Live The Question
Mar. 2nd, 2007 12:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sevendeadlyfunPairings: Various (None this chapter)
Rating: NC-17 overall (PG-13 this chapter)
Warnings: language
A/N: Sorry again for the delay. This is final's week, so I've been a bit busy. This is another moving things forward chapter, dealing more with plot than with fun naked stuff. I really need to stop plotting and start having fun with the boys. Sigh...
Rating: NC-17 overall (PG-13 this chapter)
Warnings: language
A/N: Sorry again for the delay. This is final's week, so I've been a bit busy. This is another moving things forward chapter, dealing more with plot than with fun naked stuff. I really need to stop plotting and start having fun with the boys. Sigh...
Angel curled into the strong arms surrounding him. There was safety in this embrace, he knew and he cherished the feeling of security. Hard on the heels of his happiness came his old friends guilt and shame. These were Spike’s arms. Spike, who he had almost raped. Spike who had comforted him after he broke down. Spike who he...
Angel crept out of bed, stealing a glance at the beautiful sculpted face of his Childe. He couldn’t do this. Lying in Spike’s arms provided a respite Angel couldn’t allow, couldn’t fathom. It was too real, too lovely, to be held and cradled and cared for no matter what.
Sneaking out of the bedroom, Angel walked down the hall to another door. This door didn’t offer happiness or peace. There were only lies and empty words behind this door. Those, Angel knew, he could handle. Handle, hell, it was what he deserved. His body used as penance, not as an object of worship, would make him feel clean again.
Pushing open the door, Angel whispered, “Faith?”
When Spike woke up alone, he refused to believe it . After last night, no way would Angel just leave him. Spike had poured himself out for his Sire, offering the best of himself for that broody bastard. To be abandoned, again, was too much to bear and so Spike refused to acknowledge it. Angel just went to get some blood, he decided finally. Spike showered and dressed, making his way downstairs to join Angel for a drink.
Angel wasn’t in the kitchen, so Spike drank his breakfast alone. Wandering out into the lobby, he saw Willow bent over a large dusty book, Xander and Oz equally engrossed on separate computers, and Faith cleaning weapons. Willow offered him an absent wave, Oz and Xander gave him happy smiles, but Faith refused to meet his gaze. She looked right through him, face blank when he asked her where Angel had gotten to.
Spike felt his temper rise. Not again, he repeated in his head. The bloody fuckin’ bastard did not do it again. Spike tried to rein in his memories, but they wouldn’t stop. Angelus touching him sweetly, gently, whispering his love and pride for his youngest then scarpering off to parts unknown. Not again, he reminded himself.
The door to Angel’s office opened, and out strode the vampire in question. Angel glanced at Spike and then turned to coolly quiz Willow on her research. Spike couldn’t hear the redhead’s answer because his own rage consumed him. Again, it cooed in his ear like a lover, he did it again. Used you up and left you, loved you and left you, again again again...
Spike reached for the stake he kept in his back pocket, only to find his hand locked in the iron grip of a Slayer. Turning his head a fraction, he met Faith’s bleak eyes. She shook her head fractionally and dragged him out of the lobby.
“Spike,” Faith said soothingly, “don’t do this. I...Something’s up with Angel. He’s not himself. Not exactly all evil unsouled bad boy, but he ain’t Angel either. I d-don’t know what’s going with you two, but don’t do something we’ll all regret.”
He stared at her, his blue eyes sparkling with malice. “Oh pretty pet,” he soothed. “Promise you, I won’t regret this a bit. ‘M tired of being cold comfort, luv. You stand there, smelling of him, and try to explain it away? Not going to fly, Slayer, not this time.”
“I know,” she nodded solemnly. “No excuses, Spike. No more bullshit between us. He showed up in my bed and I took what was on offer. But, you wanna know something sad? He wasn’t thinking about me and it wasn’t my name on his lips.”
“Poor little girl,” Spike spat. “Must have been a trauma.”
“No,” Faith grinned. “He’s damn good at what he does. But, I don’t like being used any more than you do.”
“So, I should...what?” Spike sighed. “Let him destroy himself, me, all of us? Can’t do that, pet.”
“Didn’t say you should,” Faith returned. “We need to figure out what the hell happened to Angel. But, keep the pointy wood in your pants.”
“Rather have it in my pants than yours, “ Spike muttered, but not softly enough because Faith let out a howl of laughter.
“Bet you would,” she smiled, shaking her head. “Gotta say, he’s one hot number.”
“You don’t know the half of it, Slayer,” Spike smiled back ruefully.
“So, you cool now? You don’t stake Angel and I’ll start locking my bedroom door,” Faith promised. “We both start working on what’s wrong with him.”
“Yeah,” Spike agreed. “But, I’m done playing his whipping boy. He’ll have to find another way to relieve his frustration.”
“Okay, this is getting way too dirty,” Faith laughed again. “I’m gonna get back to work. Just...I don’t think it’s you, Spike. I think it’s him.”
“ ‘S always been him,” Spike replied quietly.
“I understand,” Faith said and walked away.
“Eep!” Willow’s cry brought Spike and Faith running into the lobby, looking for the danger.
“Bloody hell, Witch! Thought we were under attack,” Spike complained, strolling over to join Willow and Angel.
“Nah,” Xander scoffed. “Her under attack scream is a slightly different pitch. Don’t you remember?”
“All sounds like high-pitched girly squealing to me, luv,” Spike shook his head.
“So, what’s the deal, Wills? Find the cure for dateless Friday nights,” Xander inquired.
“Aww, pet! I’ll take you out,” Spike purred. “You an’ me, this Friday and I’ll show you a good time, too.”
“And on that note.. .Wills? Squealing is good, right,” Xander turned, face flushing hotly.
“Oh yeah,”Willow nodded. “Remember the scythe thingy? We thought that it contained the essence of the Slayer, right? Well, so wrong there.”
“But, when you did your spell-o-rama, it made all the Potentials into Slayers,” Faith contradicted.
“No, it didn’t. Well, I mean yeah, but not like that,” Willow explained. “My spell was supposed to release the essence from the scythe, but the essence was never there to begin with. What I did was put the key in the lock. The scythe didn’t hold the Slayer power, it directed it. The guardian woman that Buffy met basically said as much. The Shadow Men put the demon into the FIrst Slayer. The Guardians found a way to direct that demon, to dilute it and keep the power flowing. The scythe wasn’t the source of the power, it was the...” Willow began to flounder.
“The bloody chain,” Spike helped her out. “The scythe kept the power chained down, let it flow from one Slayer to the next. Your mojo acted like bolt cutters, set the power free.”
“Yeah,” Willow agreed. “Now I gotta figure out how to chain it back up.”
“At least we know what happened,” Oz observed. “So, we can get to work on industrial strength Slayer chains after we save these kids.”
“Kids,” Angel said.
“Yep, sometime tonight these kids are going to be an early breakfast for a huge nest of vampires,” Oz replied. “You know, I never thought a misspent youth would come in handy. But, I gotta say... those times I dropped acid? Great practice for visions.”
“Now that everything’s all settled,” Spike leered, “I think I’d like a bit of quiet. Xander, you up for a nap?”
Xander blushed again, but nodded and when Spike held out a hand, Xander took it eagerly. They walked upstairs together, Xander not noticing Angel’s dark glare and Spike not caring about it. When Angel started to move forward, Faith stepped lightly in his path.
“Nu-uh, precious,” she murmured. “You made your choice, and now you’re stuck. Since you are stuck, we need to have a little chat. Something’s all wacky in your head, and having been in there? I know that’s saying something.”
Willow and Oz, hearing Faith’s words, looked concerned. As Angel ran a hand through his hair, and sat heavily on the edge of the deak, they all crowded in. Something wrong with Angel could mean anything, but most usually it meant the beginning of the end of the world. Angel knew he was trapped, and decided the best way out was through. Might as well start talking, he figured, and then he could give his idiot Childe the spanking he so clearly needed.
Angel crept out of bed, stealing a glance at the beautiful sculpted face of his Childe. He couldn’t do this. Lying in Spike’s arms provided a respite Angel couldn’t allow, couldn’t fathom. It was too real, too lovely, to be held and cradled and cared for no matter what.
Sneaking out of the bedroom, Angel walked down the hall to another door. This door didn’t offer happiness or peace. There were only lies and empty words behind this door. Those, Angel knew, he could handle. Handle, hell, it was what he deserved. His body used as penance, not as an object of worship, would make him feel clean again.
Pushing open the door, Angel whispered, “Faith?”
When Spike woke up alone, he refused to believe it . After last night, no way would Angel just leave him. Spike had poured himself out for his Sire, offering the best of himself for that broody bastard. To be abandoned, again, was too much to bear and so Spike refused to acknowledge it. Angel just went to get some blood, he decided finally. Spike showered and dressed, making his way downstairs to join Angel for a drink.
Angel wasn’t in the kitchen, so Spike drank his breakfast alone. Wandering out into the lobby, he saw Willow bent over a large dusty book, Xander and Oz equally engrossed on separate computers, and Faith cleaning weapons. Willow offered him an absent wave, Oz and Xander gave him happy smiles, but Faith refused to meet his gaze. She looked right through him, face blank when he asked her where Angel had gotten to.
Spike felt his temper rise. Not again, he repeated in his head. The bloody fuckin’ bastard did not do it again. Spike tried to rein in his memories, but they wouldn’t stop. Angelus touching him sweetly, gently, whispering his love and pride for his youngest then scarpering off to parts unknown. Not again, he reminded himself.
The door to Angel’s office opened, and out strode the vampire in question. Angel glanced at Spike and then turned to coolly quiz Willow on her research. Spike couldn’t hear the redhead’s answer because his own rage consumed him. Again, it cooed in his ear like a lover, he did it again. Used you up and left you, loved you and left you, again again again...
Spike reached for the stake he kept in his back pocket, only to find his hand locked in the iron grip of a Slayer. Turning his head a fraction, he met Faith’s bleak eyes. She shook her head fractionally and dragged him out of the lobby.
“Spike,” Faith said soothingly, “don’t do this. I...Something’s up with Angel. He’s not himself. Not exactly all evil unsouled bad boy, but he ain’t Angel either. I d-don’t know what’s going with you two, but don’t do something we’ll all regret.”
He stared at her, his blue eyes sparkling with malice. “Oh pretty pet,” he soothed. “Promise you, I won’t regret this a bit. ‘M tired of being cold comfort, luv. You stand there, smelling of him, and try to explain it away? Not going to fly, Slayer, not this time.”
“I know,” she nodded solemnly. “No excuses, Spike. No more bullshit between us. He showed up in my bed and I took what was on offer. But, you wanna know something sad? He wasn’t thinking about me and it wasn’t my name on his lips.”
“Poor little girl,” Spike spat. “Must have been a trauma.”
“No,” Faith grinned. “He’s damn good at what he does. But, I don’t like being used any more than you do.”
“So, I should...what?” Spike sighed. “Let him destroy himself, me, all of us? Can’t do that, pet.”
“Didn’t say you should,” Faith returned. “We need to figure out what the hell happened to Angel. But, keep the pointy wood in your pants.”
“Rather have it in my pants than yours, “ Spike muttered, but not softly enough because Faith let out a howl of laughter.
“Bet you would,” she smiled, shaking her head. “Gotta say, he’s one hot number.”
“You don’t know the half of it, Slayer,” Spike smiled back ruefully.
“So, you cool now? You don’t stake Angel and I’ll start locking my bedroom door,” Faith promised. “We both start working on what’s wrong with him.”
“Yeah,” Spike agreed. “But, I’m done playing his whipping boy. He’ll have to find another way to relieve his frustration.”
“Okay, this is getting way too dirty,” Faith laughed again. “I’m gonna get back to work. Just...I don’t think it’s you, Spike. I think it’s him.”
“ ‘S always been him,” Spike replied quietly.
“I understand,” Faith said and walked away.
“Eep!” Willow’s cry brought Spike and Faith running into the lobby, looking for the danger.
“Bloody hell, Witch! Thought we were under attack,” Spike complained, strolling over to join Willow and Angel.
“Nah,” Xander scoffed. “Her under attack scream is a slightly different pitch. Don’t you remember?”
“All sounds like high-pitched girly squealing to me, luv,” Spike shook his head.
“So, what’s the deal, Wills? Find the cure for dateless Friday nights,” Xander inquired.
“Aww, pet! I’ll take you out,” Spike purred. “You an’ me, this Friday and I’ll show you a good time, too.”
“And on that note.. .Wills? Squealing is good, right,” Xander turned, face flushing hotly.
“Oh yeah,”Willow nodded. “Remember the scythe thingy? We thought that it contained the essence of the Slayer, right? Well, so wrong there.”
“But, when you did your spell-o-rama, it made all the Potentials into Slayers,” Faith contradicted.
“No, it didn’t. Well, I mean yeah, but not like that,” Willow explained. “My spell was supposed to release the essence from the scythe, but the essence was never there to begin with. What I did was put the key in the lock. The scythe didn’t hold the Slayer power, it directed it. The guardian woman that Buffy met basically said as much. The Shadow Men put the demon into the FIrst Slayer. The Guardians found a way to direct that demon, to dilute it and keep the power flowing. The scythe wasn’t the source of the power, it was the...” Willow began to flounder.
“The bloody chain,” Spike helped her out. “The scythe kept the power chained down, let it flow from one Slayer to the next. Your mojo acted like bolt cutters, set the power free.”
“Yeah,” Willow agreed. “Now I gotta figure out how to chain it back up.”
“At least we know what happened,” Oz observed. “So, we can get to work on industrial strength Slayer chains after we save these kids.”
“Kids,” Angel said.
“Yep, sometime tonight these kids are going to be an early breakfast for a huge nest of vampires,” Oz replied. “You know, I never thought a misspent youth would come in handy. But, I gotta say... those times I dropped acid? Great practice for visions.”
“Now that everything’s all settled,” Spike leered, “I think I’d like a bit of quiet. Xander, you up for a nap?”
Xander blushed again, but nodded and when Spike held out a hand, Xander took it eagerly. They walked upstairs together, Xander not noticing Angel’s dark glare and Spike not caring about it. When Angel started to move forward, Faith stepped lightly in his path.
“Nu-uh, precious,” she murmured. “You made your choice, and now you’re stuck. Since you are stuck, we need to have a little chat. Something’s all wacky in your head, and having been in there? I know that’s saying something.”
Willow and Oz, hearing Faith’s words, looked concerned. As Angel ran a hand through his hair, and sat heavily on the edge of the deak, they all crowded in. Something wrong with Angel could mean anything, but most usually it meant the beginning of the end of the world. Angel knew he was trapped, and decided the best way out was through. Might as well start talking, he figured, and then he could give his idiot Childe the spanking he so clearly needed.