They ran. What else were they supposed to do? He'd scooped a barely breathing Gunn up into his arms and they'd run. They hadn't been followed. Not yet anyway, as Angel constantly insisted on reminding. 'They'd' come. 'They'd' wanted him and 'They' wouldn't just let him go. Not like that, not that easily. 'They'd' come after Gunn and Spike as well since it was the entire team 'They' were after now anyway and Spike and Gunn were all that was left of that.
Spike ignored Angel except to say shut up and move it. Stop looking over your bloody shoulder because we don't have time. Charlie's dieing and the sun's about to rise. Angel moved then, hurried to follow Spike and his blood soaked burden. He didn't stop looking over his shoulder though.
He was still looking even a month later when Gunn had finally finally been released from the hospital. Spike didn't waist any time in moving them out of the hotel they'd been staying in as near to the hospital as possible. Angel was incessant about the room having been bugged by 'Them'.
"They have that technology, you know. They did it to the hotel once. We caught Them though." Angel would never speak 'Their' name. Spike didn't either.
Spike would only nod in response. It had all been said before. "Yes, Angel."
"They could be watching now."
"I've already checked. The room is clean."
"It might not be now." Angel didn't sit in his chair, he perched on it. In the corner, eyes watching every point of entrance. He rarely moved.
Spike sighed and heaved himself off the bed with the weary tolerance of a parent checking under his child's bed for monsters. "I'll check again."
Angel only nodded.
Angel had to be left in the car when Spike went to collect Gunn and get them the hell out of the city. It polluted minds. Angel couldn't handle it much longer.
"They infest that city. We're safer in here." Angel wouldn't move from his chair. Kept shaking his head.
Spike could only sigh as always. "I know. But we've got to go pick up Gunn. Then we can all leave."
"Gunn?"
"Yes, Angel. Now get up and we'll go see him."
It had to be night when Spike walked into the hospital. Gunn was sitting in a wheelchair in the waiting room. He looked lost but smiled when he noticed Spike crossing to him. Spike grinned in return, strode up to Gunn and didn't hesitate in wrapping Gunn up in a careful hug.
"You sure are a sight for sore eyes, Charlie."
"Where's Wes?"
Spike lifted himself from the chair at the other side of the room and stepped to Gunn. "You shouldn't be up. Go back to bed."
Gunn shook his head. "No. Where's Wes?"
"I told you before, Charlie. Wes isn't here anymore."
Gunn looked stricken. Spike hated to do this to him every time. "No. He just walked through here. Is he going out with Fred?"
Spike placed gentle hands against Gunn, turning him back to the bed. Gunn went, still shaking his head. "Nonono..."
"Shh," Spike tried to quiet him but Gunn was already sobbing. Spike just held him.
The doctors told him that Gunn had brain damage. He'd lost too much blood. They couldn't do anything for it. At least they had gotten out of the city. Maybe Gunn and Angel could start to heal.
"They did this to him."
Spike only paused a moment before continuing to pour a mug of blood and hand it to Angel. "They did."
"They left him alive because They knew it would hurt me more."
"Hm." Spike sipped at his own blood as he started to walk away.
"They'll go after you next."
Spike walked from the room.
They were sleeping together. Spike could hear them through the too thin walls of their separate rooms. He liked to think that this meant they were finally coming to their senses. Maybe he was the one with the delusions now.
"You should talk with Wes, you know."
Spike looked up at Gunn standing over him next to the bed. He raised an eyebrow and passively played along.
"About what, pet?"
"He likes you."
"Does he now?"
Gunn shrugged. "And you seem lonely."
"Hard to talk to someone that's dead."
"You and Angel are dead."
"... Go back to bed, Charlie." He turned away from Gunn and closed his eyes.
Gunn's condition didn't change. Angel only got worse. He wouldn't leave the cheap apartment Spike had found.
"They'll be waiting outside for me."
He wouldn't drink the blood that Spike brought in for him. It didn't matter if he watched Spike drink it and nothing happened.
"They might have spiked it. They did that before."
Gunn and Angel kept fucking. Spike stayed out of it. Did what he could and kept up the pointless hope that both of them would get better.
Gunn was grinning at him. Spike watched him warily, waiting to see what would come out.
"You and Wes have a date tonight." He was beaming. Spike just stared at him.
"Wes isn't here, Gunn. You know that."
Gunn looked baffled, still smiling. "Well yeah, he's gone out to get ready."
"No, Charlie," Spike repeated himself. "Wesley is dead. You remember?"
The smile faded. Gunn turned and walked away from him.
He brooded as much as Angel ever had now. Sitting in a corner with his head cradled in his hands. Gunn forgot on a nearly daily basis. Spike swept the house continually for signs of 'Them'. There was never anything. It only made Angel worse. Cracking them all under the pressure.
"Gunn tried to get me to go for a walk today."
Spike looked up from one of the many books he had brought to the apartment to regard Angel across the room and in his usual corner. Watching the entrances.
"He likes to spend time with you."
"If I go outside They'll be there."
"Gunn forgets sometimes."
"...Yeah." Angel didn't say more as he fell into thought. Spike waited then went back to his book.
It hadn't once occurred to Spike that he should be paying more attention to Gunn and Angel. Not individually but together. They yelled, he could hear them through the thin walls. It always ended in groans.
"Angel won't go outside with me."
Spike barely even glanced up at Gunn from his book. "He doesn't like to go out, it scares him."
"I'd keep him safe."
"I'm sure you would."
"He doesn't trust me."
Maybe he should have listened to what they were saying as well. He'd stopped though. Stopped caring. Stopped hoping. Gunn and Angel were lost. He would follow behind them. He sat in his corner and brooded as Angel watched for an enemy that wasn't coming and Gunn had conversations with people that weren't there. It was life now and it went on.
"It's a nice night out."
Spike lifted his head from his hands at the quietly hopeful exclamation from Gunn. It wasn't directed at him and he glanced to Angel.
"They're out there. Why do you want me to go out so badly?" He was suspicious.
Spike tensed a little but kept quiet. In a moment they would start yelling again.
"Because it's a nice night out."
"You want them to get me."
Spike couldn't stop Angel in time from swinging the hubcap axe.
Gunn's life stopped. Spike made Angel move again. To another city and another apartment. Angel went because he couldn't stay in a place that smelled so strongly of blood from someone that had been tainted by 'Them'.
"You were close to Gunn."
Spike glared at him, at the suspicious way that Angel spoke. "You were closer than me, mate."
"You knew what he was planning."
"To set me up with a ghost?" Spike's look dared Angel to keep going. Angel fell silent but kept his wary gaze on Spike.
Angel's gaze was always on him now. No matter what he was doing. Spike was sure to always watch his back. Always have a stake on hand for the day he knew Angel would attack. He was still surprised when it happened. Still surprised by the feel of the wood sinking into Angel and then having nothing there. No one there. So much for life going on. He sat in his corner and brooded. The lights were turned out and the blinds open. Birds were starting to sing. He sobbed.
"I won't let this happen." Angel spoke menacingly from behind him.
"Won't let what happen?" Spike slowly turned to face him.
"I see the stake you carry. I'm not an idiot."
"Angel..."
"They will not get me! Not through Gunn and not through you!"
Spike raised the stake he'd palmed when Angel stepped into the room.
Morning sun was filtering through the window. Spike was laughing through his sobs. ''They' hadn't needed to go after Angel or Gunn or him. It had all been taken care of without 'Them'. The sun began to itch at his feet. There was no reason to move.
