Chapter 8

Beginnings

"Come on, Angelus. No fun if you won't fight." The vampire grinned down at him.

"You want a fight. You're in luck, Liselle. So do I."

She turned quickly, to see to see a black garbed figure outlined against the entrance of the alley.

"Well, if it isn't little William, all grown up! You haven't changed a bit. Still the same weak little fledge I remember, always tucked safely under Angelus' wing." She stroked Angel's head, then viciously grabbed a handful of hair and lifted his face up.

"But where are you going to hide now? He's all broken."

"You haven't changed a bit either." Spike replied walking confidently towards her. "You always were stupid."

He lashed out with his foot and kicked the stake out of her hand and with the follow through managed to manoeuvre himself in front of Angel.

"And I don't hide."

"Oh what a dear little one you are! Trying to protect your sire from someone who is older," she moved towards Spike, "stronger..." an uppercut knocked Spike to one side, "...and more vicious than anyone you'll ever meet." She gave a shrug. "Not that I expect you to be meeting anyone after I've finished with you."

She punctuated her speech with a brutal backswing that sent Spike flying into the wall. He used the wall to propel himself forward feet first and launched into her bodily. She went down and he had the chance to end it. He looked across at Angel who appeared to be watching the fight without any emotional response. Liselle took advantage of his hesitation to recover her position and began to lay into Spike with punch after punch, his defence was weak and he was beginning to give ground.

"You really shouldn't pick fights you can't possibly win, little one."

She gave a spinning kick that cracked against his jaw and sent him flying into the wall. Without taking her eyes off the downed vampire she picked up her abandoned stake, her movements were leisurely and sure.

"It was really nice seeing you again, William. But I'm afraid this is goodbye."

Spike could only watch, wide-eyed as she drew back the stake.

Only to explode into dust before his eyes. Revealing the powerful figure of his sire standing behind.

"Goodbye." Angel said as he twitched the stake at Spike.

"Never leave home without one."

Spike let his human face emerge and shut his eyes to take a moment to calm himself.

"Come on, Spike. You didn't really think I'd let that two bit vamp stake you, did you?"

Spike shook his head, took the proffered hand and got to his feet.

"You did it on purpose didn't you?" Angel offered conversationally. "Stopped fighting?"

Still Spike said nothing.

Angel suddenly vamped out and grabbed Spike by the front of his shirt and finally let his rage and frustration show.

Rage at Spike, at Buffy, at the world. He leant close to Spike's ear and growled,

"And supposing, I didn't recover in time. Supposing the bitch had staked you? Not yours, Spike. Your life is not yours to give away. Mine. Your life is mine." His golden eyes glowed with anger. He drew back slightly, only to strike with teeth and bite deep into his neck.

Spike growled back and with a strength that belied his previously defeated stance he broke away from the other vampire's grasp. Leaving Angel gasping as he was ripped away, his bloody fangs gleaming.

"Then next time, you fight! You're my sire. Mine! Next time, you defend yourself and you'd better frigging win cus you don't get to leave me. Not again." Spike raged. He dashed an arm across his face in distress.

Angel felt the demonic rage slip away.

"Spike?"

"I thought I was going to be too late. I'd just started to get everything figured out and then...I thought you'd gone."

"I'm here, Spike."

"For how long this time?"

"No one lives forever. Not even us."

"You've never given up before. You've had a hundred years by yourself with nothing to live for but still survived."

"I know." Angel's brow furrowed in confusion. "I don't know what happened. Everything seemed so dark."

"It's that bloody place. It's seeping into you and corroding you. Eating away at you."

"Maybe. But what can I do? I made a deal for my son and that still stands."

"You need to spend some time away from there. We'll think of something."

"We? You're not going to Italy?"

Spike shot him a look.

"If you're going to eavesdrop, may as well listen to the whole conversation."

"Yeah..." Angel looked at the ground sheepishly.

"Is she well?" He finally asked,

"Yeah. You know, she always used to remind me of those old spinning tops when they're out of control, spinning fast and erratic around the centre, you wonder how they don't topple. She's not like that anymore. She's balanced. She's found her centre."

"Uh huh. But has her cookie dough finished baking?"

"She might be balanced but I worry about you sometimes, Peaches."

Angel laughed.

Spike looked at him.

"You should try that more often."

"You're good for me, Spike. You do know that don't you? Sometimes I fly to extremes, you pull me back. You keep me balanced. You make me laugh."

"Make you laugh? Could have fooled me, you hate my humour."

"On the outside. But I'm laughing inside."

"You're one strange vampire."

"Guess you do take after me then. Childe."

"I suppose I could be your childe...when there's no one else around. Tell anyone and I bite you."

Angel looked at the healing fang marks on Spike's neck.

"You owe me one, anyway."

"Look. I have to go..."

"Yeah. I get it. Buffy. Uh...you never did answer my question about Italy..."

"No, I didn't, did I? Anyway, must go...she'll be waiting for me." He grinned and left.

After the stunt Angel had pulled tonight he deserved a bit of a wind up.

Spike whistled softly to himself as he left. He finally had a sense of rightness - felt it in his bones. He'd made a good choice tonight when he'd chosen Angel. The scary vamp had found him instead of his slayers, which meant that the girls would have been ok facing the nest, particularly with Buffy watching over them.

Spike returned to a houseful of chattering and hyped up slayers. He cast a glance at Buffy.

"Was he really in trouble?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah. He really was. So how did you get on?"

"Your slayers did a good job, Spike." She replied in a voice loud enough to allow the slayers to hear her praise.

"I dropped in to watch their style. They covered each other well and they're getting some fine moves together."

"Yeah? Anyone hurt?"

Two girls came forward. One had a couple of sutures crossing a cut that ran up her cheek. The other was limping.

"What happened?"

"I misjudged the reach of one of the big vamps. I ducked under him but was too slow; he managed to tear across my face. Before I staked him."

Spike nodded.

"And you?" He turned to the girl with the limp.

"We were outnumbered and two of them came for me. I was concentrating on the closer one but the other swung in and kicked my legs out from under me. He threw himself on top and I managed to get the stake up so that he landed on it. Neesh got the other. She watched my back."

Spike nodded again. Surveyed them all and gave a tight vicious smile that reminded Buffy of the pre-chip Spike.

"That's my girls."

They straightened almost to attention and returned his tight lipped smile. Buffy shivered, she grabbed Giles by the arm and dragged him into the kitchen.

"Giles. He's going to be training our slayers right?"

Giles nodded.

"I think we're handing him an army. I saw them fight tonight. They were fighting for him. Because they thought he trusted them with this mission. In a few years' time he'll have a loyal, maybe unbeatable, army."

"Buffy? Do you trust Spike?"

She considered and slowly nodded.

"Funny enough so do I and when I took him on here I always saw this potential. It's partly why we need him. We're just humans but he's something else. When you're lead by a supernatural being it lends the mission an authority, a sense of higher purpose. He can unify the slayers in a way you and I could not. He'll be a thread through the years. When we're gone he will still be here, making sure our original mission stays on track."

"If he ever lost his soul..."

"He'd still respect your wishes, Buffy. There's just something within him that's always been a little...human."

"You see it too?"

"Only with hindsight. It was a pre-soul Spike who stopped Angelus from torturing me and a pre-soul Spike who loved Drusilla for all those years...and I think you mean even more to him."

"Sometimes, Giles, you can still surprise me."

"Sometimes I surprise myself."

"And wouldn't life be dull without any surprises?" She studied him. "You look a bit pooped; I'll put the kettle on and make you a nice cup of tea."

"You make a 'nice' cup of tea? Now that would be a surprise. Thank you for your offer but actually, I am rather tired. I'll have a nightcap and then hit my bed."

Spike popped his head around.

"You two around tomorrow? Got things to discuss."

"Couldn't you just tell us now?"

"Uh, uh. I need you fresh and clear headed. Bring the boy too."

"Spike? What is it?"

"Tomorrow, Buffy." He replied as he left. -

Angel spent the night wandering the streets, visiting some of his old haunts and talking to some of the contacts he knew from his previous life, until he finally ended up back at the Hyperion. He found himself sitting in Cordelia's chair and thinking, something he seemed to have so little time for these days. Wolfram & Hart kept him busy but he never seemed to get anywhere. Here in this place everything seemed just a little clearer. So many memories bound up here, so much had happened. Some good, some bad but all of it real, more real than fast cars, leather chairs and sunlit offices. He fell asleep in his old office, mulling over the changes.

He awoke the following morning with an energy he hadn't felt for a while. Whether it was the rush of tasting family blood, being away from the corporate fold or just that he'd hit the bottom and now found himself rebounding back up, he couldn't say.

He returned to his life with some of his old enthusiasm, immediately calling a meeting and waiting for the team to arrive. He templed his hands and watched them all file silently in. He had some bridges to rebuild.

When they were all seated he began.

"Firstly, Wesley, Fred, Gunn, I need to apologise. I'm sorry for threatening you. What can I say? I lost it. But we have to get over it. We have to pick up our work again."

Gunn cleared his throat.

"Pick up our work? We can't do much more, Boss. We're putting in twelve hour days as it is."

"I'm not talking about Company business. I'm talking about why we're here. We're losing sight of our mission. We need to be more pro-active. You know, the way we used to work when times were quiet. If we had no cases and Cordelia had no visions we used to try to find the bad in the city. We should be look through newspapers and finding suspicious reports. Going out on the street and talking to our contacts, getting a feel for what's happening. What we should not be doing is sitting here and waiting for the Senior Partners to feed us whatever tidbits they want us to deal with."

They looked at him in astonishment.

"Angel? You seem different today. What's happened? Has Spike returned?" Wesley asked.

"No, he hasn't. And you know? It's okay. I've realised, we're going to live a long time. One day, may be another hundred years down the line, he's going to need me again and I'm going to be here, still souled and still working my ass off on the side of good. And that's only going to happen if we stop letting ourselves be yanked around like puppets and start taking control. From now on, every day we're going to work on at least one case that hasn't been filtered down through Wolfram and Hart. We have to win back some of our integrity. So today we have a new beginning."

Wesley nodded in approval.

"Good plan. I like it, Angel. It makes sense."

"Well...I have something, which is a little weird." Fred offered tentatively. "There have been these cases recently, all involving children. They're ending up in hospital, in a coma, with these horrible rictus grins frozen on their faces. Nobody knows what's causing it."

Angel smiled at her. Of them all, she was the least affected by their transition to the Company.

"That's great, Fred. This is just the sort of thing we need to investigate. Can you dig around and see what you can discover?"

"On it." She replied.

"I'll see what I can find out about them, too." Wesley said and got up to leave.

Gunn stood by himself, looking at the floor. He needed to say something. He took a deep breath. "Uh...I have to tell you..." He looked up...to find that they had already left and he was standing alone.

Angel walked into the lobby.

"Hey, Nina. That time already."

She nodded.

"Yeah, I guess." She looked good, as usual.

He liked seeing her; she was one of his successes. Not a Wolfram and Hart case, just a woman in trouble. Now technically a werewolf, so obviously not a 100% bona fide success.

"I'll see you to your suite." He said with a smile, which she returned rather nervously. They walked down to the basement to a barred cell.

"I'm getting to quite enjoy these visits." Nina said. "Well not the being locked in the cage but some bits...like seeing you."

"I...umm." Angel stuttered.

She caught his eye and continued, "I look forward to that."

"I...uh...should probably shut the...uh...cage door now." Angel replied falling over his words as she looked up at him through her lashes.

She could feel the moment slipping away and quickly carried on before she lost her nerve, letting her words tumble out.

"And I was wondering what are you doing for breakfast tomorrow?"

"Breakfast?" What was happening, couldn't she tell he the sort of guy he was.

"Oh...you know...drinking blood." He fumbled awkwardly.

Nina nodded in embarrassment.

"Of course. Yes. I understand."

"I have to lock the door ..." He gave a nervous laugh.

"What?"

"Insurance purposes. Well. Bye."

She felt so stupid as she watched him rush from her cell.

He felt like an idiot as he almost ran back up the stairs.

-

"So Spike. What's this urgent meeting for?" Giles asked as they settled into the privacy of the basement room.

"You know you told me that if I stayed here it would maybe give me a chance to find myself? Find my place in the world?"

Giles nodded.

"I've found it." Spike said, "And I don't belong here."

Giles looked at Buffy and then back to the blonde vampire.

"What does that mean? Are you going back to Europe with Buffy?

"No." He glanced at Buffy. "Much as I'd like to..."

"Then what are you talking about?"

"I'm just saying, being here isn't my place."

The others stared at him in surprise.

"But, Spike. Who else can teach the slayers? I mean, not just all the ninja fighting skills, but everything! You can't leave us...them." Andrew protested.

"I think you'd better explain." Giles told him.

"Didn't realise at first. You remember how I was, there were so many victims screaming in my head, I didn't notice at first that some victims weren't mine. They were happening in the present and I didn't realise." He hung his head.

"What didn't you realise, Spike?"

"Didn't realise that I was having visions."

"How...?" Buffy started.

"Why...?" Giles spoke at the same time.

"Yeah. Good questions. I've only got vague memories of Prom Queen..."

They looked at him in confusion.

"That Cordelia bint?"

Andrew frowned and made as if to speak. Spike cut him off.

"She was a seer. Came to us the day before she died. Must have passed the visions on to me."

"Good heavens! So you're having visions. But that's good. It can only help us in our quest..."

Spike shook his head.

"No, Rupert. The visions, so far, have all involved Angel and his people. I'm Angel's seer."

"Is that how you knew Angel was in danger last night?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. You know, I was torn about which way to jump but in the end I followed the vision and it turned out to be the right thing to do. My slayers proved themselves and I got to Peaches in time."

Giles took off his glasses and looked down at them as if examining them for flaws.

"Is this what you wanted to tell us? Because I have to say it's a blow."

"No, I wanted to discuss something else. If the Powers That Be are sending me visions for Angel then that must mean he's still their champion. Yeah?"

"Well, yes. You're point being?"

"My point being that, despite the choices he's made, its time for you to accept that he still wears a white hat."

"So he's not evil...yet."

"With a bit of support and encouragement he might actually make it through and out the other side."

"What do we need to do?" Buffy asked. Spike smiled at her, she always came through for him.

"It's about connection. Wolfram and Hart have isolated him, we need to pull him back. I'll help Angel, but I'm not going to work for the lawyers. I'd actually like to continue training my slayers."

"Well, I don't see a problem with that." Giles said in some relief.

"My terms are that you include Angel. He may not agree to it but you have to see how useful he could be. He used to study the old lore, I doubt if you'll ever meet anyone who knows as much about demons and rituals as he does."

"Spike...I'm not sure..."

"What is the problem? We've already agreed he's a champion."

"He works for Wolfram and Hart and..."

"When he loses his soul he becomes Angelus." Buffy clarified. "He'd destroy the whole system we've been putting in place, probably within his first couple of days."

"Ok. First point. Have you thought that the Wolfram and Hart contact might be useful? The Council lost their library recently, yeah? Well the lawyers have access to just about every ancient text in existence. Put it to use. Use the contact. If you act quickly you might be able to get copies of your lost information before the Senior Partners even realise what you're doing."

Giles nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, I can see that. But what about the second point? What about Angelus?"

"Buffy could you take Angelus out?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure."

"Ok. Do you think you and I together could take Angelus?"

"Yes."

"In a year's time I'm going to have eight fully trained slayers. Myself and eight Buffy clones. Do you think we could take him?"

"You'd be toying with him." Buffy replied.

Andrew frowned.

"Angel will be training the slayers. Supposing..." he glanced nervously at Buffy, "...they like him so much that when he turns 'grrr' they hesitate taking him down."

Giles removed his glasses and massaged his forehead with his fingers.

"It is a possibility, Buffy. You have to admit."

"Supposing they don't have to stake him, just disable him? We could make it a part of their training." Spike suggested.

"Yes. Put protocols in place for just such an emergency." Andrew agreed. "Teach them how to render him inoperative if he turns all evil again."

"What do you think?" Giles asked looking at Buffy.

"I think we've got all our bases covered. You've got to admit he'd be valuable. And if it helps to save him then I have no choice. I say we go for it."

"Spike, do you honestly think we can pull Angel back from the brink?"

"I'm almost certain of it."

"What about the others? Wesley and the others?"

"I think the Senior Partners are still busy finding a lever for each of them. Although I doubt if the girl, Fred, has one. They're planning to kill her. This is why I have to return. I can help."

"We're here to look after the slayers not to save souls."

Giles looked at Andrew, waiting for him to speak. Despite his overblown rhetoric he sometimes had insight.

"I agree with Buffy, we should do it." Andrew said. "As I understand it, the first act of the original Watchers was an act of cruelty, when they chained up the girl and forced her to accept the demon spirit. And control of the slayers through the ages has been achieved through tyranny."

"That's pretty much how I'd describe it." Buffy agreed.

Andrew swelled with confidence at having her support.

"I don't know the Vampyre Angel or his cohorts personally. But I do know we're at the beginning of a new age for the Council, we're attempting to build something here, something good. We should show our faith in the higher powers that guide us. Spike has been put here, at this time and in this place, for a purpose. And I believe it's so that we can prove what we can be and give direction to our future. Let our first act be one of mercy and of faith." He pleaded.

"If we turn our backs on these souls then our group will always be tainted by original sin, just as the first watchers' coercion, tainted all that followed. I think this choice has been sent to us as a test and we need to prove ourselves, we need to rise to the challenge. Also I've thought of a really cool logo – sort of like the Charlie's Angels one. Three girls, but they'll each be holding stakes and in front we should have Spike and Angel, crouched back-to-back in full vampire face, guarding the girls, protecting each other and, you know, it wouldn't look so good with just Spike."

Spike bit back a sarcastic comment, after all, the boy had come through for him and when he thought about it...

"You're right that would look pretty cool."

"Well, thank you, Spike." Andrew smiled.

It was left to Giles to roll his eyes.

"I have my doubts but, God help me, I find myself agreeing with much of what Andrew said. We define ourselves by our actions."

"Does that mean we're agreed, then?" Spike asked.

The other three nodded.

"Agreed. Was there anything else you wished to discuss?"

"Well yeah, actually..."

Anyone passing the door might have been able to make out Giles voice raised to an unaccustomed level, as he asked incredulously.

"You want us to do what!"

-

"Okay, Fred. What have we got?" Angel asked.

"Children's epidemic. Seven kids, comatosed, each with a semi-rictus of the facial muscles. I haven't been able to isolate a causative agent."

"You think it's mystical?"

"Well, I've been down the strictly physiological route, number-crunched all the victims' charts, even had our hospital contacts send over blood samples. I've pulled all their plasma apart. No indicators on the cellular or subcellular levels.

Angel flipped through the files.

"TV."

"What?

"Parents said all the kids collapsed between 7:00 and... looks like 7:30 a.m. And all of them in front of the TV."

"Huh. That could be something, but I'd still like to get a handle on the pathology."

"Good. I'll—I'll follow up on this lead. I'll need to clear my schedule. These kids need help." Angel said as he hurried from the lab.

"Wow." She turned towards Wesley. "He really jumped on that one."

"Yes, he is a bit jumpy. He's realized Nina has feelings for him."

"Well, took long enough." Fred grinned.

"He can be rather dense."

"Um..." Fred smiled at Wesley, "by the way, my car is in the shop again, and I was thinking..."

"Of course." Wesley picked up the phone.

Fred gave him a flirty smile and attempted to finish her sentence, "Maybe you and I, we could..."

Wesley held up his hand and smiled back, as he talked into the phone.

"Yes, Ms. Burkle needs a driver to take her home tonight. That's right. 511 Windward Circle."

Fred sighed. She must really suck at this flirting thing.

-

"You want us to buy you a house?" Giles asked, slightly more calmly.

"Look, I could be working for you for the next thousand years. The least you can do is buy me a sodding place to call my own. Don't be so bloody stingy Rupert. I know that you've got access to all those Council funds, so why make a big deal out of it?"

"It's the principle of it! You've worked with us for what – a week?"

"I just need somewhere I can down my blood in private, a room where the bints aren't going to burst in on me and a safe place I can take Angel to. Don't want the evil ones to have a hand in it, so I'm asking you to find me somewhere and ward it, make it a place where we can't be influenced or manipulated. This is an act of trust on my part, Rupert. I'm asking you cus I trust you. The three of you. Right?"

"How far is Angel under their influence?" Buffy asked in concern.

"He's fighting it but he works there all day and his apartment is the pent house above the offices. He never leaves the damned place. He's so involved that he's become blinkered. They've put him on to a hamster wheel and then just set him away. Letting him run his heart out and get nowhere."

"Welcome to corporate life. It's called a treadmill, Spike and 95% of adults in the western world are trapped on it."

"No. Well yeah...but it's more than that. It's insidious. He needs time away from the place."

"I don't like to throw a spanner in the works but after all that's happened, do you think he'll agree to it?"

"I'll leave him no choice." Spike replied grimly. "So? Your decision?"

Buffy and Giles exchanged a glance, Buffy nodded and Giles spoke.

"Fine. You win. We'll find a place and we'll make it safe. And we'll provisionally invite Angel to join us on a freelance basis."

"Cheers. Nice doing business with you."

"I'm not sure about doing business." Giles muttered. "But I have a definite feeling that I've been done."

-

Angel met with the others to discuss where they were with the case. The contrast to this morning was remarkable as they laughed and chattered. Then he realised what they were laughing at as he heard Lorne's voice.

"Oh the signals were there. Nina definitely wants a piece of Angelcake."

"Can we just get back to the job in hand." Angel pleaded.

Lorne gave a nod and examined the photos of the eerily grinning children and then started to flick through the file.

"Oh. 7.00 to 7.30 in the morning? This would be funny, I mean, if it wasn't..."

"What is it?"

"A really popular children's show. It's the right timeslot. Hits the right demographics."

"What's it called?" Angel asked.

Lorne held up a picture of one of the children.

"Smile Time."

"So it looks like the cause could be mystical. Okay. I'll investigate the studio."

"I still think it may have a more mundane source, so I'll continue examining it from that angle." Fred replied.

"I'll hit the books and see if I can discover any similar occurrences." Wes said.

They turned to Gunn, who had been unusually quiet. He realised they were looking at him.

"Right and I...I'll..." He looked at Fred.

"And I need to tell you something." He said quietly. "There's something else we need to be working on too."

"This is great. Go on, Gunn." Angel enthused.

"No...not so much of the great. I've done something stupid. No...more than stupid. I've done something...we need to fix it."

"What is it?" Wesley asked.

"You know my upgrade?" They nodded. "It's been downgrading for a while now. I've been losing bits and pieces of knowledge. A date here, a name there. Then I began to make mistakes. I went and got it checked out yesterday. They could fix it. For a price."

"What was the price?" Angel asked he knew this couldn't be good.

"All they wanted was my signature. Sign a form to allow some relic through customs."

"And you did it."

"I did it." Gunn agreed.

"But how could you? I mean these relic things are so dangerous. And if Wolfram and Hart want it, I'm pretty sure we don't. I mean it could do anything. What were you thinking?" Fred asked in concern.

"I was thinking that I liked being smart, that I liked getting respect. Anyway, not sure it's the Senior Partners, the way this doctor guy was behaving, all sneaky and secretive; I'd say it's his own personal agenda."

"No you're wrong. People may think they're acting of their own volition but I believe everything in this place comes back to manipulation. We're all just puppets." Wesley said.

"I don't know, maybe you're right. Anyway," Gunn took a deep breathe. "I've found out what the relic does."

"And that is?" Angel asked tensely.

"It kills Fred."

Wesley had the powerful black man bent backwards across the desk, hands around his throat. Gunn made no move to defend himself.

"Wesley. Let him go." Angel ordered.

"He's going to kill Fred." Wesley hissed.

"No. He's not. Like you just said he's been manipulated. But all that's really happened so far is that he's uncovered a plot to kill Fred. If they hadn't gone to him they would have found another way to get to her. Now let go of Gunn. NOW!"

Wesley slowly backed off.

"If she dies..."

"She's not going to die." Angel turned to Fred. "You're ok, we've found out in time. You're not going to die."

She was staring at them all, open mouthed in shock. Wesley realised and went to her.

"You're not going to die, Fred. We'd never let that happen to you."

She looked up at him.

"Kiss me, Wes." She asked.

"Oh, Fred!" He pulled her close and kissed her as though their lives depended on it.

Angel coughed.

"Right. What we have to do is trace this thing, find out where it came from and where it's being stored. Fred you're to have nothing to do with it. I don't want you within a hundred yards of that thing. Wesley and Gunn, you work on it together. Gunn you're to share with Wes everything you know. We need that information. Meanwhile, Fred and I will try to find out what's happening with these children. Ok?"

They all nodded.

"Right. Lets go to it."

-

Spike suddenly clutched his head. "Bloody hell!"

"Again?" Buffy asked in concern.

"Looks like." He groaned shaking his head as though he was trying to shake the pain off.

"What is it?"

"Puppets...puppets on TV. Kid touching the TV screen. Oh God...stealing...stealing their life force."

"Puppets?"

"Yeah. A dog, a kid with a baseball hat and this really annoying thing that keeps hooting."

"You mean Smile Time? Not that I've watched it...well not deliberately." She qualified. "You know. Just sometimes a bit buzzy after a night of slayage and used to switch on the TV for half hour. Anyway, Smile Time."

Spike thought of the kid falling back from the TV with that parody of a smile on his face.

"Yeah. That would make a nasty sort of sense. Can you find out where the studios are? It's time to let Angel know he's a champion again."

Buffy moved towards the computer and started a search."

Spike meanwhile attempted to contact Angel. He rang his mobile and was just going to give up when it clicked into life.

"Spike? Everything ok?"

"Yeah. Look I don't want you asking any dumb questions you just need to get yourself to..." he looked at Buffy in query.

"Got it." She directed Spike's attention to the screen.

"Ok. The KTCE studio at..."

"Already ahead of you. Just pulling up now."

"Yeah? How? Well, good. Hang on, I'm on way - don't go in without me. I'll explain when I get there."

Buffy looked at him.

"I thought this was Angel's gig?"

"He's already on the way. So I figure it's me they're trying to drag there. Anyway, I'm beginning to think it's not safe to let him out on his own."

Buffy looked at him in amusement.

"He's a big boy now, Spike. All grown-up."

"Too damned grown-up. When I'm his seer, and I've got him used to doing as I say, there will be a little less brood and a bit more fun."

"Which alternate reality do you live in?"

She wrote down the address, before logging off. "Here. Will you be ok?"

"Yeah. William the Bloody and Angelus together again, what could go wrong?"

"Right. Catch you in the morning." She yawned.

Spike picked up Giles' car keys and headed off.

The street outside the studio perimeter was dark and deserted. Except for the incongruous sight of a shiny Viper parked carelessly, half on the sidewalk. No sign of the dark haired vampire. Spike cursed and scaled the high fence landing lightly in the studio lot. He could just make out a dark figure skulking near the doors.

"I told you to wait for me." Spike hissed.

"I did." Angel told him.

"How did you know..." They both began. Spike nodded at Angel, encouraging him to answer first.

"Fred noticed these weird reports in the papers. We did a bit of research and came up with this. You?"

"You know the Prom Queen? I remember her from Sunnyhell. She wasn't a seer then, was she?"

"What?" Angel looked at him, not quite getting the connection between his question and Spike's reply. Then he realised that Spike was serious and waiting for a reply..

"No she wasn't. Doyle was. He was dying and passed the visions to Cordelia with a kiss."

"Uh huh. So Cordelia, that day she returned, the day she was really dying, did she kiss anyone?"

Angel thought back. He had been pleased to see her but they hadn't actually kissed.

"I'm trusting that you're going somewhere with this. And the answer is no, we didn't kiss."

"Not talking about you. Was there anyone else?"

"Well apart from the peck on the mouth she gave you. Not really a kiss, more a sympathy thing..."

Spike just looked at him as though expecting him to get something, and finally realisation struck.

"Spike? How did you know to come here?"

"You know she could have bloody asked. Supposing I didn't want to be tied to you forever?"

"Forever?"

"You'd better start listening to me, mate. When your seer says jump you ask 'how high?' right?"

His poor old sire must be really feeling his age tonight. His forehead was furrowed and he kept repeating himself.

"You're my seer?"

"Yeah."

"You have to stay with me?"

"Yeah."

"And you're my seer?"

"Still yes."

"I'm still a champion?"

"Angel?"

"Huh?"

"We'll talk about it later, yeah? Meanwhile, down to business?"

They broke into the KTCE building, heading towards a section marked "Closed Set. Absolutely NO VISITORS". They walked noiselessly down the empty office hallway. Spike tapped Angel's shoulder and they both listened to a squeaking sound coming towards them. A janitor came into view, pushing a wheeled trashcan around the corner. They stood frozen to the spot, expecting to be challenged, but the janitor walked past them without noticing. Angel waved his hand in front of the man's face, but got no reaction. The janitor simply continued on his way.

"Now that was weird." Spike commented and Angel nodded in agreement.

They finally found the "Smile Time" offices, which were decorated with a smiling sun and cardboard cut outs of the show's puppets. Whilst Spike had a poke around, Angel investigated a throbbing rumble coming from somewhere nearby. He looked around the room, following the noise until he saw a rattling file cabinet on one wall.

"Hey." He called to Spike. "Got something."

They moved the cabinet away from the wall to reveal a hole, cut in the wall behind. The rumbling noise grew louder. They glanced at each other and Angel walked through the hole into the secret hall beyond it.

As Angel flipped on a buzzing light, Spike went on ahead, the rumbling sound growing louder and louder, until he found himself standing in front of a set of doors at the end of the hall, with a label, which simply read, "Don't".

"Yeah. Right." Spike muttered as he twisted the padlock off the door and pushed it open.

Angel caught up and they cautiously entered the room beyond. At the far end, they saw a man sat, hunched over resting his elbows on his knees and wearing a towel over his head. He appeared to be sitting underneath a large, metallic, egg-shaped, glowing thing. Angel approached the man, but got no response. Suddenly, the man's hands started twitching, and he struggled to speak.

"You shouldn't... be here." His voice was weak as though coming from a great distance.

"Angel..." Spike warned directing his gaze above the man.

The rumbling sound had increased and the egg shaped thing was beginning to slit open along its bottom curve, white light poured from the gash. It opened wider until it formed a bright, glowing, crescent-shaped opening. When the "smile" was fully formed, there was a flash of light and a sudden jolt of power, which threw the two vampires across the room and, into some boxes that were stacked against the wall. The metal oval object stopped smiling, and the rumbling noise returned to a dull roar. Angel shook off the boxes and looked at his hands.

Spike stared in astonishment.

In front of him was a puppet and as it pulled free of the boxes it revealed that it looked a lot like Angel. Black hair sticking straight up, wearing the same clothes and the familiar black leather duster.

It appeared to be looking at its hands in confusion.

"Angel?"

The puppet looked up at him.

"Oh god, it's really you! You're a wee little puppet man!" Spike finally burst out gleefully.

Angel's voice cut through his gales of laughter,

"Spike? Have you seen yourself?"

Spike took a glance down at himself and closed his eyes.

"Oh! Bloody hell."

Education

Angel pulled out his mobile to call Fred. His clumsy, felt fingers jabbed ineffectually at the keypad.

"Piece of useless crap!" He ranted and threw it to the ground in frustration."

"Ooh. Who's a Mister Grumpy Pants?"

"Spike, you talk like a frigging puppet one more time and I'll rip your head off."

"Wonder if I'd poof into dust or whether we'd just be able to sew it back on again?"

Angel eyed his neck speculatively, Spike caught the look.

"Oy! Just thinking out loud."

"I can't call anyone, I'll have to drive. Probably best if we stick together, so if you'll just be quiet – let me concentrate."

Spike climbed in and for once didn't bother arguing about who should take the driver's side. He watched as the LA night life passed by, changing from the desolate studio lots, to bright lights, noisy traffic and seething humanity.

"You realise they're hooting their horns at you?" Spike commented. "Why are you driving so slowly? This journey is going to take all night."

"Yeah well. Stupid puppet hands won't grip the steering wheel properly so I've got to take it slowly." Angel grouched.

"Tell me about it, can't have a smoke without burning a hole in my hand. It's really starting to piss me off."

"I am way beyond pissed. I'm gonna be scaring up some answers when we get back."

"Not so much of the scaring, I'm thinking."

"What?"

"Face it, at the moment, you couldn't intimidate a mouse. You're a puppet. You're...cute, with cute sticky up hair. And I did not say that. Ummm...do I still look scary?"

Angel looked at him.

"Well try sticking your nose back on, perhaps that would help."

"My nose comes off?" He felt his face frantically.

"My sodding nose comes off! I really hate this. Fix me!" He demanded.

Gunn had his jacket off, his sleeves rolled up and a couple of dots of some reddish brown substance marring the pristine white of his shirt.

Wesley looked up as he entered the office.

"Did you find the doctor?"

"In the end. As we thought, he'd already cleared his desk. So, got an address from Personnel and managed to catch myself a little fishy just as he was about to skip the pond."

"Good. Is he here?"

"Yeah. I've already had a little talk with him. You know, he honestly thought that when I threatened him I was talking about lawsuits?" Gunn sounded incredulous. "I taught him the errors of his way."

"I take it you persuaded him to talk?"

"You 'take' right, man. It's some story but I got a name out of him. Illyria. Apparently Illyria was one of the Old Ones and they were planning to bring him...her...it back. I tried to discover who 'they' were, but he reckoned all contact was made anonymously, using code names. But he did say that the person in charge of the op was here, at Wolfram and Hart."

"Well, at least that's something to go on. I want all other projects put on hold, researching this Illyria and any reference to the Old Ones is now our top priority. We need to find who's organised this so get Lorne in, he's got a long night ahead of him. I want every member of staff singing."

"I'm on it." Gunn hesitated. "So are we alright then? Me and you?"

Wesley put his glasses back on as though placing a physical barrier between them, and looked Gunn clearly in the eyes.

"You know, I now understand exactly how Angel felt when I took, Spike. Frankly, I'm astonished that we're still alive. So ask me again, at the end, when Fred is safe, maybe then I'll be as forgiving as he is. Meanwhile, we work together, like Angel said." They sat in silence for a while, contemplating their bizarre situation.

"I haven't got time for this." Angel gestured at his puppet body. "I need to find out what's happening with the kids, me and you need to talk and then there's Fred."

"Fred? Is she ok? Don't tell me the bloody git did it!"

"You know?"

"One of my first visions ... half thought it was a bad dream, one nightmare in many, but I warned him anyway."

"You warned Gunn? Huh. Could have warned us."

"If I'd known...but I didn't, not for sure."

"He told us what he'd done; we're working on fixing it."

"Angel? I'd do anything for that girl. If I can help..."

"Yeah, I know, I appreciate it." Angel replied his voice thickening slightly.

"We'll save her."

"I know we will. I can't lose her too."

They approached some traffic lights.

"Do want to go back to the slayer house or back with me?"

"Well, I'll be damned if I'm letting the bints see me like this and I'll have to cancel tomorrow's training anyway, they'll knock the bloody stuffing out of me. Literally. I'll go back with you."

The Wolfram and Hart building was quiet and they walked quickly up to Angel's office without being seen.

"I'll get Fred up here; she's working late on this thing."

They both looked at the telephone in bemusement.

"A pencil." Angel said.

"Yeah, good idea. Write her a note and then run down and deliver it." He wanted to roll his eyes but couldn't.

"No." Angel grabbed a pencil and used it to punch in Fred's extension.

"Okay...Clever Clogs."

"Remember, puppet talk. Head goes."

Spike made the gesture of a zipped up mouth.

Angel directed his attention back to the phone.

"Fred..."

"Oh, hi, Angel. Listen, about the epidemic, it might not be mystical after all."

"Do you think you could— "

Fred interrupted him.

"Knox found a systematic, endocrine dysfunction, common with all the children, similar to the effects of an obscure rain-forest pathogen—"

"Fred..."

She continued to talk over Angel.

"...So I put a call in to the C.D.C., And..."

"Fred!" Angel finally shouted.

Fred stopped talking, and Angel spoke in a softer voice, but couldn't entirely mask his irritation.

"Believe me, it's mystical. Whoever is still here, Wes, Gunn, Lorne, get them up here now."

He hung up.

"I don't want them to see me." Spike said unhappily.

He looked so pathetic; Angel felt sorry for him and did his best to reassure him.

"It's ok Spike, we'll face them together."

Fred poked her head around the door. Angel was sitting in his chair, with his back turned away from the doorway.

She entered the office closely followed by Gunn, Wesley and Lorne.

"You sounded weird on the phone. Is there a problem?"

"Oh, there's a problem."

He turned around in his office chair so that the gang can see him in puppet form.

Gunn stepped back.

"Whoa."

"Angel? Is that...you?" Wesley asked as he inspected the puppet curiously.

"Oh, my God!" Fred exclaimed rushing to his side. "Angel, you're...adorable!"

She bent over and examined Angel's new form excitedly. "Oh, but the little hands! And the hair..."

She couldn't resist petting his hair.

"Hey! You're fired." Angel snapped.

Lorne breezed in.

"Sorry I'm late, gang." He noticed Angel. "What's with the big... puppet?"

Angel looked down at his hands.

Wesley took pity on him.

"Tell us, Angel, what happened?"

"I'm not sure. I went over to Smile Time last night, met up with Spike and I think their office is under some kind of spell. We met this guy with a towel over his head, and something exploded! I woke up like this. Ugh."

"Spike was with you? Is he affected as well?"

"Yeah."

"Where is he?"

Angel made a downward motion with his head.

Wesley shook his head, not comprehending.

Angel sighed.

"He's under the desk."

"He's...? Uh...Spike why don't you just come out?" Wesley asked softly.

"Sod off."

"Why won't he come out?" Lorne asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"He's lost his nose." Angel replied sadly.

They all looked at each other desperately trying to keep their laughter contained. Gunn snorted and tried to turn it into a cough.

"I heard that! And I'm not coming out."

Fred came forward and knelt next to the desk well.

"Hey, Spike. You're alright; I'll make you a new one."

"Yeah?"

"Promise." She smiled and led Spike out by his little felt hand.

Everyone shifted uncomfortably.

"Clearly some sort of hex... or a—a powerful warding magic."

Lorne shrugged, "Maybe it's some type of puppet cancer."

Angel gritted his teeth

"We do not have puppet cancer! Come on, guys. This is a serious situation. We're puppets, and there are children's lives at..."

He suddenly looked at the clock.

"Hey, it's Smile Time!"

He picked up the remote control and started grumbling as, once again, buttons defeated him. He began to beat it on the table, becoming increasingly petulant and panting in temper.

Everyone stared at him in amazement.

"What?"

"This transformation may have altered your stress-response mechanism." Wesley surmised.

"What?"

"He's saying that you and Spike have the proportionate excitability of a puppet your size." Gunn translated.

"No. Spike's always like that."

Fred left, to ensure she got the episode recorded for later analysis.

"Anyway, how are you getting on with the Fred thing?"

Spike turned to Gunn.

"I warned you, I mean how much clearer could I make it? You really are a brainless git. No wonder they chose you for the intellect boost."

"You can't call me anything that I haven't already called myself."

"You wanna bet?"

Angel was interested to note that, even in puppet form, Spike could still raise one eyebrow.

"That's enough you two. Just tell us you've got some good news."

"We do have some encouraging news." Wesley said. "But what exactly did Spike mean about warning Gunn?"

"I didn't tell you how I found out that it was Fred they were after. It was Spike, he told me." Gunn admitted.

"Really and how exactly did you know?" He asked turning to Spike.

"It came to him in a dream." Gunn replied for him.

"Didn't it strike you as remotely suspicious? Lorne has spent the night looking for our traitor, don't you think this might have been classed as relevant information?"

"You what?" Spike exploded indignantly. "You think I...?"

"Be quiet Spike. I did not give you permission to speak."

"Wesley, you've got it wrong."

"You're blinded to him, Angel and I suggest you keep your distance."

"Wes, listen to me. He's a seer. Cordelia passed the visions on to him. Its how he knew to find me at the studios last night."

"Is that what he told you?"

"Yes." Spike replied coldly. "And if you want to take issue with it then you can take it up with me. Here. Now."

"You're a puppet, Spike."

"I am a killer vampire puppet. Percy. You think you can intimidate me? And for your next trick, you're what? Gonna teach your Grandmother to suck eggs?"

"Don't push him, Wesley. He's soft but incredibly strong."

Spike shook his head.

"Please don't help me anymore, Peaches."

"What?"

"You make him sound like a roll of toilet paper." Gunn said.

Spike let out a growl.

"But quality toilet paper." He quickly amended.

"For God sake! We're working to find out who's trying to kill Fred. And you're acting like you're on the bloody Muppet Show. At least you two have an excuse; your emotional reactions have been screwed. Gunn, could you at least concentrate on the problem in hand. Spike, I'm taking a leap of faith here and accepting you have visions, simply because such a lie would be far too convoluted for you. So, would you please take me through your vision, we may be able to glean some clues. And in future can we share all the relevant information relating to a case?"

They nodded, all looking suitably chastened.

"Right, Spike."

"There wasn't much. Gunn signed something and got zapped with his booster. Then Gunn and Knox were arguing, there was this old looking sarcophagus between them and somehow I knew it was now empty. Knox produced a bit of paper and told Gunn, 'it's your fault, you signed it.' The next thing I see is Fred in her death throes and suddenly her soul has gone, there's nothing left of her. Just an empty shell of a body."

"Why were they arguing?"

"Don't know...I think they were blaming each other for her death. I suppose Knox must have accepted the sarcophagus into the lab but it was Gunn who got it through customs. Strange, Knox didn't seem upset when he waved the paper at Gunn. He seemed...smug."

"That does tend to be his normal demeanour so I wouldn't read too much into that. You say there was nothing left of Fred, not even a soul."

"Yeah."

"This doesn't make sense. Who would hate Fred enough to destroy her soul?"

"Not hate. A source of energy?" Gunn speculated.

"That's possible." Wesley agreed. "A soul is an extremely powerful catalyst."

Angel thought about the rituals he knew.

"It's mainly used in life for life exchanges, that's why that sort of magic is based around a sacrifice, partly the life force but mainly the soul."

"And they are trying to bring back this Illyria, so I'm thinking that they plan to burn up Fred's soul to achieve it." Gunn concluded.

"There are far too many unknowns, we need some concrete information." Wesley frowned. "Lorne, how are you getting on?"

"I'm working on my side of it." Lorne said rather tiredly, this was really taking its toll. "And I still have hundreds of more to listen to, so I'm going to get back to it. Really, is it too much to ask to have one employee who can hold a tune, or is being tone deaf a prerequisite for employment here?" He complained as he walked out the door.

"I'll join you, I'm curious as to Knox's part in the vision. I want to be there when he sings."

"Hang on. I have to phone Giles, so you may as well talk to him, get his lot researching this too."

Giles answered the phone.

He looked slightly relieved.

"Spike, where are you? Are you alright?"

He listened intently.

"A puppet? Well, I'm sure we all feel like that sometimes and you even more so. What with the Senior Partners and the Powers That Be. Then your experiences with the First last year I can quite see..."

"You're made of felt and you've lost your nose? I see. I haven't got time for this, Spike. You should really know better. I suggest you call me again when you're sober." He hung up the phone.

He was disappointed. To think he'd actually started to consider Spike as a, more or less, mature and trustworthy individual.

The phone rang again.

"Spike, I really...Oh. Wesley."

"An actual puppet?"

"Good heavens."

"I see..."

"Oh dear. Yes, very distressing for them."

"If that's what he wants then, of course, I won't say anything."

"Fred? I've never actually met her but anything I can do to help."

"Illyria? No, I don't recall and I'm afraid I have very few books available to me but I do still have some useful contacts and I will certainly find out what I can."

"Yes, nice speaking with you too. I will certainly do my best. Please do give my sympathies to Spike and Angel."

"Oh. Could you ask Spike where he left my car this time?"

He grabbed a pencil and began to scribble on the pad next to the phone.

"Yes, I've got it"

"Goodbye."

He took off his glasses and frowned at them.

"Giles. Is everything ok?" Buffy asked.

Giles shook his head.

"Do you know? I genuinely believe this world is insane."

"After everything we've been through, you're what? Coming to that conclusion now?"

"Yes. And when you put it like that I can see I've been incredibly stupid. Anyway, Spike, he's...umm...investigating something with Angel and asked if you would mind taking the class today?"

"No probs. But it probably wouldn't hurt them to have a bit of downtime."

"Whatever you think fit." He replied.

The Smile Time video was playing in the background, it was currently being run through filters and the results were colour coded and automatically recorded and analysed. Fred's attention was focused on the squirming puppet in front of her.

"Sit still, Spike or don't blame me when you're all lopsided."

Spike immediately sat statue-like in one of the lab chairs, whilst Fred leant over him.

"I'm using adhesive because I was never that good at needlework." She shrugged. "It'll hold far better than my stitching that's for sure."

She finally decided she was happy with the placement and pressed it firmly into position.

"There we go. Perfect."

"Thanks, luv. I appreciate it."

He looked at her as she gave a slightly wobbly smile.

"You ok then?"

"Yeah...No...I don't know. I'm not stupid, I know everyone dies eventually but I'm not ready. I don't want to die, Spike."

Spike took her hand.

"Not gonna happen, luv, believe me. Not for a long, long time. I mean, what would I do without you?"

"Yep, anytime you need parts and appendages sticking back on, I'm your girl."

"You're my girl anyway and us vamps don't easily give up what belongs to us."

"I think, actually, you'll find she's my girl." Wesley said, catching the tail end of the conversation and putting an arm around her.

"And how long did it take you discover that? Are you sure you want him, Fred. He's not exactly the brightest streetlamp on the block."

Fred grinned happily.

"I'm sure. At least it didn't take him a hundred years to find out that he cared."

"Ouch! You'd better watch that kitty, Percy. She's got claws."

"I can assure you, I'll be watching her for the rest of our lives."

"Now isn't that a sight for sore...ears." Lorne smiled. "Hi Pumpkin, we're doing your department next, if that's ok?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Thanks. By the way. Nice nose."

"I'll give him some moral support." Wesley said walking off with Lorne.

"Is it ok?" Spike asked trying to peer down at his new nose.

"It looks great."

"Where did you get it from anyway?"

She pulled out a scarf, blue with pink flowers, now sporting a hole where one of the pink flowers had been.

"You ruined it? For me?"

His puppet emotions overcame him and he buried his head affectionately in Fred's shoulder. She hugged him back and tangled her hand in the white strands of his hair.

A rather strident song cut through the air.

"Breathe on me, breath of God, Fill me with life anew ..."

"Enough." Lorne called.

Spike disengaged himself from Fred, rolling his shoulders and striking a more macho stance as Wes and Lorne came towards them.

"I'm telling you there was nothing." Lorne said.

"So he's clean?" Wes asked wearily.

"Bubbles there, is so clean he squeaks."

"I'm sorry?" Spike said in disbelief. "That bloke works for Wolfram and Hart and he hasn't got a single nefarious scheme up his sleeve? Seems unlikely to me."

"You do have a point, Spike. Tell me, have you ever come across anyone here without something slightly dark brewing in them?"

"Besides Fredikins here? No, I don't think I have."

They all turned back and stared at Knox. Spike walked over to him and reached out a hand towards his neck.

"Hey..." Knox protested, as Spike yanked off a chain, which had been hidden under his shirt.

"Now sing." Spike demanded.

"No way. I've done my singing." He looked towards Fred for support. "You know it's not me, Fred. I adore you. Worship you."

"So sing. Sing for me." Fred commanded.

Knox took a breath as though he was about to obey but instead made a desperate dash towards the door. Spike sprang after him, tumbling them both into the corridor outside, with the lab door swinging shut behind them. The others quickly followed but by the time they'd pushed opened the door the fight was over. Knox was lying bruised and dishevelled, only half conscious as he slumped against the lift doors.

Spike was dusting himself down.

"How did you know the necklace was protecting him?" Lorne asked.

"It's always a bloody necklace isn't it?"

"Uh...gem of amarra?"

"Except when it's a ring." Spike qualified.

"Quite. Why don't you update Angel and I'll get some answers from this...thing."

Wesley dragged the beaten man into the lift and pressed down. Spike, Fred and Lorne made their way to Angel's office.

"Hi Harmony, is Angle free? Can we see him?"

She nodded towards his office.

"He's not exactly free for but you may as well enjoy the show."

"Why? What's happened now?"

"Nina came to see him." Harmony nodded towards the half open door.

"Why can't you look at me?" Nina was asking plaintively.

"Because I'm under my desk." He explained. "Would you mind getting out of here?"

"I guess..." she replied and walked away in confusion.

"What is it with puppets and desks?" Lorne asked.

"It's...a thing." Spike replied defensively.

Angel was back in full view, sitting in his chair with his head in hands.

"You realise you're traumatising that poor girl, don't you, Angelbabe?"

"Excuse me, did I hear you knock?" Angel replied in some annoyance. "Also? I don't want to talk about it."

Lorne tutted but Angel remained unmoved.

"Who is she?" Spike asked.

"A girl I sort of saved. A werewolf now. I've been trying to help her."

"Oh I get it...she's eternally grateful and 'is there anything I can do in return, my hero, my saviour?' That sort of scene?"

"I guess. But why? I mean I'm not witty or suave, I'm the guy lurking in a dark corner with a bad blood habit."

"Yeah. They never really get it do they? They build an image and then try to stuff you in it, no matter how bad the fit."

"Yeah. That's women for you." Lorne agreed melancholically.

"Hey. I am here you know."

"Sorry Freddypie but we don't mean you when we talk about women."

Fred folded her arms.

"Lorne, stop trying to make it better." Spike hissed.

"Anyway. Down to business." Angel hastily cut in. "How did it go with Knox?"

"He sang. He was all puppies and candy canes. Turned out he was wearing a protective charm, which screwed with my empathic abilities and gave a false reading." Lorne summed up.

"Wesley is questioning him." Fred added. "So there is actually nothing else we can do until we have a bit more information."

"Gunn has been trying to find out what we're dealing with by tracing the sarcophagus back to its source. It was shipped into the country. The carrier came from Europe but there is no trace of it being loaded that end. As far as we can tell it was actually picked up in the middle of the ocean. We're currently attempting to locate the crew of the ship in the hope of obtaining an eyewitness account."

"Meanwhile." Spike suggested. "Perhaps we could turn our heads to this little problem." He held out his puppet hand.

"I've been researching it and we ran a fully spectrum analysis on this morning's episode, used every filter we had. I still have to go over the results."

"If you get on with that, I think its time that we had a chat with the creator of Smile Time." Angel said.

"No." Lorne replied. "It's too dangerous for you two, now you're all puppetfied. He may have a way of controlling his creations. I'll get Gunn and we'll go talk to him."

"Makes sense." Spike agreed. "I mean, look at us. I've seen scarier demons on Teletubbies. Suppose he might die laughing at us but it doesn't sound much of a plan."

"Ok. So Gunn and Lorne will get answers from...?"

"Framkin." Fred supplied.

"Yeah, Framkin. Fred will continue analysing the show, Wes is questioning Knox and Spike and I will...uh..."

"Do something really useful." Spike finished helpfully.

"No. I mean yes..."

"Ok. That's great. I'll get Gunn." Lorne left hurriedly, before they changed their minds and put him back on singing duty.

"I'll get back to the tape. Don't worry. We'll get some answers for you."

"I know you will. Thanks Fred."

-

Wesley tied the man securely. He'd never felt so much cold hatred as he did for this man.

"I used to be a watcher. You know, looking after a slayer." He said conversationally as he tested the bonds thoroughly.

"I wasn't a very good one, does that surprise you?"

The other man just slouched unresponsive, his eyes at half mast.

"I don't know if I taught my slayer anything, except maybe how to distrust." Wesley considered this and added. "Which is always a useful skill to have. Unfortunately it's not one Fred ever acquired. She trusted you."

The words tasted like metal in his mouth.

"I, however, learnt a lot from my slayer."

He turned away and lit a cigarette and slouched against the cell wall in a manner eerily reminiscent of Spike, the early years.

"She taught me that there were five basic torture groups: sharp, blunt, hot cold and loud. And how to use them all, it was very educational."

He slowly blew the smoke out, clouding the air between them.

"I'm going to pass on the favour and educate you."

Another drag on the cigarette, until the end glowed orange. He walked towards the bound figure.

"Beginning with...hot."

A scream filled the room.

"You're supposed to...ask me...questions first." Knox panted.

"I believed I asked you whether you were surprised at my failure as a watcher and you deigned not to answer." Wesley replied.

"You want to hurt me." He realised. "But...you're one of the good guys! You don't torture. It's not you, Wesley. What would Fred think?"

A resounding smack echoed in the air and Knox was jerked back by the blow.

"You don't even get to mention her name, you, filthy, murdering vermin."

It sounded all the more deadly for the cold, almost disinterested tone employed.

"So shall we get back to it?"

"Was that a question?"

"You're learning." Replied Wesley with approval. "So shall we get back to it?"

The office finally emptied and they both flopped down on the couch.

"We need to talk." Angel said.

"I know. But is this really the time? Stupid puppet emotions. I mean we're not exactly rational about these things at the best of times."

"Yeah. You're right. Wonder why you were sent to the studio last night just to be hit like I was?"

"Well the vision wasn't really about us, it was about the children. I came along for the ride. Suppose I just wanted to see you again."

"Really?" Angel tried to keep the pleasure from his voice, aiming for neutral and cool.

"Uh huh. Got a lot to tell you but perhaps leave it until after this is over, yeah?"

"I agree. You don't look like you, and the blood link has gone. I have no sense of you. When you're not in front of me I've no idea if you're even alive."

"I know, I noticed that. The bond is in the blood and it looks like cotton wadding isn't considered an acceptable substitute."

"Are we even vampires?"

"I think I may have vamped out when I fought Knox...not sure."

An expression of intense concentration appeared on Angel's face, his eyes turned yellow and little fangs protruded from his mouth.

Spike began to laugh and Angel sighed.

"Still not scary then?"

Spike just shook his head and Angel let his face change back.

They sat in companionable silence, an interlude of peace in their insane day. In the end there was only so much peace Spike could take and he soon got restless.

"I'll go and give Fred a hand."

"It's science, Spike. Not blood and guts."

"I live in this world. Always have. I was probably using a computer when you were still sucking on rats."

"Thanks for reminding me of that. I still think it's unfair that I had a hundred years of eating rats and you had..."

Spike interrupted.

"I had people around me who helped me. You had no one. You did alright, Peaches."

No I didn't. But I'm doing alright now. Go on, you go help Fred; I'm going to run through the crew listing and make some calls. Ummm...maybe I should apologise to Nina?"

"I guess we should go through the signal spread, check the tracks again."

Fred chatted as she looked through the results. She wasn't really talking to Spike, she was almost explaining things to herself, questioning herself and then answering, but having him there stopped her feeling self conscious about it.

Smile Time was running in a continuous loop, Spike watched it carefully in case he could spot something with enhanced senses.

"Spike?"

"Hmmm?"

"What is Wesley doing down there? To Knox?"

Spike was immediately alert.

"Uh. Questioning him."

"But how? I mean, is he using persuasion or...persuasion?"

Spike muted the TV.

"Listen, he'll do what he has to and sometimes that means going places where he wouldn't normally choose to go."

"Spike!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know, it can be dangerous, can warp a man...."

"Spike!" She said with more urgency, her eyes glued to the screen.

"What?"

She nodded at the screen. The puppet, Polo, was leaning forward, his hypnotic face filling the TV screen, his eyes filled with malice.

Spike jumped up.

"That's it! That was my vision. That's when he drains the kids. Why didn't he do that earlier?"

He turned the volume back up and Polo was innocently singing with the other puppets. He muted it and the menacing face once again filled the screen and it looked like he was talking to the audience.

"I think the carrier signal is being cloaked by the song, allowing Framkin to address his target without being seen by the rest of his viewers. That's how he's hiding it."

"That's how he was hiding it." Spike replied grimly.

"True. And now we know what we're looking at let's test this thing properly."

The house was quiet, Buffy had decided that 'downtime' equalled 'mall time' and they had all taken a day off shopping. Giles realised that she'd probably done it for his benefit and was grateful to her.

Meanwhile, he'd been as good as his word, chasing up old contacts. He'd asked the questions and now it was just a waiting game until someone returned with an answer. Or not, as the case may be. This was his first attempt to work with Angel's people since they'd migrated to the other side. His chance to show his commitment to the bargain he'd struck with Spike. He was even considering the idea of using Wolfram and Hart resources for their own purpose. It would give him access to old texts and manuscripts, the sort of access which he thought had been lost with the Council's library.

He sat down at his desk, with a pen and paper and used the temporary peace to try to recall the tracts which might refer to the situation Angel was facing. Somehow having a pen in his hand helped him think, and that was something a keyboard could never replace. That and the soothing scratch of nib on paper, instead of the constant, irritating tap, tap, tap of keys. Certainly he moved with the times, he could accept that computers had a place when it came to research, as long as that place was nowhere near him. Luckily Andrew's enthusiasm more than made up for his own lack on interest in the infernal machine.

Besides this research he was doing on their behalf, he hadn't forgotten his promise to Spike and was currently looking into finding a suitable property for him. He'd made a shortlist, but what did he know off Spike's taste? The only place he'd known the vampire to stay for any length of time had been the crypt. Then there was Angel. Who had chosen a mansion, a decrepit but once magnificent hotel and was now living in one of the finest penthouses in LA. His tastes obviously ran to the grand.

Willow had made some useful suggestions, approaching it from a purely magical viewpoint. She pointed out that a detached property would be easier to protect than an apartment and if it had its own grounds she'd be able to place secondary protection at the boundary. It was lucky that the Council had deep pockets - properties of this specification didn't come cheap in LA.

Gunn and Lorne arrived back. Gunn had an idea, which he wanted to research, so Lorne was by himself when he saw, to his shock, Angel tottering towards him, his clothing ripped and his stuffing hanging out. He ran towards the wounded puppet.

"Angel! My prince! Are you alright? Who did this?"

"Nina." He gasped. "I was apologising."

"Ah and she didn't take it too well. I understand. Just hold on. Keep fighting."

He supported Angel's weight

"Medic!" He yelled. "Is there a Geppetto in the house?"

Angel was carefully sewn back together. Even so he moved tentatively, not wanting to test the strength of the stitching and unsure as to how vampire healing worked on his new body. He'd asked everyone to, once again, reconvene in his office. Gunn was busy but the others were waiting for him.

"Angel, are you alright?" Fred asked in concern, as she noticed his slightly tattered look.

"Long story." He replied easing himself into his chair. "Just give me some good news."

She immediately began talking animatedly.

"We've discovered that Smile Time contains a hidden carrier wave masked by a spell that turns the TV into a 2-way conduit with direct access to the viewer." Fred explained. "That's how he's been draining energy from the children, and judging from the strength of yesterday's signal, Framkin's ready to take out the whole audience. The object that you and Spike described in that secret room, is most likely a repository for the children's life force. We'll have to break the binding magic on it."

"Which should free those children and... reverse our puppet problem." Spike finished.

"I want the ops team put on red alert." Angel demanded, his hands clenching into little fists.

"Red alert?" Lorne queried, with a lift of his brows.

"Teargas, helicopters..."

"Angel, baby... Muppet, pumpkin, uh, this show is number one in its time slot. Tykes love it all across the Southland. Parents love it, its edutainment, they can leave the little moppets in front of the TV and still feel like they're being good parents. We can't just toss a Jihad at the studio."

Angel calmed himself a little.

"Right. So. How did you get on with Framkin?"

"Papa Smurf? Nothing. We threatened him. He threatened us. I think he might have beaten us in the one-up threatmanship. He's a bad person." "Maybe we don't need a Jihad, just an assassination. Take out Framkin and his cohorts, get to that smiley object and break the magic."

"Again, I say. This is a major show. You can't just make the puppet meister disappear."

"Why not? I am CEO of Wolfram and Hart. I can make anyone disappear."

"Yes, I'm sure you can." Fred replied soothingly. "But are you sure that's the sort of power you want to use?" She screwed up his face slightly. "Its means and ends isn't it? If you start using the tactics of the enemy, then how long before you become like them?"

Angel shook his head.

"You're a good girl, Fred, but its results that count. I mean, what do you think Wesley is doing at the moment?"

She remembered the conversation that she'd started to have with Spike.

"Is he...? I have to go." She rushed out.

"You really are a complete wanker." Spike shook his head and left.

"What?" He asked Lorne.

"Tact, Angelcakes. You know? That thing that you don't have."

Spike entered Wesley's office and had a quick look through the cupboards. Someone as organised and prissy as Wesley was bound to keep a set of emergency clothes...and there they were.

The man was unconscious again, which was annoying. He'd just begun to feel as if they were getting somewhere. Wesley poured himself a glass of water. Who would have thought that torture could be so emotionally and physically tiring, for the perpetrator, as well as the victim?

There was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?"

"Hi Wes. It's me."

"Fred? What are you doing here?"

"Let me in, Wes."

He looked down at himself, at the blood spattered room, at the unconscious form bound to his chair.

"No. I don't want you in here."

"Have you hurt him?"

Wesley hesitated.

"Fred, it's...."

"Is he alive?"

He realised she was not going to be put off.

"Yes, he's alive."

He could hear her sigh of relief even through the thick door.

"How can you still be worried about him? He tried to murder you. He tried to destroy your soul."

"Him? I'm not worried about him, Wes. Can't you see? It's you! I'm worried about you." She began to cry.

He slumped down to a crouching position and could feel his own eyes tear up.

"Fred..."

"I love you, Wesley. I love you as you are. No more of this, please."

"I'm doing it for you!"

"And it means nothing if I lose you. I don't want someone who tortures and murders, even if it is for me. I just want my sweet Wes."

He could here her being comforted and then an English voice.

"It's me Wes. She's going to stay here. Let me in."

The door slowly unlocked and Spike walked in, closing it firmly behind him.

He handed Wesley the clothes.

"Clean up. Change." He ordered.

Wesley took off his shirt and stared blankly at the blood.

"Oh, bloody hell. Look its ok."

Spike took the shirt from him, drenched it with water from the jug and started to wipe his face.

"I can do it." Wesley said, taking the shirt and cleansing himself before pulling on fresh clothes.

He looked at Knox.

"I was so close." He whispered.

"We'll find another way, Wes."

Wes stood stiffly, his head bent and his forehead leaning slightly on Spike's shoulder. Spike realised he was crying. He patted him rather awkwardly.

"Don't worry, Mate. We'll find a way."

Wesley pulled himself together and nodded.

"She's waiting for you."

Wesley slowly left. Fred took him by the hand and led him away.

Spike shut the door again and surveyed the room with a sick feeling. Wesley was a little too good at this. Knox was coming around, his eyelids fluttered and he let out a groan.

"No more." he begged, through his broken mouth.

"Then tell us what we want to know." Spike replied, in an eerie imitation of Wesley.

"There's nothing you can do." Knox said softly. "It was pre-ordained."

"Tell me." Spike commanded.

"Illyria planned this resurrection millennia ago. Illyria is a god. My god."

Maybe this was enough, even if it wasn't Spike couldn't take anymore more. The blood and the pain called to his demon.

He picked up the phone and ordered a medic and a clean up crew.

Gunn spotted Spike.

"Hey, man. Got some news for you and the Boss."

"Let's go then. I've got an update on Illyria, but if you're there it means we can soften it with your good news."

Angel was on the telephone, when they walked in. He nodded at them to take a seat.

"Well thank you very much. You've been most helpful, Mr McCann. Good bye."

He looked pleased with himself.

"Just been speaking with a member of the crew that shipped the sarcophagus. Apparently, he remembers that particular voyage. The ship had to be at a certain location in the Atlantic at a specific time. They made it and he swears that he saw this thing appear out of thin air. It missed the ship and landed in the ocean. They had to send a team out to collect it. He didn't get a chance to look at it but I'm pretty sure that's our relic."

"I've got a bit of background to it, courtesy of Knox." Spike said. "It contains Illyria, a god, or so he said. This Illyria put its own escape in motion before its internment. Knox said it was pre-ordained."

"Why teleport to the middle of the ocean?" Gunn asked.

"If this plan was set in place a long time ago then the world has changed, continents shifted." Angel replied.

"So, it's a god. Like Jasmine. Except, in her own way, Jasmine was benevolent, and look how much destruction she caused. We can probably safely assume that this Illyria will not have the same protective feelings towards humanity. You've faced a god before haven't you Spike?"

"I've faced a chained and neutered god and she was dangerous enough. Buffy died."

Angel went cold, he'd forgotten how that had ended.

"We can't let it get out of the sarcophagus."

"In that case we need to find it and send it back to where it came from." Spike said.

"Not necessarily." Gunn replied. "If it's meant for Fred that means very shortly it's going to turn up here. It's going to find us."

"I'm not happy about it being on the premises, but you're right. If we accept that's the way it's going to happen, it means we can concentrate on researching where it came from, and how to send it back, before Illyria is freed."

They considered this in gloomy silence.

"Gunn? Now might be a nice time for your good news." Spike suggested.

"Oh yeah, back to the puppet thing. It's not Framkin as such. He's not doing this. It's the puppets. They're demons. The show is possessed. Smile Time's ratings hit an all-time low last year. Framkin made a deal with some devils to bring it back to number one."

"Are you sure?"

"Dead sure. Every contract signed with the lower planes is filed in the Library of Demonic Congress. You just gotta know where to look. Pretty tricky legalese, too. Framkin must have missed some of the fine print." Gunn replied.

Angel walked back towards his desk and took a sword from off the wall.

"So we only have to take out some puppets. Even Fred wouldn't disapprove of that. Gather the team."

"Right, action at last." Spike agreed enthusiastically. "Let's go get ourselves some puppets."

"Listen, kids. Today is gonna be an extra-special best show ever! But only if everyone at home can give us a hand. Now get up... and come over here. That's it, everyone. Just keep your hands right there. Oh! Ohh... let it go! Let it all go! After all, it's Smile Time!" Polo had his hands either side of the camera whilst the other puppets sang.

"No, it' not..." Angel said.

Polo turned away from the camera to see Angel standing on the set behind him, carrying a sword

"...it's time to kick your ass all the way back to hell!"

He swung his sword and let out a primal yell as he leapt towards the puppet, whilst the TV show staff acted as if they couldn't see what was going on around them.

"Hey, man! You're ruinin' the show!"

"We're working on it." Gunn replied swinging his sword and cutting off puppet Groofus's head.

The big, purple puppet with a hooter for a nose began to toot furiously.

"Now that is really irritating." Spike growled raising his axe and slicing it off with a single blow. A sad little wheeze came from the puppet, Spike swiftly finished the job.

Polo had managed to knock the sword from Angel's grip. Gunn shouted out a warning and Polo noticed the others for the first time.

"It's a full-scale attack!" He called to the other puppets, "...the nest egg."

But Fred and Wesley were already busy in the "Don't" room.

"Aperi, rumpe, solve, reveni. Aperi, rumpe, solve, reveni—"

Fred read from a scroll. At her words the nest egg began to rumble and the glowing crescent-shaped slit appeared.

"Don't look at it, Fred." Wes warned.

She looked at her feet and continued to read the scroll. A girl puppet suddenly burst through the door and grabbed Wesley around the neck.

"Wes!

"No, Fred. Keep reading!"

The nest egg's smile widened, Fred continued reciting, whilst Wes struggled with the puppet. Fred grew agitated and looked over her shoulder, to see the puppet coming at Wesley with a fire extinguisher. She pulled out a gun and fired, the puppet stumbled back, she shot again and the puppet dropped to the ground with a hand to its eye. Wes looked at Fred, admiration shining in his eyes. Fred smiled and blushed, put the gun away and continued reading the scroll.

Angel, meanwhile, had managed to overpower Polo.

"So... you got a little demon in you." Polo taunted.

"I got a lot of demon in me." The vampire replied as his eyes turned golden and his fangs dropped. Polo gasped in fright.

Angel grabbed the puppet and threw him into the treehouse, where he landed on a railing. Pierced on the wooden splinters, he fell limp.

"Gunn? Spike?" Angel called, his face slipping back to its human aspect as he straightened his coat.

"Yeah. We're good." Spike said waving a dismembered hooter at him.

Wesley beat the wounded puppet, not satisfied until he was showered with guts, or in this case, cotton stuffing. The nest egg began to glow brighter as Fred finished her incantation. Cracks started to appear in it. Until it finally exploded, showering the room with bright light. Wes and Fred turned away from the force of the explosion with Wesley shielding her smaller figure protectively.

"It's over Fred." He whispered. "Well done."

Angel and Spike were disappointed to find themselves still in puppet form.

"It might take a few hours to wear off." Fred explained.

Everyone was shattered, they'd hardly slept for two days.

"Go home everyone. We're getting close with this Illyria thing so take a day to recover and we'll see you tomorrow."

They left without argument.

Angel turned to Spike.

"You want to stay at mine tonight?"

"Do I still look like a puppet?"

"Yeah."

"I'll stay with you then. Is my bed still there?"

"Yeah. Try not to have any visions. I'm tired." Angel sighed. "Do things always have to be so crazy?"

"This was a quiet day. Wait until the apocalypse strikes."

"There's going to be another apocalypse?"

"No. Not the season for them yet. They normally strike in the summer...are you laughing?"

"No! Just..." he made little coughing noises, "...clearing my throat."

"It was ok? Working together?" Spike asked a little anxiously.

"It was good, like old times...except for the puppet thing."

"Because it looks like we really are stuck with each other. You ok with that?"

"What do you think, Spike?"

"I think...we'll deal with Illyria tomorrow."

They went back to the penthouse and for the rest of the day they slept like the dead.

Endings

Angel awoke just as the sun was going down. He stretched luxuriously and examined the hand in front of him. He had a hand made of flesh and blood! Finally! No more stupid, humiliating, puppet Angel. He leapt out of bed.

"Spike!" He yelled.

Spike was already up and causing havoc as he rummaged through cupboards

"No need to shout. Vamp hearing you know."

"Look!" Angels said, holding out his hands and grinning.

"You're a real boy again. I know. I felt the bond suddenly snap into place. Also got a report, the children drained by the nest egg have all made full recoveries."

"Yeah? That's good. Uh, Spike? What are you looking for?"

"Dinner."

"The blood is in the fridge, where it always is."

"Duh. But what do you put in it to give it flavour...texture?"

"I'm a vampire, Spike. I take my blood neat. I dread to ask, but what do you normally put in your blood?"

"I'll try anything but Cocoa Pops goes particularly well."

Angel shook his head in mock disappointment. "Sometimes I wonder exactly what I raised, because I'm thinking it's not a vampire."

"Don't worry, I've still got my bite. It's just bagged blood is so boring, need to pep it up a bit. Anyway, get dressed, Peaches. We've stuff to do today."

"We have?"

"Uh huh. Places to go, people to see."

"Where? Who?"

"Surprise."

"I don't really like surprises..." Angel said in a wheedling tone and using his soft brown eyes to good effect. But Spike was implacable.

"Tough. I'm not telling you. So you can stop giving me the chocolate drop eyes."

"Well, I'm not coming with you. I'm busy, we've still got this Illyria thing to investigate and other business has been piling up over the last couple of days."

"Come on, Peaches. Wes and Gunn have the whole Company working on Illyria, what difference will you make at this stage? As for Company business, it can wait one night." Spike coaxed.

"Sorry."

It was Spike's turn to pout, as he threw himself down on the couch.

"After all you've done to me, the least you can do is come with me tonight. You let me get vamp-napped by Giles, you stole my memories, twice. You destroyed my ring, you stole Dru..."

"Are you going to list every bad thing I've ever done to you, until I give in?"

"Yeah, that was the plan..."

"I'll shower, be with you in ten."

"Thanks, pet. You won't regret it."

Spike sat back and re-read the short note from Giles. He hadn't expected to hear from him so quickly.

Angel soaped himself down. All in all he was feeling pretty content. They'd saved the kids, they were de-puppetfied, Spike wanted to spend time with him. He wondered what they were doing tonight. He got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. Until he knew what they were doing he wasn't sure what to wear. He ran some mousse through his hair until it felt about right, opened his wardrobe and considered. Nothing too expensive, knowing Spike their night would probably involve blood and guts, but if they were meeting people he needed to look good. Angelus was right about some things, couldn't go wrong with leather pants. Hmmm, and the black shirt, to hide potential bloodstains. He wondered what Spike would wear and realised that he'd been living in the same clothes for ages. Did he even have others?

"Hey, Spike. I was thinking. You should leave some clothes here. Perhaps we should fit in some shopping tonight."

Spike looked at his cheerful face.

"You like shopping?"

"Well...yeah."

"You may be surprised to hear me say this, but. You. Are. A. Complete. Poof."

"Don't care. We'll trade, I won't ask any more questions about tonight and in return you come shopping with me. I mean, you're my childe and you're a disgrace. Your jeans are ripped..."

"Eh? What's wrong with them, they're the height of fashion, Pillock."

"And another thing you're my seer as well as my childe, it's time you treated me with more respect and stopped calling me insulting names..."

They looked at each other, Angel's lips twitched and they both started laughing.

"Well, it was worth a try." Angel shrugged.

"Absolutely and I'll stop calling you names when...Never."

-

Spike was driving. He'd handed over a bit of paper with an address written on it and told Angel to keep his eyes peeled. They were now well away from the city's tenements and tower blocks and into a leafier area, with large properties set well back from the road.

"Spike, I think this is it."

They were faced with an expanse of high brick wall. It had a double gate built into it but apart from that it was peculiarly featureless and nondescript in comparison with the surrounding properties. Spike pulled in and scrabbled in his jeans' pocket. Eventually producing a set of keys and a fob. He examined the fob for a second and then pressed a button. The double gates in front of them gave a mechanical groan as they slowly opened, to reveal a tangled drive beyond.

"Spike?" Angel asked curiously.

"Wait." Spike replied.

The drive had once been sweeping but nature was gradually reclaiming it. Trees which had once lined it had grown and were now encroaching upon it. The house beyond came into view. Angel gasped, not because it was particularly big or grand but,

"It's so old."

"Yeah." Spike agreed. "Some English bloke with more money than sense had it flown over from England and rebuilt brick by brick."

Spike parked up in front of the house and climbed out. The air smelt sweet, it seemed a million miles removed from the fumes and the noise of LA.

"It's peaceful here." Angel commented.

Spike nodded his agreement.

"Come on, let's have a look around."

Spike flicked through the keys until he came to large iron one, it turned smoothly in the lock and the heavy front door swung open with a creak. It led into a tiled hall, with a staircase in front of them and rooms either side. They entered the first room on the right. It was enormous with heavily curtained French doors and tall windows.

"A ballroom." Angel said.

"A training room." Spike corrected.

Angel considered.

"It would make a good training room." He said as he surveyed it critically.

They started to explore the other rooms, almost in silence. Spike gestured the other vampire over. Behind the main staircase there was a hidden stair spiralling down. They carefully made their way down the stone steps and found themselves in a basement consisting of a number of rooms. A few of the inner ones had no windows at all.

"Oh. I like this." Spike approved as he went in and out of each room.

Angel found an external door, which Spike unlocked and together they walked up a flight of steps, leading to an old fashioned English walled garden.

"A secret garden?" Spike said as he took in his surroundings.

Angel looked around. The walls were covered in a variety of climbing plants. "Dru would love it here."

Spike sat down on one of the walls, which ran either side of the steps.

"Do you like it?" Spike asked.

"It's perfect." Angel replied. He lay back on the opposite stone wall and stared at the hazy night sky. "So why re we here?"

Instead of answering Spike took out his mobile and punched in a number.

"Hi. It's me." He said

"Yeah, it's great, perfect."

"Go ahead."

"Yeah. Buy it. And thanks."

He hit the 'end call' button and put the phone back in his duster pocket.

"Spike what is this?"

Spike sighed and hoped Angel would go along with his plan without too much argument.

"Its home." He replied.

"You've bought it?" Angel asked a touch of awe in his voice. "I envy you. It's beautiful."

"No envy. It's ours. It's our home."

"Ours? Nice idea but I have a home."

"No. You have a place to stay if you end up working late. Now you have a home. They're flying Red in to cast protective wards around it. It's ideal. We'll have all the upstairs for show and then the basement as a hidden home within a home. Where we can be anything we want. We lock that door at the top of the stairs and we have our own nest. No pretence at being human or civilised, what happens here is no one else's business but ours. It's just us. A sanctuary."

"But, Spike..."

"Look, if I can't appeal to your vampiric nature, think of this instead. We have all those empty rooms. Think of all the shopping you could do."

Angel's eyes brightened. "Yeah, that's true. Ummm, at whose expense?"

"That's for you to negotiate with Giles and Buffy. Come on. Let's go meet them. They'll be waiting for us."

"They want to meet me." Angel asked, suddenly nervous at the prospect.

"Yeah. It's ok, they've promised not to bite...unless you bite first." Spike grinned.

"I don't know if it's a good idea. Uh. Can we look around again? I mean, if it's going to be home I need to take another look."

Spike realised that Angel needed a little time to work up to the idea of meeting Buffy. Time to brood. Well he'd grant him the time but was damned if he was going to put up with a miserable, brooding sire.

"How about a look around the grounds with me?" Spike leapt to the top of the surrounding garden wall and dropped to the other side. "If you can find me, that is."

Angel could hear him running through the undergrowth and growled with pleasure. Oh, they hadn't played this game for years. He took the wall in one jump and listened carefully. All noise had disappeared. His childe had grown more stealthy since they had last played. He heard a movement. Better, but not stealthy enough. Oh, a cat. He'd been stalking a cat. This was now serious. He brought all his senses into play. Spike must have been moving around a lot because his scent seemed to be everywhere. He closed his eyes and felt along the bond, trying to find a direction.

"Oy! Not fair!" Spike sounded outraged and suddenly he was moving swiftly and noiselessly. Angel took off after him. And then stopped. Spike should be here...right here. He looked around warily and then let out a shout as a weight fell on him from above and rolled him to the ground.

"I think I win." Spike grinned and looked at Angel questioningly. Angel was so into the pleasure of the moment all his worries about meeting Buffy had left him. He nodded and waited expectantly as Spike tugged at his shirt collar. He felt the sharp pain and then the tug as his blood was drawn out.

"Yes." He whispered tucking his hand around Spike's head and gently cradling him, until he felt Spike licking the wound closed.

Spike raised his head. "Feeling more relaxed."

Angel just smiled languidly.

"So you think you could live here? With me?" Spike asked.

"Oh yeah, I think I'm home." Angel replied and watched hungrily as the blonde vampire licked the blood from his lips.

"Right answer." Spike gave a fangy grin. "Think you deserve a reward." He pressed his wrist to Angel's mouth and the other vampire gratefully sank his teeth into the offered flesh. As he lost himself in this intimate pleasure he considered life with Spike and as he swallowed the gift so freely given and felt it unfurl like a drug within his veins, then, for the first time in an aeon, he contemplated eternity with a frissom of anticipation.

-

Giles looked at his watch. "They're late."

Buffy smoothed her hair. "It's coming out isn't it? I knew it was too short for this style. Do I need to go fix it? I'll go fix it."

She picked up her bag and left for the powder room still anxiously touching her hair.

"Are you sure he's definitely not evil? Well, I know you're sure because we wouldn't be meeting him otherwise. But supposing he's lost his soul? How would we know? Is there any sign? Because if there is I think I should know." Andrew said nervously.

"What? Oh. Leather trousers. Angelus is rather fond of the leather look. And blood breath. Admittedly, if he's that close to you it's probably a bit too late anyway."

"Is that all?"

Giles considered for a moment, the boy deserved an answer.

"Angelus walks differently. Angel always has a slight stoop as though he's trying to make himself inconspicuous. Angelus swaggers."

"Ok." Andrew screwed his eyes shut, trying to commit these life saving details to memory. Finally satisfied, he opened them again.

"Did they really like the house?" He asked.

"At that price they bloody better."

"I thought it was old and scary." He thought about the soon to be occupants. "It should be just right for them."

Buffy emerged, every hair tucked neatly into place. She looked towards the others and collided with someone.

"Sorry..." She began to apologise but as she turned found herself face to face with Angel.

"Buffy."

"Angel."

They stared at each other in silence.

"And Spike." Spike said, trying to get their attention, and then gave up. He walked over and joined Giles and Andrew, where Andrew was tugging at Giles' sleeve and whispering, "Leather pants!"

"Really?" Spike said. "I'm quite fond of it personally."

Giles gave him a look, which clearly said 'pillock'.

"He means that Angel is wearing leather trousers."

"Oh. You think he's having an Angelus moment? Do you think Angelus would ever look quite that sappy?" He asked.

Giles looked over at the speechless pair.

"No, you're probably right."

"Are they always as bad as that?"

Giles nodded. "Oh yes."

"You look good." Buffy said.

"Shhh. I'm basking." Angel replied.

They stared at each other for a few more seconds.

"Ok. Finished basking now."

Buffy laughed. "Steal all my best lines, why don't you? Come on, we'd better move before we start attracting moss."

"You look...nice. Your hair is different."

"Is it? Yes I suppose it is." She replied casually.

They joined the others already seated inside a private booth and ordered some drinks.

Andrew tapped his pen on the table.

"Welcome to this historic meeting between the founders of the New Council, myself Andrew Tucker; Senior Member, Mr Rupert Giles; the last slayer, Miss Buffy Summers; our associate, Mr William T Bloody and; our hopefully soon to be associate, Angel, previously known as Angelus, Scourge of Europe."

He smiled at the group. "Welcome."

Angel stared at him in bemusement. "Uh. Thank you?"

"Senior Member Rupert, if you would like to continue."

"Would you please stop calling me that?" Andrew looked abashed but unrepentant. He wasn't speaking to the group gathered here, he was speaking to posterity. Giles shook his head and continued.

"After your call, Spike, we put in an offer for the property. It's been accepted, we just need your signature....here."

"Bloody hell that was quick work."

"Like they say, 'money talks'. We prepared the papers in the hope that you would find it acceptable."

Spike took a quick look at the contract and then passed it to Angel, who read it through and finally handed it back with a nod of his head. Spike signed.

"You will be glad to know that you are now the legal owner of a prime piece of real estate." Andrew chipped in.

"Willow is flying in. She should be with us shortly. As you know, she will put the wards in place and make it safe for you both. Have you any questions at this stage?"

"Ummm, it's got no furniture, Rupert." Spike said.

"We will, of course, pay you a stipend for your services, out of which you can pay for any necessaries..."

Angel leant forward. "How much?"

"Excuse me?"

"How much are you paying my childe for his unique services?"

"I really don't think that's any of your..."

"I hereby authorise, Angel formerly known as Angelus, Scourge of Europe, to act on my behalf vis-à-vis reimbursement for services to be provided." Spike said and then sat back to watch the fun.

Angel was in his element and haggled like a fishwife. Giles was holding his own, but sweat was standing out on his brow. Buffy watched open mouthed as they argued and cajoled.

"Agreed." Angel finally said and Giles gave a slightly premature sigh of relief. "Provided you pay for decorating and furnishing the house."

"I can't possibly agree to that."

"Be reasonable Giles. He needs it furnished now, not in ten years time when he's saved enough of his pittance to afford it."

"I see your point and the Council might be able to supply him with a loan, at a reasonable rate, to cover initial set up costs."

"A loan? Interest free and you have yourself a deal."

Giles looked at Buffy and Andrew, "What do you think?"

They both shrugged. "Uh, sounds ok to me?" "Whatever you think."

"Maybe, over a short term, that could be arranged."

"Ok. It's a deal."

He'd agreed too quickly, Giles eyed him suspiciously. "Just a minute, what do you, as a vampire consider short term?"

"I was thinking a hundred years?"

"One hundred years! Two years and that's my final offer."

"I'm prepared to go as low as 75 years." Angel offered magnanimously.

"Giles, will you just agree? He keeps beating you anyway and we need to move on." Andrew whispered.

Giles looked mutinous. They finally settled on fifty. Angel sat back with his hands behind his head, smiling amiably at the world in general.

"We'll now move on to the next item of business. The Council would also like to buy in your services, Angel."

He saw Angel's eyes light up in anticipation and hastily continued.

"Duties, terms and conditions to be agreed at a later date. All we require from this meeting is your agreement, in principle, that you are willing to offer your services to the Council."

Angel considered it.

"I thought you no longer trusted me?"

"We've been presented with certain facts which have forced us to reconsider our standpoint."

"Spike vouched for you and persuaded us otherwise." Andrew supplied.

"He did, but we all realise you would be a valuable asset to the Council and we believe that we in turn could be useful to you. Our dealings will be in the strictest of confidence and none of our business is to be discussed within the confines of Wolfram and Hart."

"Could you give us a moment please?" He grabbed Spike by the arm. "I would like to discuss it first with my associate William T Bloody."

They went over to the bar and both ordered whiskeys.

"You arranged all this?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

"Why?"

"You need a counterbalance to Wolfram and Hart. I thought working with the slayers might provide it."

"Supposing there are conflicts of interest."

"Then you'll have some tough choices."

"Do they really trust me?"

"They really want to and they want to help you."

"Ok."

"Yeah?"

"I already work with them through you, let's just formalise it a bit. Do you want another drink?"

"Shouldn't we..." Spike nodded to the booth.

"No, the secret of good negotiation is allowing the other side time to stew."

"I'm glad you're on my side."

"Always."

-

After Andrew had officially closed the meeting, Spike persuaded them to stay for another drink. Angel sat awkwardly in his corner answering the odd question that was directed his way, whilst Spike chatted and laughed with everyone. That was Spike, though. When he put his mind to it there wasn't anyone he couldn't win over. Spike noticed his sire brooding and as Giles ended a story about a particularly nasty demon they'd once run into, Spike launched into a tale about a stink demon they'd come across in the old days.

Angel listened and cringed. The last thing he needed was an Angelus story to compromise their fragile trust. To his amazement, Spike had chosen a pretty complimentary story. He had saved Spike's life that night and been covered in regurgitated slime for his trouble. It had taken a week before the smell became bearable and Darla hadn't let him near her for a fortnight. Everyone laughed and sympathised with him and suddenly he became part of their group as they all started talking about the grossest demons they'd ever encountered. He began to loosen up and even contributed a story, which set everyone laughing. He'd forgotten that he could be funny. He'd always assumed that was just an Angelus trait.

They wandered back to the apartment in a slightly drunken fug.

"Good night?" Spike asked.

"Unbelievable night." Angel replied happily. "They like me, don't they?"

Spike smiled fondly. "Course they like you."

"Buffy laughed at my story."

"Yeah, it was a good story."

"They want me to work with them."

"I know."

"Wanna move into our house." That appeared to jog his memory. "Hey! You welched on the deal! You were supposed to come shopping with me...is that why you kept suggesting another drink whenever anyone made a move towards the door?"

"Nah, course not. Just being sociable."

"So we shop tomorrow?"

"Well, uh, providing nothing else comes up, then yeah."

They arrived back and settled down on the couch with a bottle of whiskey between them. Sometime during the night they must have dozed off because the next thing they knew it was five in the morning and the phone was ringing.

"Yeah." Spike answered, fisting at his eyes.

"Hello. Spike?"

"Giles?"

"Yes. Look, Willow is here and she'd actually like to start the ritual for your house now. It's the last night of the full moon, which she says will give the spell a powerful boost. Could you and Angel get there in, say, half hour?"

"Uh. Yeah, ok. See you soon."

-

"Hey Red, how's thing."

"You know, all pretty good." She stared at Spike, "I couldn't believe it when Giles told me."

"Yeah, I know. Me working for a living. It's a disgrace."

"That's not what I meant and you know it. I'm glad to see you back. We all are. Even Xander, he just hides it better than us." She gave him a small smile.

"Thanks. How is the whelp?"

"He's doing really well, helping to trace slayers. They really like him. Mind you he's got that whole sexy eye patch thing going on now."

"Can't you just give him a new eye?"

"He doesn't want one. You know...Anya died in the struggle, he wears the patch like a mark of courage, in memory of her,"

Spike felt bad, "I'm sorry I never even asked, just sort of assumed that she'd survive. She seemed like a survivor."

He changed the subject and Willow took it gratefully.

"Do you like our house?"

"Oh it's great! Just right for you and Angel, it has a 'you' vibe already."

Angel walked towards them.

"Hi." She called. "Sorry to get you here this early...or is it late for you? Anyway, I thought the sooner I do this the quicker you can move in. Consider it my house warming gift to you." She smiled. "This isn't really a blood rite but I do need some blood from you. It will bind the land to you. That's why the moon helps, anything to do with blood and the moon perks it right up."

"So what exactly are you doing?" Angel asked.

"Nothing evil or hokey." She replied quickly. "I don't want to introduce any foreign or alien magic here - it needs too much power and works against all the natural forces. I'm going to do a basic earth spell. It binds you to this land and the land to you. It does take some power though, so here's the catch...we use a piece of your souls." She saw their faces and hurried on. "Not much, a fleck, a grain of sand. It gives the place an entity...intelligence even. The air, the trees everything here will recognise you, recognise that you belong to them."

"And here I thought that we owned them." Spike replied raising an eyebrow.

"It's mutual ownership." Willow replied.

Spike cast a glance at Angel. "Ok. I can live with that."

"I don't think I can afford to lose much of my soul." Angel said quietly.

"Don't worry, its not loss. Its still here. If in doubt try to make all your big decisions here."

Angel looked at Spike and then nodded his agreement.

Willow was picking out various ingredients and laying them out before her. She lit several large pillar candles whilst describing the spell.

"We're protecting you in the most natural fashion. Any attempted intrusions, electronic or magical and the air itself will reject them reflect them back. The grounds will be so tied to you that most others will feel uncomfortable here and if they're enemies then, frankly mister, I wouldn't want to be here when those bushes turn hostile."

She turned away to pick up a bowl and a knife.

"Is she kidding?" Angel whispered.

"Don't think so, Mate."

"Sorry. This is the icky part, but I need about a cup of blood from each of you."

"Vampires, luv. No eww factor when it comes to blood."

They both cut themselves and let their blood mingle in the bowl.

"Stand either side of me."

They obeyed and she closed her eyes holding the bowl in front of her.

She spoke softly.

"Oh great goddess hear my prayer, whisper to the earth and air, from this blood, the soul, the spark. Breathe into earth and air and bark."

Her eyes turned dark and her hair seemed to take on blonde roots. Anyone watching from the outside would have seen the three figures haloed in a blue nimbus, which then seemed to dissipate into the bowl the girl was holding.

"Ok that's all I need from you for now. It'll be light in an hour so you might want to get moving. Although, if you could walk the perimeter and spend fifteen minutes visiting different bits of the gardens, whilst I initiate the protection spell, I'm sure the land would appreciate it and it would help to make the spell stronger."

"Yeah? Ok we'll do that."

"Spike, does she know what she's doing?"

"Yeah, she really does. Come on let's go talk to the plants."

-

Wesley was at work early after a troubled night. He had never realised that he had that sort of darkness within him. That he could torture someone was a possibility, that he would be so good at it...no, he wouldn't have guessed it. But it had been to save Fred's life and Knox was the one who had fooled her and betrayed her, even now it could make his blood boil to think about it.

He knew how Angel had felt, that single-minded focus to find his childe and to hell with everyone else. Thank god Fred had been there to pull him back. Perhaps that's what Spike did for the dark haired vampire kept him from that gaping maw where good and evil become irrelevant to purpose.

Fred had found it hard to understand. In the end Wesley had turned to her and said, "If someone gained my trust whilst cold bloodedly planning to kill me, what would you do? If this person had information that could save me, where would you draw the line when extracting this information?" Fred had slowly nodded because at the point she'd almost understood.

They spent the night together, quietly holding each other. In the morning they smiled at each other and began afresh, no more was said about the incident. Wes pursued information in a more mundane fashion...he returned to his books. Fred was excited about something she was working on so they travelled into work together.

Wesley spent the morning tracing references and dead ends. One of his staff knocked and entered, in some agitation.

"Sir? Mr Wyndham-Pryce. I think I have some thing. A reference to the Old Ones."

He presented the text for inspection. Wesley took it and read the relevant paragraph, whilst walking slowly back to his desk.

"Absolutely intriguing. How did you find this? I haven't heard of this manuscript before."

"It was the words, 'old ones'. It made m recall something I'd seen about a race that preceded man. If they preceded the written word then I thought I might be better looking for the older legends."

"Yes, I see." Wesley replied distractedly. "This is excellent. Very good work."

-

Spike had persuaded Angel to return to the slayer house to meet his girls.

Buffy appeared at one point looking decidedly groggy.

"Why didn't you stop me?" She asked Spike. "You know me and drink are non- mixy things."

"But you were having such a good time." Spike replied.

She noticed Angel lurking slightly in the shadows and suddenly became aware of her appearance, trying to smooth down her bed hair.

"Oh, Angel and I look...I mean it's good to see you, looking so bright...and perky...and ...excuse me, I think I'm going to be sick."

"Shouldn't we...?" Angel asked in concern.

"What? Go in and watch her being sick? It might be amusing...up to the point where she stakes our hides."

"Ah. Right."

The slayers were in the training room waiting. Spike introduced them to Angel.

"I've been told you had a day off yesterday, so we're going to be making up for it today. Today we're going to teach you to take down Angelus."

"We are?" Angel asked, obvious misgivings showing on his face.

"Yeah, Peaches we are. You're gonna think like Angelus for an hour."

"But can't they get to know Angel first?" He asked.

"And supposing you lose your soul in your ten minutes making nice time? What will the bints do then?"

"That's ridiculous..." He realised that all the slayers were listening intently to their conversation and sighed. He let down some barriers and could feel the demon's delight.

Spike was saying, "Notice the different. His stance has changed, his eyes are brighter and he looks more alert and watchful."

"Hello, Spike."

"Angelus."

"So you got a soul, too. You're a fool childe. Not even the 'perfect happiness' escape clause. Which is a shame because there are a few tasty morsels here just aching to give it to you." His lecherous look made the girls nervous.

"He has a quick tongue and he'll use it to weaken to you. Divide and conquer. It's an effective stratagem." Spike instructed.

"What my dear childe didn't say is that I tell the truth, nothing is quite so hurtful as the truth." He turned to Erica. "Don't you think you're a bit...fat to be an effective slayer?" He asked amiably. Erica stared him down, completely unfazed.

"In your pairs." Spike ordered. "Fight as a team, watch each other's backs."

They moved as a unit, cautiously circling Angelus. He sprang over their heads so that he was outside their threatening circle.

"You need to be quicker than that." Spike said. "Else he'll just start playing games and demoralising you."

"Spike? I'm not playing this game. I'm not going to fight just so that you can teach them to bring me down like some bloody animal. Also you're really starting to irritate me, childe. I know how much you like to talk but would you just hold you tongue for five minutes!"

Spike just grinned impudently, "Defeat my slayers and perhaps I will."

"What's the point, you're not going to let me drink anyway." He pouted.

"Not from them. Defeat them you get my neck."

Angelus looked interested but the girls looked horrified.

"Right. This is not a game any more. If he wins, he'll drain me, make no mistake about it. Not life threatening but I'll be out of it for a few days, maybe weeks. I'm trusting you lot to defend me."

They looked at each other determinedly and moved into attack formation. Erica and Chris took lead and immediately launched an attack. Angelus grinned and crouched to receive them, using their own speed to send them tumbling behind him. Neesha caught him with a roundhouse kick from the side, he caught her foot as he twisted away and sent her spinning, Kirsty was immediately on him with a flurry of kicks and punches, knocking him back. The next pair moved in taking his legs from under, he rolled with the fall and leapt to his feet away from the main action.

He grinned over at Spike. "They're no Buffy are they?"

A well aimed fist connected with the side of his face as Erica put all her weight behind the blow and his head snapped back. The fight continued with the girls gradually becoming accustomed to his turn of speed and taunting tongue. But they weren't really making an impact, there again nor was Angelus.

Suddenly Spike doubled up in pain, of all the time for a vision to strike. He was exposed and vulnerable. Angelus sprang in front of him and turned around, growling threateningly at the girls.

"Keep away from him!"

Chris made a move towards Spike, regardless, and was stuck so quickly that the movement was a blur to her.

"You thought you saw me fight before? That was nothing. Now keep the hell away from him!"

Slowly Spike straightened up. He looked at the other vampire

"Angelus. I'm ok." Angelus reached out to reassure himself and slowly relaxed.

Spike looked into his eyes and gradually saw Angel staring back at him.

"Listen, you lot carry on do a few work outs and cool down. I have to deal with this. Erica you're in charge."

The girls were left stunned by what had happened, not the vision, they knew Spike was a seer but it was the first time they'd been exposed to the relationship between sire and childe...between Spike and Angelus.

"What did you see?" Angel asked.

"A cave, with a nest of eggs all about to hatch into some charming little demon bugs."

Angel pulled out his phone.

"Wesley, we've got a situation. We need to go clear the caves of a load of hatching bugs."

They made a dash into the safety of Angel's car. The others were waiting and ready, including Fred, bearing a remarkable resemblance to Lara Croft but with more serviceable trousers instead of revealing shorts.

"Oh hi guys. I've got this new thing that I want to try out." She patted at her bulky weapon. "So I thought I'd come with you this time."

"Isn't she fantastic?" Wesley asked.

Spike and Angel resigned themselves to having to protect her and keep her away from trouble.

-

Fred took out a whole wall of egg sacs with her portable flame thrower but she'd failed to notice as one of the bugs skittered up behind her. There was s gunshot. She whipped around to see Wesley holding a smoking pistol and the bug dead on the floor. She grinned at him, they made a good team.

"We got the nest." she said.

"Yes, the others are just doing a sweep. Nasty little buggers."

"They're kind of cool the way they mutate the surrounding microbes to form the eggs."

Wesley's eyes lit up with amusement. "Are you trying to turn me on?"

Fred looked back at the still flaming eggs. "A roaring fire, a cosy nest, it is kind of romantic."

She was so smart and funny and brave. Wesley took her in his arms and they kissed with a fiery passion that made the background flames pale in comparison.

They heard Angel and Spike approach and pulled apart. Angel had been pierced by a sword and where it protruded from his back it had also speared a large bug.

"The thing was about to strike. It was on your back. What was I supposed to do?"

"I don't know. How about asking me to turn around? You just enjoy stabbing me." Angel complained.

"Not true. You know I much prefer hitting you with a blunt instrument."

Angel let out a little growl

"Oh come on! I save you from becoming bug food and you get a bit cranky cus what? I ruined your shirt?"

"It's my favourite!"

"It's the same as twenty others lining your wardrobe."

Angel snorted in disbelief.

"Angel?" Fred asked.

"Ah. I'm alright." Angel replied bravely.

"No. I just wanted the bug. Spike, you managed to keep it in pretty good shape. I burnt all mine." She said. "Hold still Angel, you know how I like new specimens."

-

Whilst Angel was extricating himself from the sword and allowing his wound to be tended to, Wesley took Spike, Fred and Gunn through the extract on the Old Ones.

"It's a short account of one of the first champions. One of these beings escaped from a place called the Deeper Well. The champion managed to return it."

"Well, that's not so bad. We've a few champions knocking around here. Me, Angel, Buffy, probably every single slayer is at least a potential champion." Spike replied in some relief.

"The champion returned it in the end, but as it was dragged back to its resting place it tore and clung to every person it passed. It killed thousands of people."

"Ok, so we're back to ensuring this thing doesn't escape." Gunn replied.

Wesley nodded.

"That would be best. The ritual to return it costs the life of a champion."

Spike finally broke the silence looking to the ceiling in disbelief.

"Bloody typical! There's always a snag and it's always one of us who has to pay the price. You have to kill your lover, or die, or go to hell, or be consumed by fire. Is that all we are? Something to be used and consumed." He ranted.

They looked at him in sympathy.

"Don't tell Buffy or Angel."

"But Spike..."

"No. You look at this and you find another answer, in case the worst happens. You know what Angel's like, he'll go do something noble and stupid and totally unnecessary. Tell him everything else except what happens to the champion. Meanwhile, find some answers."

"Right. We'll get the answer but we also have to discover the location of the Deeper Well."

"Yeah. I'll let you get back to work and I'll go update the pouf."

Later that day the sarcophagus arrived.

Angel had it put in quarantine under twenty four hour guard, until they discovered where it needed to be returned to. As the day drew on without any conclusions he sent them home. He had a feeling there would be some long days ahead.

The vampires travelled to their house and as they entered through the gate they looked at each other.

"Can you feel it too?" Angel asked.

"Oh yeah."

"We belong here."

"It wants us here. I'm no Dru, but even I can hear the air singing around us."

They got out of the car. Spike walked towards one of the old crooked trees, holding out a hand, almost touching it then...

"Angel! That tree just..." He stopped, he felt foolish but that tree had moved a branch the last fraction, to touch his hand. "I think that tree just said hi."

"Well tell it 'hi' back. Where's your manners boy?"

"Oh sod off." He replied but surreptitiously gave the tree a quick pat.

There were some deliveries awaiting them, still in their plastic.

"Angel?"

"You know...I thought we might stay here tonight so it's just a few bits. A refrigerator, a microwave, a couple of chairs, a bed. Willow arranged it. There should be a cool box around here somewhere already. Hope you don't mind?"

"You spending your money on our house? Hmmm. Well I'm deeply offended but I suppose I'll forgive you. Come on lets drag these downstairs, we'll start our nest. Except...how's the wound?"

"The wound you gave me, is mending nicely thank you. Ok, we'll get this stuff in place. But then we have to go. Don't forget we're shopping tonight."

"Oh. Was hoping you might have forgotten."

-

They'd already been to look at furnishings. Angel had found it particularly frustrating because Spike had no opinion, as long as the couch was comfy enough to sprawl on. Then they got to electrical goods, where the tables were turned. Angel couldn't care less what sort of TV or stereo system they bought, he wanted to go for the cheapest. Spike's look was so contemptuous that he kept his mouth shut after that. In the end they decided they'd had enough of house shopping and it was time to move on.

"Hurry up, Spike. They close in an hour."

"Thank God for that! This is starting to feel like an eternity, Mate."

"Don't be such a wimp." Angel replied striding ahead casually holding half a dozen carriers.

"It's not natural." Spike complained. "You know what you're doing? You're subverting your hunting instincts into shopping. It's downright wussy."

"Come on, Spike. Keep up."

"It's embarrassing, you're supposed to be a vampire, terrifying your prey, not in the mall stalking down bargains...oh...wait up, just need to go in here."

"Spike?"

But Spike had already disappeared into a music store.

"I've lost my music. What Harmony didn't burn is now at the bottom of the Sunnydale crater."

"We haven't got time for this!"

"I ain't got much money with me so I've got to take my time, spend it carefully."

Angel began to get agitated, there was an Armani section tucked away in the next part of the mall.

"You've got three minutes. I'll pay providing you're at the till in exactly three minutes."

Spike shot off using his vampire turn of speed to excellent effect. He was a blur of movement as he raced around the shop.

"Two minutes." Angel called. "I've changed my mind you've got two minutes!"

Angel whinged all the way to the next shop.

"$300 Spike! How can you spend that much on CD's? I bet you haven't even heard of half of them. I mean..." he picked one at random, "...Nine Inch Nails?"

"Bloody fantastic band. You like that entire miserable, sob in your pint, country music? Well that Johnny Cash bloke covered one of their songs. See? You'll probably love it. Anyway, I bought one for you, too."

"Did you?" Angel asked slightly warily. "Which one?"

"An English bint. Dido. You'll appreciate the first song...it's you and Buffy. Also the ponce in the video looked just like you."

"You managed to put that much thought into your two minute spree? I'm actually quite flattered."

"So you should be."

"Though it was my money."

"It's the thought that counts."

Angel sighed with relief when they finally entered his chosen shop. Not that he was here to look for himself. It was Spike he was shopping for. He hoped the English vampire appreciated the effort that he was making. Oh that was a nice button down shirt and they had it in extra large. He picked it up. When he thought about it, these weren't really Spike's sort of clothes. He carried on pulling out things in his own size.

Spike sat slouched in one of the chairs. One of the assistants approached him with a smile. "Can I help you, sir?"

"Well...yeah. I'm after casual. Dark colours."

The assistant's smile never wavered. "Certainly, what size?"

"Medium. 32 inch waist, regular length. Need about four outfits, jeans, a couple of jackets...I'm looking for cool, not teenage trendy. That man over there is paying."

She looked at the lean, ascetic man, with dirty, worn clothes and then over at Angel's powerful, sleek, well dressed, well groomed figure. "Yes. I understand." She replied, her mouth tightening somewhat. "In that case, I think you should also be looking at two or three pairs of shoes, socks, underwear, belts and of course accessories. We do some rather nice watches? Could I also persuade you to add a suit?"

Spike smiled at her, "Sounds perfect."

"Spike? Why does the shop assistant keep looking at me in that strange way? What have you said to her?"

"Nothing. Just asked her to look for some stuff for me and told her you'd put them on your card."

"Oh. I don't think she likes me."

"We'll leave if you want." Spike said magnanimously.

Angel looked at the assortment of clothes he'd gathered and decided not to be put off by one rude shop assistant. Spike waited for him outside the shop and counted down to the explosion. Three. Two. One.

"How much?! What the hell has the little sod bought?"

They walked back to the car in silence.

"Hey? I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd mind. Well not really...do you mind? It's only money."

"It's not the money." Angel growled.

"Not the money? Then what's got you so upset?"

"That woman thought you were...I was...we were..."

"For Godsake, Angel. Just spit it out."

"She thought I was your...sugar daddy!"

Spike began to laugh. Angel glared at him.

"It's not FUNNY!"

"Lighten up, Peaches. What the hell does it matter what anyone thinks we are? It's gonna happen occasionally, two guys living with each other, so what? Are you going to stand there and patiently explain what we are to each other? Cus I vote for no, they're not going to understand so why bother?"

"I guess. I wouldn't know where to start, even when I try to explain to people who know us. Not sure I can explain it to myself." Angel admitted.

"Its not easy, it gets confusing...spent a hundred years denying that we're sire and childe, acting like it's not important that we don't care. Just all meaningless vampire shit."

"But it's not meaningless, is it? It's the one thing that gives meaning to everything else." Angel said frowning.

"If it helps, I find it as confusing as you. I don't think there are rules or lore that deal with this...two souled vampires. Sire and childe."

"So we'll just make up the rules as we go? And damn what the rest of the world thinks."

"Exactly."

They walked in silence but this time it was comfortable.

"So what did you buy?" Angel finally asked. "I think you've seriously wounded my credit card, it may never recover."

"Not sure, I let the bint choose."

"Spike! How can you just trust a stranger to choose your clothes?"

"I wanted surprises, couldn't help noticing that if I left it up to you the surprise would be that I got nothing."

"Oh." Angel looked guiltily at all his bags.

"Ah, don't worry about it. C'mon. Lets go to Wal-Mart, they're open all night."

"Wal-Mart? I don't..."

"Yeah, you do. I need some Cocoa Pops."

An hour later, Cocoa Pops had turned into a trolley load of food and booze, as well as various household items - crockery, glasses; cutlery; bedding.

"How can we call in for one item and come out with all this?" Angel asked plaintively as he put his card back into his wallet.

"Beats me." Spike replied, reaching for his carton of fags and pulling out a bag of nacho chips.

They returned to their house, weighed down with purchases. Spike began unpacking the food until he reached the beer. He opened a can and tossed one to Angel. They took a chair each and settled back in these strange and yet familiar surroundings.

"Comfy?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. Can't believe we're here. Even as empty as it is, it feels right."

"I know. The house, everything, it just seems to fits itself around us."

"I was speaking to Red. She said this place had been waiting for us. She did the spell but never expected it to react so powerfully. It belongs to us. Feel it in my bones."

They spent a pleasant night with Spike dissing Angel's taste in clothes and Angel bemoaning Spike's lack of taste in music. Spike finally pulled his bags out and started examining the clothes chosen by the shop assistant.

"A suit?" Angel said in surprise.

"Yeah. She said it was, ageless, a classic. Well you never know. Might need one sometime in the next century." Spike replied as he continued to explore his bags.

"Oh these are good." He pulled out some soft leather trousers.

"Just don't wear them when I've got mine on else we'll look totally gay."

"Thought we decided we didn't give a damn?"

"Yeah..." Angel said slowly, "...in principle."

As the night wore on Angel became increasingly restless. "I hope this house is really protecting us because I need to tell you something."

Spike went still. "Go on."

"Soon there is going to be stuff happening."

"Why, what are you doing?"

"I've got a chance to bring down Wolfram and Hart. It's going to look bad but whatever happens, I need you to trust me."

"You need to ask?"

"You don't know..."

"What have you done? Sold your soul?"

"No. I signed away Shanshu."

"What?"

"It's the price I had to pay for this chance."

"Is that why I won that fight? The cup of eternal torment....is that why I won?"

"As if I would ever deliberately lose a fight to you, childe. You won fair and square."

"But it's not fair is it? Surely just the fact that you'd give it up to win a battle must mean that you're the one who deserves it? It was your hope, your dream."

"I had a taste of it once and it wasn't what I expected." Angel said quietly. Spike cocked an eyebrow at him.

"A Mohra demon brought me to life, made me human again. I had a day in the sun with Buffy but it wasn't enough. When I became human I expected fanfares and trumpets heralding the hero's reward. Instead I got a few drops of demon blood. I couldn't help Buffy fight. I was a liability. I wanted my strength, my power back."

"Even if it condemns you to hell?" Spike was genuinely confused.

"I've been to hell. I survived."

"There must have been something good about being human?"

"I made love to Buffy and didn't lose my soul. Oh and food tastes better...though it gave me indigestion and made me sick."

"Doesn't sound like a barrel load of laughs."

They sat in silence for a while.

"So what have you set in motion?"

"I can't tell you. We're being watched all the time and it's important that everyone reacts naturally, even you. Just...don't ever stop trusting me."

Spike nodded.

They spent their first night in their new house, falling quickly into a deep dreamless sleep. They awoke naturally for once, no alarms or phones, feeling more refreshed that they could ever remember.

"I wish we didn't have to leave here. Not yet." Spike said.

"We'll be back tonight. Something to look forward to."

The car bounced down the drive. Angel looked back.

"What are those?"

"Well the house is protecting us so I thought I'd show that we were protecting it. I just put up a few trespasser warnings and such like."

Angel read a couple of the hand painted signs.

"'Trespassers Will Be Sold As Slaves'? 'Vandals Will Be Sold As Eunuchs'?"

"Yeah?"

"Nice sentiments but probably not legal...I'll get Gunn to look into it."

-

"Giles, Willow, Buffy and Andrew are visiting us today. They want to take a look at the sarcophagus and hear what we have. At least Giles, Willow and Andrew do, I think Buffy is just curious about this place."

"You mean she's a nosy little bint." He saw Angel's eyes focus behind him, sniffed the air and quickly added "And I mean that in the most affectionate way...oh hello Buffy, I didn't see you there."

"I'm not little...petite, maybe slight, but not little, am I?"

"Sweetheart. You walk in and you fill the room." Lorne reassured her.

"Oh. Well, I know I've put on a bit of weight..."

"Buffy, you're perfect. And insecurities are like petticoats, best if they don't show."

"Well, thanks. I've now hit an all time low, fashion advice from the man in the eighties time warp."

Angel stepped in, he had a feeling these two could bicker for hours.

"Where are the others?"

"Wesley is taking them through what they've found so far."

"Well then. Let's join our guests." He held out his arm to allow them to precede him through the door.

Wesley was once again explaining their search for the Deeper Well.

"Would this be like a giant hole in the ground?" Willow asked with a frown.

"Well the name certainly suggests it."

"We might be able to help." She turned to Giles. "The coven taught me about the earth and how everything is connected. If there is a hole in the ground containing that sort of power then they're going to know about it."

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that? Willow, you get on the phone. Angel, we may have an answer for you shortly and you'll be able to take this thing back."

"Really? That's great news. I have to admit I never thought it would be this easy."

"Well, don't celebrate too soon, we're not done yet." Willow replied as she picked up a phone and began dialling a number.

"Where's Andrew?" Spike asked.

"Fred took him to see the sarcophagus." Giles replied.

Angel whirled around. "I gave specific orders that Fred was to go nowhere near that thing!"

"Angel, calm down. She's not going in. She was just taking Andrew to see it."

Angel wasn't appeased. He had such a bad feeling about this. He left for the quarantined area. And sighed with relief when he saw Fred surveying the sarcophagus through one of the observation windows. Spike caught up and joined Fred. He took a deep breath.

"What the frigging hell is he doing in there?"

"He said he was an expert on these things, so I didn't see any harm in letting him in." Fred explained.

Spike yelled to the security guards to open the door, they looked towards Fred.

"Open the door." Fred ordered beginning to feel some of Spike's panic. Then she noticed that Spike had gone still.

They watched in horror as Andrew laid a hand on one of the gems. A puff of fog seemed to rise from the sarcophagus and Andrew coughed as he breathed it in.

Angel spoke into his phone. "Gunn, we need that information from Willow now. Order the jet, as soon as we have a location we leave."

Spike ran up to Wesley's office.

"Wesley. We need that answer. How do we return Illyria to her resting place without killing the champion?"

Wesley hung his head wearily.

"Who?"

"Andrew."

He nodded.

"We're close, Spike. We need a few more hours. You gave us the idea when you mentioned all the champions we have available. We thought that must be some way of spreading the burden so that the weight of the ritual of returning isn't just on one person's shoulders. You might all feel slightly weaker afterwards but no one should die."

"Thanks Wes. What should I do?"

"Take the slayers with you. Tell Angel that you may need them to fight your way into the Deeper Well. Actually that bit's true. There are guardians. Anyway when we get the answer everyone will be there, in place."

Spike went to tell Giles that they needed the slayers.

"I've got it. They knew exactly the place I was talking about." Willow called. "It's in England."

They finally had the jet ready and the sarcophagus loaded on. Angel agreed to bring the slayers and within half hour the jet was taking off.

Andrew was getting hotter. "His body is being prepared. Once the metamorphosis is complete we will have lost Andrew forever and be dealing with a god." Giles said.

"Are we going to make it in time?" Angel asked.

Nobody answered him.

When they arrived there were cars waiting to drive them through the English countryside. Gunn had never travelled before and spent his time gazing quietly at the lush, green land, so alien to his native California.

The slayers were quiet. They had been given the basic circumstances and knew that they may have to eventually take on a god.

"Don't worry, you'll do fine." Spike said reassuringly.

"Course you will." Buffy agreed. "Just remember what you've been taught."

The car finally pulled to a halt.

"This is it." Willow said.

"Where?" Buffy asked looking around.

"I'm guessing that tree." Angel replied pointing out an old gnarled tree. His guess was confirmed as demons started to pour forth from a crack in the tree.

"Strategy?" Spike asked Angel.

"Take my hand." Spike frowned. Angel wasn't really the sort for public displays of affection.

"Oh. St Petersburg."

"I thought you'd forgotten." Angel grinned.

Demons came roaring towards them. They stepped apart pulling a thin wire taut between them, neatly cutting them in half. They joined the others in the fray but very soon all the guardians had been defeated.

"Is that it?" Angel yelled. "Is that all you've got?"

"I'd say that was enough." A figure stepped forward.

"Drogyn? You're the keeper of the well?" Angel asked.

"Have been for decades."

"Who the hell are...?" Spike began.

"If you ask me a single question I will kill you." Drogyn stated.

Spike turned a startled look to Angel. "He really doesn't like questions." Angel explained.

"Why not?"

"He has to tell the truth."

"You're here about Illyria?"

"Yes."

"Walk in."

Buffy and Giles were supporting Andrew and four slayers picked up the sarcophagus. They followed Drogyn in to a large chamber. It had a pit spanned by an insubstantial seeming bridge.

"There was a race of demons pure. They warred as naturally as you humans breathe. Illyria was one of the most powerful, the most beloved the most feared. Then it disappeared a short time ago."

"That makes you a pretty crap jailer." Spike saw Drogyn's face "Statement." He pointed out.

"Your friend talks a great deal."

"So much so he's sometimes even right." Angel replied.

Drogyn pointed to the endless pit, lined all the way around and down as far as the eye could see with other sarcophagus, similar to the one they had.

"As you can see my charges are nor few."

"Bloody hell""

"How far down does this pit go?" Giles asked.

"All the way through the earth." Drogyn replied.

They looked down the chasm in awed silence.

"You wish to return Illyria?"

Spike nodded but then let Angel reply. He stepped back toward the entrance and made a call.

"Wesley. Need it now."

"Not yet, Spike another ten minutes."

Spike returned to Angel.

"You must all keep your distance." Drogyn demanded. "It's already been released and will cling and rip into anyone close, in an attempt to stay."

"I could try to set up some sort of containment around them." Willow offered. She turned to the slayers. "I'm not sure if it will be strong enough to hold a god but if I could borrow some of your strength to augment it, it might just work."

The slayers agreed each nodding at her in turn.

"Which of the champions will perform this rite?" Drogyn asked.

Andrew clutched Spike's arm tightly.

"Yeah, don't worry whelp. Not leaving you now."

"You know this ritual."

"Yeah, I know what needs to be done." Spike replied.

He looked around at the assembled group and felt his eyes sting. He couldn't look at Angel. He turned to Andrew. They didn't have ten minutes, the boy was nearly all used up.

"Come on then." He said hooking an arm around Andrew.

Buffy suddenly darted forward and laid a hand on his arm. "Can I help?" She asked.

Spike gave her a quick kiss and as he pulled away he whispered, "Yeah, look after him."

Confusion etched her face as she watched the pair take their place on the middle of the bridge.

Spike had obviously started the incantation. The air seemed to fizzle around the two men. Willow began speaking in a low voice, her spell draining power from the air around her. The slayers moved in and surrounded her. Spike raised his arms and Andrew slumped on to the bridge, it almost appeared as if he was cracking before their eyes as power poured forth from his body in angry, whipping strands, flashing and sparking as it hit Willow' shield, filling the air with the astringent smell of ozone. The slayers felt a momentary weakness as Willow called on their strength to hold the energy in.

The air within seemed to writhe in fury, almost howling it's frustration as it thrashed within its prison. Suddenly they could clearly make out Andrew. All the power had drained from him leaving him like a rag doll, flopped down with his head resting on his knees. The energy now engulfed Spike, twisting ferociously around him. Despite being hit and buffeted he continued with the rite, holding on to one of the rope supports as the power lashed at him.

And gradually it began to pour away towards the gem embedded in the sarcophagus. The onlookers all began to breathe again. Spike let go of the edge of the bridge. He looked weary and sad as he turned towards them, his eyes finally lingering on Angel.

One last whipcord of energy seemed to enter right through the centre of his body. He threw his head back and screamed. As the rope of twisted energy pulled free from his body it appeared to tug Spike physically. He balanced precariously and then they all watched in horrified silence as he tumbled from the bridge.

His body wheeled through the darkness and disappeared from sight.

Someone screamed his name, just as Willow collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. Buffy flew to her side.

Giles moved to help Andrew but the boy was limp and heavy. "Buffy. Angel." He called.

Buffy turned to one of the slayers, "Look after her." She ordered. Angel too obeyed the call and moved onto the bridge where he saw his childe fall.

Giles, Buffy and Angel stood, avoiding each other's eyes for fear one of them said something and made it real. It had all happened so quickly. Buffy peered over the edge. Spike was strong. He may have survived. He might be clinging to some piece of rock...

"He's gone." Angel said in a voice devoid of any emotion. "He knew. He kissed Buffy and passed the visions on to her. And then he left. I felt him wink out of existence."

Buffy looked at him in disbelief.

Giles stared down at the never ending chasm beneath his feet.

"There's a hole in the world." He said and turned away to hide the tears he was blinking back but he couldn't hide the grief in his voice. "You'd think the world would stand still and take bloody notice."

No one else had words. They helped Andrew outside. There was the sound of sobbing.

One of the slayers turned to him. "Tell us what happened!"

Andrew shook his head. The storyteller had no more stories left to tell.

Angel's phone rang, he answered it automatically.

"Angel, it's Wesley. Listen, this is urgent. I can't get through to Spike. You need to stop him now. There's another way. Tell him there's another way."

Angel pressed 'end call' and tossed the phone away.