ensouled20

The Adventures of Captain Peroxide and Deadboy

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

Chapter XX - At Last

Summary: Spike comes to LA looking for Angel, together they try and figure out what it means to be Ensouled.

Rating: Mainly R/NC-17

Pairings: Angel/Spike, Angelus/William, Lilah/Wesley, Buffy/Spike implied, Angel(us)/Darla Implied

Timeline: Runs the gamut

Disclaimer: Joss created my darling boys, I just let them run around in my head until they must come out.

Distribution: Please ask, although why you would want to house a 41,674 word long story is beyond me.

Feedback: Please, by all means, Email Tania

"Hurry Up!" Angel stood in the lobby yelling in all directions, pointing frantically at the others. Fred ran across the office, her arms full of books. Connor was pacing her trying to see if she had grabbed the one he had first seen the axis in. Spike was at the weapons chest building a sizable arsenal under his jacket and Gunn was on the phone at the front desk. "Thanks Dawg." He said as he hung up the receiver.

"Have they got her?" Angel asked.

"Yep, Oracle girl is in the bag. Can’t say she was real happy about it though." Gunn half smiled at Angel and turned to help Fred.

"Well, happy or not, she’s helping. Although I wish Mistress Myrna would get here." Angel looked at the clock on the wall, already three o’clock. "We’re on a schedule here."

"Calm down, Peaches." Spike said coming up behind the frantic vampire. "We’re going to get her back. Tonight. Promise." Angel leaned into the comforting hand on his shoulder and turned around to rest his head against that of his lover’s."

"We have to. I need to know she’s okay. Spike, I need her." They paused for a moment as the rest of the group circled the lobby setting the texts in piles, based on when they would be needed for the ceremony.

"Right then. I think we better take a little break. Focus our energies and such." Spike broke away from Angel. "Hey, you guys go get some lunch, stay close though. Soon as we hear from Wesley we’ll call you and get this show on the road."

Fred’s head popped up from behind the counter. "Mmm, lunch. Charles are you ready?"

"Yep, burgers or tacos?"

"Sounds good to me." Fred answered.

"Ready for a wicked battle and she still wants to eat. We'll live like kings."

"You too little brother." Spike yelled into the back office. "Even little demon spawn need a healthy lunch."

Connor joined the group near the door and dropped a few of the weapons he was carrying.

"You guys," Angel said looking at the piles of steel on the floor. "Let’s all hope this ritual doesn’t include any bloodshed, shall we?"

"Better safe than sorry and all." Spike said as he ushered the others out the door. "Well now, ready for a snack?"

"Sure." Angel headed for the stairs, stopped and turned around.

"He's going to call." Satisfied, for the moment at least, Angel resumed his course for the bedroom. Spike went into the office fridge and took out a couple pints of blood and made his own way upstairs. "He had better call." Spike said to himself.

Wesley had been standing in his office for ten minutes, staring at the wall full of books, unsure of where to start. So far all of his research had been as vague as Connor’s. At some point the firm had the Axis. Whether or not they still did, was beyond him.

"You know if you look at them long enough you’ll see a flock of seagulls."

"Lilah, darling." Wesley turned at pulled her into a deep kiss. "I've missed you like an astronaut misses a toilet." Lilah pushed him away.

"Wes, that was truly foul." She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and shoved him further away. "And don't be so phony, if you're going to lie to me at least be genuine about it."

"I’m going to be sick." She leaned onto the desk, resting a slender leg against one of the plush chairs meant for clients. "So, I thought you weren’t coming here anymore. What was all that about not working for Wolfram & Hart, wanting to be a champion of good, et al."

"Can’t a man be influenced by the powerful women in his life?" Wesley smirked, then decided to drop the act, as it was making him a bit queasy as well. "Alright, look, I need something, and I’m not sure where to start."

"Well, I usually start at files and records. That chick is just so freaky it makes your head spin."

"Okay, let’s go." He grabbed her arm and dragged her to the door.

"Hey, dammit, wait a minute. What are you looking for. There are certain things I have to keep a distance from, you know."

"Right, and I’m one of them, and yet you managed to get me the office next to yours. So I’m guessing you have a little more pull around here than you admit."

Lilah did not try to hide the pride in her face. "Well, if you want to see the clout I have around here, stick around for the staff meeting." She smiled at her own intentions, knowing full well Wesley wouldn't get the joke.

"Suit yourself." Wesley answered. "Just point the way."

"I'll go, I just wanted to see if you would protect me from myself." Lilah started towards the elevator.

After a moment Wesley answered. "That was a joke right?"

"Yes Wes. Are you always this gullible?"

Spike handed a warmed mug to Angel. "Bottom’s up."

"Not now Spike." Angel said without looking up.

"Oh, see now, funny. I like that." Spike sat down in the chair opposite his sire.

"So this is it." Angel took a drink. "We’re bringing her back. Spike, she’s coming back."

"Seems to be a lot of that going on lately." Spike rested his head on the back of the chair looking at the ceiling. "Angel, I’m leaving tonight." He could not look the other vampire in the eyes as he said the words.

"What? You can't." Angel leaned forward and placed his hands on Spike's knees. "You can't leave just because she’s coming back. Cordelia will.." Spike did not move.

"She’ll what Angel? She’ll be fine with you making love to her then coming down the hall for a good old fashioned shag with me. Yeah. I’m sure she'll be all for it, progressive girl that she is." Tears ran down the side of his face as he continued to stare at the ceiling. "It won’t work Angel. I can't stay here and watch. You love her. You love her."

Angel squeezed Spike's knee with one hand and lifted his head to meet his gaze with the other. "I love you." Spike stood up, escaping his sire’s grasp.

"You love her. I could see it in you as soon as you came out of that bleeding box, Angel. You need her. And I need Buffy." He cast his eyes to the floor. Sorry he had said her name. "Angel, you know what I did to her. I cannot stay here with you, living in a fantasy. She needs me there to protect her."

"And that's less of a fantasy than this?" Angel said, standing up himself. "You think she'll just welcome you back? You don't have to go."

"Angel, you killed her friends, teachers, left her bloody little gifts, you fucking drank from her! She would welcome you back with welcome arms. Even still, she would take you back if you asked." He turned his back on Angel and placed his hands on the wall. "You will have a piece of her I can never touch forever. Always. But if I stay here with you I will be letting go. I can't do that. She deserves to know that I am sorry. Even if it means nothing. She’ll probably stake me on site, but if I stay here the demon wins."

Angel knew he was right. He watched as his childe slid down the wall crying. He knew that William was there, not Spike. At the surface he was that soft spoken poet that had arisen from the grave. Before Angelus had held him. Before Angelus had trained him, told him to feel the power that coursed through his veins. William had loved with his whole heart, and more than a century later it was still the only way he knew how to love.

"You're really leaving." Angel was compelled to laugh at the blatant parallel. Had it only been three years since Buffy had said those exact same words to him. They had stood in a sewer and said their goodbyes, and now he was reliving the moment with the one person who he should be able to be with forever.

"I’m leaving. Once I know Cordelia is safe, and that you are okay. I'll go take care of what is left of my life and you’ll do the same." Spike wiped the salty streams from his face and stood back up. Angel was instantly on him. Hard mouth covering his own. "I love you Angel." Spike managed to get out between kisses. "I will always love you."

Angel clawed at his childe’s clothes, tossing them to the floor. He was determined to have one last moment with this beautiful creature, before he left. They pressed their way to the softness of the bed, kissing and caressing. There was no need for biting. No need to share the warm blood that burned its way through their bodies. This moment was about love. It was about the touch. It was a promise of forever. The women in their lives may be the most important thing now, but they were not so naive to think it would last forever. Many years from now they knew this moment would come again. Immortality meant saying goodbye many times in a lifetime, but never truly to each other.

Spike took comfort in Angel the same way he always had. He opened himself to his sire’s body. Tracing hands over the chest that was so much broader than his own. Circling over muscled arms that even the sea could not penetrate. Running fingers through thick hair, finally free of sand and salt. Kissing the thick lines of his lover’s mouth. Tasting the hunger that coursed through his warm mouth. There was no fighting for control. No power struggle. Spike let Angel know he was the sire with every gentle thrust. Angel in turn poured decades of need into Spike's willing body. He held him tight and whispered pledges of devotion to ready ears. Finally at peace with each other, and ready to face one more mission together Spike and Angel comforted each other in the most carnal, and at the same time tender way they knew how. Releasing all the tension between them at the same time. Together they came in a flurry of ‘I love you’s’ and ’forevers’.

"It's called the Axis of Pythias." Wesley was not sure if the woman in front of him was a machine or a demon, but Lilah had been right. She was fascinating.

"One moment please." The small woman’s eyes flashed like a computer screen in DOS mode and came to a pause. "Axis of Pythias. Tool used by Delphic Oracles to channel interdimensional energy and focus on a specific life force. Acquired by Wolfram & Hart circa 17A.D. Housed at the Muncy Headquarters until 1915A.D. Now housed in vault 14765."

"You're kidding?" Wesley grinned.

"I rarely kid Mr. Wyndham-Pryce. I’m files and records."

"So where is vault 14765?" Wesley asked.

"Right through that door." She pointed at a blue door with a keypad behind her.

"And do I have clearance to go in there?" He asked.

"No. That’s a level six clearance. You are a level four." Lilah answered.

"And what are you?" He asked her.

"I’m a level five."

"I see. Well, back to the drawing board we go." Wesley turned to leave.

"Ms. Morgan. I believe you have a staff meeting in ten minutes."

"Thank you. I believe I do." Lilah joined Wesley in the door way. "Meet me in my office in twenty minutes."

"What’s this staff meeting about Lilah?"

"Oh you know, climbing the corporate ladder."

"Here you go." Lilah tossed a box at Wesley. It was about two feet long and half as wide, weighing close to twenty pounds.

"Oh, I’m laughing Wesley." Wesley stared at the box.

"How did you get clearance?" Wesley asked, eyeing her carefully. Lilah waved a hand in the air.

"Let’s just say Linwood lost his head during the meeting." Lilah laughed and ran her fingers over her throat.

"I’m going to guess this is one of those cases that the less I know the better." Wesley grabbed his coat from a nearby chair and headed for the door.

"You're welcome." Lilah called after him.

"Okay gang, suit up." Gunn said, grabbing the last bag of weapons from the floor. "We have everything we need?"

"Yes." Angel answered as he came down the stairs. "We’re ready. Wesley will meet us at the house."

"Fabulous, I finally get to meet the infamous Wesley." Spike brushed past Angel, avoiding his glance. "So who’s driving?"

"I am." Gunn said pulling out his keys.

"We aren't going to all fit in your truck. Peaches and I will take the bike."

"Fine. I'll call Chain and tell him to take the oracle and hook up with us there. House should be pretty close to empty by seven."

"Yep, let’s go." Fred, Gunn and Connor left the Hyperion and piled into Gunn’s truck. Spike ran into the office to grab the keys to the motorcycle.

"So this is it. We’re going." Spike said as he handed Angel the keys.

"At last. We’re bringing her back." Angel placed his hand over Spike's and gave him a quick kiss.

"At last." Spike repeated. The two vampires left the hotel and made their way to the Pythian fraternity.

People have wondered how it would all end.

Violators will be beaten to death with a shovel

(A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend)