Still Ensouled 16

The Adventures of Captain Peroxide and Deadboy

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

Chapter XVI - Angel’s Day

The limo ride had not been completely uncomfortable. The mini bar was stocked, which was a very good thing considering the nerves of the five people inside. While they all agreed that five am was generally speaking too early for cocktails all involved agreed to keep it their little secret. The effects of the alcohol had calmed their nerves, but when Angel realized the blood he was drinking was human not pig’s he refocused himself on their destination.

"We should be fine as long as we stick together." He said to the group.

"Fine, right." Fred agreed. The others remained silent, no one wanting to be the first to say out loud just how insane the past twenty-four hours had turned them. They were riding in a limo to Wolfram and Hart while Connor and Cordelia lay at the hotel asleep with only Spike guarding them. Not exactly the safety in numbers policy they had adhered to since the Beast had first arrived.

When they pulled in to the underground parking garage of Wolfram and Hart Angel became acutely aware of the four rapid heart beats surrounding him.

"Relax guys." He said with a smile. He kept his casual air while a beautiful young woman escorted them from the limousine to the elevator shaft.

"Your guide will be here shortly." She said as they reached the main lobby.

The elevator door chimed as it opened revealing a bustling workday at Wolfram and Hart. There were more than a hundred people racing across the vast lobby; they rushed to meetings, ushered clients through the myriad doors that lined the upper terrace of the firm. There had been nothing but crushed stone and marble when the group had last been here, there was now a fully remodeled and modernized interior. Everything had been changed from the somber grays and blues that had defined the space before to clean whites and vaulted ceilings. Even the many windows seemed to radiate in the early morning sun, which admittedly made Angel a little nervous.

"Woohoo," Lorne whistled, "aren’t we moving on up?"

"We gotta hire their decorator." Gunn agreed.

"Oh, I don’t know, fancy facelift, doesn’t really change the fact that they’re all evil."

"Good morning Mr. Angel." Said a man passing by in a dark blue suit. A nice looking woman followed after him and nodded to Angel with the same greeting. Angel slowly turned around to see several people exiting the elevator.

"Good morning Mr. Angel." Each one chimed in as they passed.

"There’s no way this is going to go well." Angel said more to himself than anyone else.

"Now is that anyway to start your day?" A familiar voice asked. They turned their attention back to the lobby and saw Lilah before them once again. Angel fought back the urge to snap her neck in frustration and be done with it but realized it would probably do little good, seeing as how she was already dead. Spike’s words of warning echoed in his mind and he found himself wondering when his brazen childe had become the sensible one in their relationship.

"Morning Lilah." Angel said with a cheery smile. "Wishing you’d read the fine print now aren’t you?"

"Company girl has taken on new meaning for me yes, but it’s only temporary." She grinned back at him and then waved to a man standing across the way. He and several others came to stand behind her and Angel felt himself tensing. "These will be your guides." Lilah said with a Vanna like gesture.

"Guides, plural." Wesley asked, avoiding eye contact with her.

"Yes, you see you all have very different strengths and purposes, it would be a waste of time for us to try and show you every part of our, I’m sorry, your operation here."

Angel consciously tried to unball his fists. "And this has nothing to do with dividing us up?"

"You’re such a cynic." Lilah said as she waved at another man pushing a cart through the lobby. "See, this is gonna work out great. I assure you, it is not our intention to kill you, if we‘d wanted to, we could have just blown up the limo. Feel free to take whatever precautions you feel necessary to feel safe." The man joined the group and lifted a white sheet from his cart, revealing an assortment of weapons, knives and large guns. The men stood still and stared Lilah down, but Fred walked over to the man and grabbed a large automatic rifle from the cart. She then grabbed several clips from the second rack and checked to make sure they were full. Once satisfied she stuck the extra clips in her coat pocket and rejoined the group.

"Everyone ready then?" Lilah stood aside and a youngish man in a white lab coat came to stand beside her. "Fred, this is Knox. He’ll be showing you to the science and research department. I’m sure you’ll find it to your liking."

Knox reached out to shake her hand and Fred awkwardly pushed the large gun to the back of her shoulder with a jangle and reciprocated.

"I’ve read your paper on super-symmetry, fascinating stuff, really."

"Not nearly as interesting as my presentation of the theory." She said with a giggle as they headed down one of the long halls leading out of the lobby.

"Great, Lorne?" Lilah was shoved aside by a short man in a suit almost as garish as the host’s. "Allow me to introduce Preston, he’ll be showing you our entertainment division."

"Great to meet you I’m a big fan, the biggest." He reached a hand out and shook Lorne’s hand rapidly. "Love your work. I’ve taken the liberty of compiling a list of the artists we represent, some of whom I think you might be interested in."

"I’m not interested in anything you represent or have to show me, I don’t want to be part of your evil empire of..." The man flipped open the notebook he was holding and held it in front of Lorne. "Evil empire of everyone I’ve ever wanted to know. Haha." Lorne continued laughing as the man led him down another hall.

"Oh can I have her?" Gunn said as a young black woman in a very tight dress stepped up next to Lilah.

"Only if you promise to give her back. Allow me to introduce Lacy Shepard." Lilah said as the woman took a blurry-eyed Gunn by the arm and led him to a nearby staircase.

"No promises." Gunn said as he let himself be led away.

The former watcher perked up a bit but then deflated as a man in his late fifties began to walk towards him. His every mannerism screamed Watcher’s Council, right down to the horrid tweed of his jacket.

"I know lover. Conflict of interest though, you understand."

"Of course." Wesley nodded, although he was still reeling from the sight of her and was unprepared for her affectionate treating of him.

"Sirk will be showing you the library, and a few other places you might be familiar with."

"I assume my office is where I left it?" Wesley asked the man as they passed behind Angel.

"Naturally." The elevator doors opened and Wesley led the way now, he turned from Angel but could feel his stare as the doors closed behind them.

"So, I guess that leaves just you and me then."

"Nothing but the best baby."

"And you’re going to tell me more about what exactly?"

"Well, I understand you have a lot of questions, and I have some answers for you. Come on Charlie." She whispered breathed into his ear. "Let me show you around the chocolate factory."

Angel stared at her for a moment and then let her lead the way. Once they were in the elevator a thought occurred to him.

"Wesley has an office?"

"Alright Lilah, you’ve shown me the big fancy evil law firm. You’ve made me the big evil deal. Now you wanna tell me why I’m really here?"

"This is why you’re here. This office." She waved a hand around the room. It was a standard office, actually not even as large as hers had been, but nice nonetheless. Equipped with a private elevator that led to the parking garage and sewers. There was a mini-bar and very comfortable looking chair. A bit too much natural wood for Angel’s tastes, but that was an easy fix.

"This office is just an office Lilah. Now, I’ve listened to your spiel, I’m leaving."

"Wait, come on Angel, don’t go. I haven’t shown you the best part." Lilah pressed a button on the desk and the thick blinds flashed open on the rising sun. The rays filled the office bathing Angel in their warmth. He instinctively threw his hands over his face in a futile gesture, and nothing happened. The warmth stayed warm not burning. His skin didn’t melt and he remained in his non-dust form.

"Why am I not on fire?"

"Necro-Tempered glass." She wrapped her knuckles against the pane and flashed Angel her biggest smile. "We’ve outfitted the entire building with them, so you, and your staff, can walk anywhere, any time of day, and you’re perfectly safe."

"Yeah, I bet." He closed his eyes against the sun for a moment feeling the joy of it for the first time since he had left Pylea. "Shut it." He said, eyes still clenched tight.

"We don’t have to. You know it feels great naked." Angel’s eyes popped open. "The sun, I mean. You could..." She made a little finger motion indicating she would turn around. "I won’t peek, I mean, maybe a little."

"Lilah, close the blinds."

"You’re the boss." She pressed the button and the blinds closed again, leaving the room with a dull sort of light that Mother Nature had never intended. "There you go. Instant brood."

"No, instant goodbye. We’re leaving." He pivoted towards the door but was stopped by Lilah’s hand on his arm.

"Angel, you don’t want to leave this opportunity behind. Trust me." She pleaded.

"Trust you? That’s funny. You’re giving me the opportunity to be part of the problem, not the solution. Not interested."

"You’re not the tiniest bit curious?" She raised her eyebrows at him. "You don’t care at all what your son killed last night? Don’t care why Cordelia did it, or what’s happened to her?"

"I care, but I don’t think you have all of the answers Lilah."

"You’re right. I don’t, but you could. All it takes is one phone call." She lifted the receiver from a phone sitting on a small desk and handed it to him. "Give it a try Ace."

Angel took the phone and let it dangle in his hand for a second before placing it to his ear. As soon as he did a voice on the other end responded. "Yes Mr. Angel?"

He paused for a moment trying to decide what to ask. "I’d like to see Cordelia Chase’s demon guide Skip."

Before he had even hung up the receiver there was a burst of red light in the center of the room accompanied by a loud shrieking. As soon as the light had dissipated Skip stood in front of Angel surrounded by a circle of low flame.

"Angel, buddy. What’s up?" The demon asked nonchalantly.

Angel looked to Lilah. "You asked." She said with a shrug.

"You couldn’t have just called?" The demon asked reaching a hand out to test the ring that enclosed him.

"I did just call." Angel said. "Just."

"Kind of cheating, but okay. I’m here. What can I do for you?"

Angel circled the demon at a relaxed pace. "I need to know when you saw Cordelia last?"

"Oh, you’d remember her, do gooder, gets visions, a bit thick around the middle."

"I could do without the help Lilah." Angel gave her a hard stare, which only caused her to wave her hands in the air.

"Just trying to help boss."

"Oh yeah, Cordelia. Not since her ascension." Skip once again tested the bounds of his fire ring.

"Here’s my problem with that Skippy. The last time I saw you, you gave me a little hint. It really did seem like just what I needed at the time. Now, a few months later I’m thinking it was pretty damned convenient that if the powers really needed her so badly they’d tell you the key to getting her out. So I’m thinking that you telling me was not what the Powers wanted, and that either you were playing me, or something else was playing you. How’m I doin’?"

"I’m telling you the truth here buddy," The demon said punching at the ring spraying a shockwave of sparks on the ground around Angel, "nobody played me." He tried another punch, but it too only made a big flash without releasing him from the ring.

"So who was it then?" Angel said. He was no longer pacing the room. Skip just stared back at him, not answering. "Was it whatever hitchhiked home with Cordy?"

The demon still remained silent. Angel once again picked up the phone.

"Could you please send someone to my office with a Sphere of Infinite Agonies spell?"

"Right away Mr. Angel." Angel twirled the phone in his hand for a second before letting it click down on the receiver.

"Okay, there’s no need for that, really." Skip protested.

"Start talking. Where’s Cordy."

"You tell me. I’ve been out of the loop for a while."

"That thing at the hotel is not Cordelia. It’s just some sort of vessel."

"Are you really that retarded? It’s Cordelia, she’s just not driving at the moment."

"So, are you saying she’s just possessed?"

"Think deeper. She is still Cordelia, in fact, she’s probably all Cordelia now, which really sucks because you just know I’m not getting paid now."

"So, when Connor killed whatever was in her, he got rid of the demon too?"

"That was not a demon Angel buddy. That was a being of supreme light. A goddess who has waited since demons took over this pathetic planet of yours for the perfect moment to bring peace back to the world. Can you even conceive of what you did? Your little hell spawn ended the only chance at perfect bliss that this place has had in a dozen millennia, and you watched him do it."

"That thing was not a goddess." Angel spat. "It forced my son to murder an innocent girl. It caused the rain of fire, brought forth the beast, not to mention my less than stellar alter-ego. No way was that a good thing."

"Actually boss, it kind of was. I mean, you always wanted to know which side you would be on when the big one came, good or evil. Well, now you know. Yay you." Lilah gave him a thumbs up.

"No, it’s not true." Tears filled his eyes, but he steeled himself to them and charged at the Demon, stopping just short of the fire ring. "It’s not true. You watched her ascend. She earned that right by carrying the visions."

"Yeah, because she was such a pure soul? Are you that much of a chump?"

"Are you saying this thing maneuvered her into getting the visions in the first place?"

"Uh oh, better step on it. The rubes are catching up."

"It orchestrated Doyle’s death so he could pass the visions to her." Angel said quietly.

"That and a hundred other moments." Skip said. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to bring something like this forth? How many moments have to happen for the pieces to come together?"

Angel turned to Lilah, "Get the rest of them up here."

"But they aren’t done."

Lilah grabbed the phone and quietly spoke into it for a moment and then placed it back on the base.

"They’re on their way. Almost instantly the elevator doors opened and Gunn, Wesley, Lorne, and Fred entered the office. They stared at the demon before them.

"Just another day at the office, eh?" Gunn asked.

"Tell them the rest." Angel said without responding.

"A million points have to intersect to bring a goddess from another plane of existence." Angel nodded to the rest indicating to just follow along and hope they picked up the plot. "Getting sucked out of Pylea, Opening the wrong book, choosing a vampire over what you knew was your path, killing your sister, finding the right store room." Lilah jumped a little when she was included in the master plan. Skip then focused his attention back on Angel. "Your boyfriend getting captured by commandos. Falling in love with the Slayer. Accepting a birthday gift."

Angel once again fought the urge to lunge at the demon. "The gypsy girl?" He asked.

"No, after a thousand years of vampires roaming the earth that clan, at that moment, brilliantly thought up the perfect torture on their own."

"Your soul?" Wesley said, taking a seat on one of the too plush chairs next to Lilah.

"No way, we make our own choices." Gunn said.

"Sure you do. When to floss, which way to part your hair. The little things. But the big cosmic events, those aren’t up to you. There is a plan whether you want to believe it or not. Like two vampires squeezing out a kid."

"And this thing’s plan involved Angel from the start?" Fred asked.

"And Connor." Wesley said.

"To create a vessel, for this thing." Angel said.

"Look out, the monkey’s thinking."

The group was silent until a knock at the door pulled them out of their reverie.

"Mr. Angel? I have your Infinite Torture." A young man said as he entered the room. He carried a large book and a few bottles of sand.

"Right over here." Angel said gesturing to the demon.

"Angel, man, I told you what you wanted to know." Skip yelled.

"Yeah, that was kind of dumb of you." With a wave to the humans in the room the vampire left his office. He smiled brightly as the young man began chanting and the corridor filled with a blood-curdling scream.

"So, you didn’t tell her yes?"

"No Spike, I’m not ready to sign my life over to them just yet. Although she did have a few things I found interesting. Like this." He said handing Spike a small document pouch.

"What’s this?" Spike turned the envelope over and read the words Sunnydale on the back. He looked up at Angel for some sort of explanation,

"Lilah said that their sources say something is about to whammy Sunnydale, and that this," He reached into his pocket and pulled out a garish amulet and dangled the chain from his fingers, "has something to do with stopping it."

"The first?" Spike took the chain and rolled it over his hand.

"I think we better get it to Buffy."

"Angel, for all you know it could be a trick."

"I know. I’m going to have Wesley look over the translations, they’re still a bit sketchy." He took the amulet back from Spike and dropped it into the envelope. "We won’t give it to her until we know it can help."

"Speaking of which, you know I have to go back."

"You know I don’t want to."

"Angel." Spike leaned over the side of his chair and kissed his sire. "I know you can’t leave until Connor and Cordelia are safe." He kissed him again.

"I’m going to give this to Wes and let him get to work on it."

"Right. I’m going to go up and pack a couple of things, okay." Spike said standing to exit the office.

"Come up and tell me goodbye okay."

"I’ll be up in a minute."

It had only taken a few moments for goodbye to turn into don’t leave me. Even through his kisses Angel could feel Spike slipping away. He would go to Sunnydale and help Buffy, where he was unable. The one part of the translation that was clear was that the amulet must be worn by someone ensouled, but that it was not he. Angel knew that once again his day would end with him being unable to save Buffy. So, he spent his day where he knew he was needed. In Spike’s arms.

Wrapped up with Spike he knew that he was not only needed but craved. Skip’s words played through his mind like a broken record. He refused to believe that every decision he had made had been manipulated into place just so Connor could be brought forth. A century of torture, away from this, he thought as Spike pulled his shirt off and let it drop to the floor. A century of not touching this, he thought as he released his Childe’s cock from too constricting jeans. A century of knowing only the taste of pig’s blood, not this mouth full of hard kisses and fighting tongue. A century of wanting to feel that hardness against his skin. Wanting to hear his name moaned into the pillow like that. Needing to arch his back into his lover’s pounding thrust. A century of knowing there was one place in the entire world he was lusted after, here in these arms.

Angel could not help but retrace every time in a hundred years he had spilled his own seed alone in a room with Spike’s scent on his mind. The hours he had spent wandering New York knowing he was an hour behind his childe, stalking him, wanting him, afraid his reaction would echo Darla’s, and that he would see loathing in his lover’s face, where there once had been no emotion outside of blind lust. Angel bent his head into Spike’s neck and tasted the salt that was rising over his skin. He lathed his nipples with smooth circles and pulled each one until it stood at attention. This was how it was meant to be, and would have been for the past hundred years without this goddess with no name’s intervention.

But it would not have been him.

It would have been Angelus that now pressed into the man below him. It would have been a soulless demon that gripped these chiseled hips and pulled them against his own. Angelus who clawed at alabaster skin and growled out a name he had only dreamt of for a hundred years ago. Instead it was he, Angel. It was Angel who hugged the pillows below him and pressed back to take this vampire’s cock deeper within himself. It was he who now shoved his face into the goose down trying to muffle screams of ecstasy as his childe slammed inside of him and frightened the humans only three floors below. Angelus would have never known this pleasure, and Angel found himself unable to regret that the last hundred years had brought him here. As he sprayed the sheets below him and felt himself be filled when his lover did the same Angel found it impossible to not whisper a word of thanks to the now dead power that had put his here.

Angel rolled onto his back and was attacked by his lover’s mouth and knew that the same thoughts had filled his mind. They now had no need any words beyond thank you. Angel fell asleep in his childe’s arms and for the first time in a century he knew exactly why he was brought here. He slept a peaceful sleep, so peaceful he did not feel Spike climb from their bed just before dusk and slip out the chamber doors.

People said "Just a second Honey, I'm a little flushed"

Violators will be beaten to death with a shovel

(A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend)