in the scene. The dagger continued to drip rivulets of blood onto her stomach, which was huge and moved as if something were trying to punch its way out. Angel forced himself to pull his view from Cordelia to his son, who was openly weeping as the crimson liquid flowed from his hand.

"Connor." Angel said in a whisper. "What have you done to her?"

"It’s not her, dad." The boy answered. "She’s gone."

Angel took a step forward and tried to decide if he should reach for Connor or Cordelia.

"She lied to me." Connor continued. "I know that now."

"Lied to you about what?" Angel asked cautiously, inching his way towards the bed.

"She told me..." Connor paused. "My mother was right. A baby shouldn’t be anointed in blood."

"Your mother?" Angel asked, stopping his trek closer.

"Darla." Connor said, as tears began to flow in a steady stream from his eyes. His tears mingled with the blood that nearly coated Cordelia’s stomach as he said his mother’s name. "My mother was here, and now I know Cordy’s gone." He leaned his head down to the form lying on the bed and kissed her forehead. "Goodbye." He whispered so quiet none but Angel and Spike heard him. Both vampires took a quick step forward, but too late to stop Connor from raising the dagger high above his head and plunging it into the stomach before him, pressing through bone and flesh as he screamed out.

"Nooooooooo!" Angel screamed as he lunged at his son and tried to pull the knife out of Cordelia’s stomach, but he was knocked back from the bed by a flash of light and air that burst forth from her body. A wave of heat so powerful it left scorch marks on the ceiling emanated from the body. Where the blade had entered there was now a rift of some sort forming. It looked as if tendrils were going to sprout from the wound, a dozen arms seemed to glisten within the light and wave at the air surrounding Cordelia’s body. Then the room filled with a horrid shrieking that blasted the ears in the room and sent the entire group to the floor in a wave of pain.

Angel, Spike, and Gunn were the first to rise to their feet, weapons in hand, ready to battle whatever sprang from the rift. The wailing hit a fever pitch and then it was gone. Just as suddenly as the screaming had begun it drifted into the ether and the light went with it, leaving only the flickering glow of the candle and the bleeding body that it had come from.

Fred and Wesley pried themselves from the floor and came to stand beside the bed. Cordelia looked as if she were just slumbering, and despite the copious amounts of blood that coated her body as they watched the wounds inflicted by the dagger wove themselves together seamlessly. Within seconds there was no evidence that she had just been the victim of a mythical pregnancy, or that her lover had just killed whatever had been growing within her.

Angel fought back tears as he watched his son calmly wipe the blood from the dagger and place it on the nightstand beside the bed.

"She lied." Connor said again as if it were an answer to any questions Angel might ask. Seeing that none of those before him were satisfied or comprehending he continued. "She told me you would try to kill our baby, just like you tried to kill me when I was still inside my mother."

"Connor?" Angel asked. "Who killed the girl?"

Connor tried to meet his father’s stare, but the pain was beginning to overwhelm him. "She said our baby was worth one innocent life. She said the baby...The baby was a bringer of peace, she said. She said. She said. It wasn’t her." He screamed. Then turning his focus back to the body on the bed, Connor dropped to his knees and wept. "It was never you. You are not Cordelia." He closed his eyes and crumpled to the floor mumbling the words. "You never loved me, never loved me." Connor then rose to his knees again and grabbed at the bed sheets surrounding the comatose form. He screamed and clawed at the bed, pounding his fists into it.

Angel tried to process the words his child cried, but knew that there would be time for that later. Now he just had to try to make it right. He too fell to his knees and took the boy in his arms. Angel tried to hold him tight enough that the pain wouldn’t be able to break through his grasp. He stroked the boy’s hair and rocked him gently, sparing only a fleeting glimpse to his lover, whose eyes were also filled with tears. Spike sat beside them, but made no move to intrude on the intimacy of their embrace.

Fred, Gunn, and Wesley had drifted together in a sort of group hug, consoling each other with quiet words and questions. After a moment each of them found a seat in the room and sat in silence waiting for a cue from Angel.

Angel had a thousand questions floating through his mind, but the more he thought about them, the more he knew he had a limo to catch.

"He’s sleeping now." Wesley said coming down the stairs from Connor’s room.

"What did you give him?" Angel asked.

"Just a mild sedative. It should keep him asleep until we get back."

"And Cordelia?" He said through clenched teeth.

"No change, I’m afraid."

"Hang on. Are we seriously considering going to Wolfram and Hart?" Gunn asked.

"Really, I mean isn’t it all just zombie people and burnt marble anyway." Fred chimed in.

"How terribly generous of them." Spike said.

"Place was kind of a wreck the last time we were there, man." Gunn added.

"I know, but since Wolfram and Hart knew more about what was going on in this hotel than we did, I’m thinking it’s worth a conversation." Angel said. "Everyone should get some sleep. We have an early morning, at least those of us who are going do." With a final nod he took Spike’s hand and led him up the stairs, leaving the others to decide on their own if they wanted to take the trip.

The sun was still an hour off when Gunn entered the courtyard. The scent of dew covered jasmine and ivy almost buried the deep smog in the air. Almost, he thought as he took in a deep breath. He took a tentative step nearer the archway that led to the street.

"I thought I’d be the only one." He said to the shadowed form standing behind him.

"I didn’t," Wesley said, stepping into the soft light cast from the streetlamps, "but I’m not sure I thought it would be you."

"Guess we’re all just a little curious." Fred said joining the two men under the large maple trees that lined the entrance to the courtyard.

"How long has it been here?" Gunn asked. The three of them stared at the black stretch limousine that waited for them at the curb.

"Since before I got here." Wesley answered. He rolled on his heels and eyed the vehicle. "So, here we are, tempted like Judas once again." He continued in a voice full of more cheer than necessary.

"Guess we should get in." Gunn said. "Or maybe we should wait for Angel."

"Unless he changed his mind." Fred said.

"Shouldn’t have to wait too long." Wesley said. "I mean, surely the humans won’t be the only ones tempted."

"This is insane." Spike half-yelled, half-pleaded with Angel.

"Believe it or not, the thought had crossed my mind, Spike."

"I tried to be all supporto guy in front of your people there, but you cannot really think this is a good idea."

"No, I think it’s a horrid idea, but Wolfram and Hart is up to something and we need to know what it is."

"Angel, please reconsider." Spike tried to place a gentle hand on his sire’s shoulder, but his grip belied his soft exterior. "The second you walk through the door you will be corrupted, you know that better than anyone of them."

"Spike, we’re just going for a little tour. What’s the worst thing that can happen?" He placed his hand over Spike’s and leaned his head onto it, trying to be reassuring with his smile.

"Don’t look at me like that." Spike said casting his eyes to the ground. He softened his tone and continued. "We are talking about Evil Inc. You know the ones that brought Darla back just to make you insane, they had the oracles killed to sever your link with them, made you drink your own son’s blood, any of this getting through to you?"

"Listen to me please," Angel said, placing a finger under Spike’s chin to raise his head, "they did all those things and more. I haven’t forgotten that, but Cordy is in a coma, if that ‘s even her, Lilah is walking around like nothing happened, and Connor is just lost. If Wolfram and Hart can give me some piece to the puzzle that I am missing and help me help them, I have to go. I have to try to save them."

"Why do you have to do that?" Spike asked, breaking away from Angel’s grasp.

"Be all ‘I’m doing this for the sake of others.’ Why can’t you just be in it for the money or the power?"

"Just part of the gig I guess."

"So you’re going then?"

"I’m going. I want you to come too."

"Oh, I don’t think so, pet."

"Why not? You aren’t curious?"

"You know what they say about curiosity."

"Spike, really, I don’t think they’d go through all the trouble of bringing Lilah back from the dead just to kill us."

"Yeah, well I think it’s a great diversionary tactic." Spike moved back towards Angel. "I’ll stay here until you get back, and watch over the sleeping love birds, but as soon as you get back I’m going back to Sunnydale."

"Something is playing a pretty big trump card to keep you occupied here. I’ve got a feeling that I’m going to be needed back there."

"Spike, I don’t want you to go."

"I know you don’t, that’s why I’m staying in case you need a big rescue from the evil law firm, but Buffy needs me too."

"Not easy being popular."

"Tell me about it, add that to my fabulous good looks and it’s nearly interminable." Spike stood up. "Right then, time to go, your pets will be waiting." He grabbed Angel’s coat from the closet and placed it in his sire’s hands. Angel took the proffered garment and held onto his childe’s hand.

Angel gave him a quick kiss. "You’ll be here when I get back?"

"Promise." Spike kissed him back and let Angel go.

As soon as Angel had left the room Spike picked up the phone and dialed Buffy’s house.

"Hello?" A groggy voice answered.

"Hey red, sorry to call so early, but I’m getting a weird vibe this morning."

"Weird how?" Willow answered, sounding a little more awake.

"Weird like the evil that’s been brewing is about to hit full boil. What have I missed?"

"A lot, let me fill you in on the whole Caleb situation."

"Who’s Caleb?" Spike asked.

"Just an evil guy that’s been kicking our asses six ways from Sunday."

"I’m coming back tonight as soon as the sun sets."

"Well, I wouldn’t say that’s bad news." Willow said with a sigh of relief. "I think we could use some more super-strength around here, I mean the kind that doesn’t say hello with a fist." She gave a nervous laugh into the phone.

"I take it Slayer part two didn’t go over so well with Buffy?"

"Not so much. I think Buffy could use a friend about now."

"She has friends, right Willow?"

"Well, maybe I better tell you about that part too." Willow said with another nervous laugh.

"How about you just let Buffy tell me." Spike said firmly.

"Well, he he, that might be a problem."

People said "Can you say Roadtrip?"

Violators will be beaten to death with a shovel

(A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend)