AngelSeemedReal


	Title: It Seemed So Real Author: Nelson Pairings: O/C meets Fanfic - Nelson/Zach; Angel/Spike Disclaimer: All Angel characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and affiliated production companies. No infringement is intended. I don't profit from these stories in any way. Warnings: Beware. This is my first jaunt into fanfic – read at your own risk ;-) I’m trying my hand at an Angel series and I’m shamelessly using my own characters to introduce Angel, Spike and company. I’ve tried to use enough detail and description so that readers who are not familiar with the show can still enjoy the story. Read on…if you’re not afraid… It Seemed So Real Zach awoke groggily on the sofa with Nelson’s prodding and he struggled to rouse up from his comfortable position against his lover. “Zach? Wake up, babe. You might as well go to bed. You can’t keep your eyes open.” Zach wiped a hand across his eyes trying to rub the sleep from them. “I don’t want to. I want to see Angel.” He looked at the clock and saw it was about to come on in just five minutes. “Besides, it’s too early to go to bed.” “Apparently not. You went out like a light half an hour ago.” Nelson smiled at Zach who was trying his best to look fully awake. “But, I’m not tired! I just got comfy, that’s all.” “I can see that. Get comfy in the bed, Zach,” Nelson said, pushing him toward the edge of the sofa. “NO! I don’t want to.” “Go on, now. You can watch Angel in the bed. Go on,” Nelson said with another push. “I don’t want to,” Zach whined again, rising from the sofa before he ended up in the floor from Nelson’s insistence. “I’m not telling you again, Zach. Go on,” Nelson said without a change of heart. Zach could tell he wasn’t going to win this one. “Will you come, too? Please?” Zach asked holding his hand out to Nelson. Nelson thought about it and decided it was at least a way for them to be together until Zach fell asleep again, which Nelson fully expected to be soon. He put his hand in Zach’s and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. “All right, Sweet Pea. I’ll come, too. Go get your PJs on before your show starts. I’m right behind you.” Zach went toward the stairs and informed Nelson as he walked away, “Good thing you said you’d come. If you didn’t, I might consider you mean enough to be a creature of the night.” “You have vampires on the brain.” Zach spoke without turning as his bare feet continued up the stairs, “Hurry up and I might let you bite my neck after Angel goes off.” Nelson chuckled at Zach’s grumblings and went to shut the house down for the night. Minutes later, he was in the bedroom and found Zach piled obediently among the covers and pillows with the television turned to Angel. He looked over at the TV and asked while pulling his sweater over his head, “Is it a new one tonight?” He ran his hands through his hair to lay it back down where the sweater mussed it. “Repeat. Shhhh,” Zach answered absently, trying not to be distracted from one of his favorite shows. Nelson smiled and worked on getting ready for bed himself. He crawled into bed beside Zach and pulled him close so they could watch the show together. Zach was totally quiet while he watched and only stirred when the commercials came on. “Mmmm,” Zach said. “I think Angel is so hot.” Nelson feigned jealousy and said, “I’m hurt! I thought you liked blondes. There’s not a thing blonde about him.” “Nope. His picture is beside ‘tall, dark and handsome’ in Webster’s. And beside ‘brooding’. He’s got that quiet strength like you have that I love so much.” “Why, thank you. How about Spike? He’s blonde,” Nelson pointed out. “Do you want him instead of me?” Zach tossed the covers back and threw himself on top of Nelson, straddling his hips. He bent down and kissed him fully on the lips and said, “I don’t want anyone other than you.” As soon as his lips were released, Nelson said, “Not even Spike?” Zach put his mouth beside Nelson’s ear and whispered, “Not even Spike.” He moved his lips to Nelson’s neck and nipped the tender skin between his teeth. “OW! Be careful, Zach.” Nelson laughed and rubbed at the spot. “Am I bleeding?” He looked at his hand for evidence of blood. Zach attempted his best imitation of a Transylvanian Dracula. “I’m going to drink your blood, make you a vampire and we’ll live the rest of our lives together and never die,” Zach said, giggling, with his fingers scratching the air menacingly. Nelson slipped his own fingers between Zach’s to keep his “claws” from getting him then said with a grin, “I think one eternal brat is enough for the world to deal with.” He let go of Zach’s hands and rested his own on either side of Zach’s thighs, giving them a soft squeeze. “Huh?” Zach asked from his position on Nelson’s hips. “Spike,” Nelson pointed out. “HIS picture is beside ‘brat’ in Webster’s. If there’s one brat who is long overdue for a good spanking, it’s Spike.” Zach laughed again and said, “You’d like to spank him, wouldn’t you?” “I don’t know if I should do it, but someone sure should,” Nelson suggested. “He could use a soaping for that smart mouth, too.” Zach looked back at the television over his shoulder when he heard the pause between the commercial break and the commencement of the show. He flopped back off Nelson and cuddled against him to see the TV. He thought about what Nelson said as he watched Angel walk back into view of the camera. “I think Angel could do it,” Zach said. “I could easily see the two of them together.” “He wouldn’t have time to fight demons and vampires if the two of them were together in a discipline relationship. Spanking Spike would be a full-time…” “SHHH!” Zach ordered, cutting him off. Regardless of his resolve to stay awake and watch the show, Zach slipped off to sleep before the next commercial break. ***** Zach and Ben walked through the doors that formerly led to the interior of the Hyperion Hotel but now served as the base of operations for Angel Investigations. Ben grabbed Zach’s arm as they walked in, halting him just inside the doorway. “Are you sure about this? Do you think they can help us?” he whispered. Zach nodded, trying to look convincing when he was actually a bit uncertain himself. “Yeah. The flyers say they help people. If they think we’re crazy, we’ll just leave. Let me do the talking.” He pushed up his sleeves and turned to go inside. They walked fully into the entryway and a lovely dark-haired woman looked up at them from behind the desk. She turned expressive brown eyes to them and her face lit up in a smile. “Hi!” she greeted them. “Can I help you?” Zach stepped up to the semi-circular counter and rested his hands on the countertop. “I hope so. Are you Angel?” A voice behind them spoke before she could answer, drawing their attention. “I’m Angel.” The boys turned around and saw a tall man standing behind them dressed in dark clothes. His near-black hair was coiffed in a slightly messy, short cut, standing up across the top of his head, cropped close on the sides and back. Black, brooding eyes looked questioningly at Ben and Zach. “Oh, I didn’t hear you walk up,” Zach said. “I get that a lot,” Angel responded. “What can we do for you?” Zach and Ben exchanged looks between them, not sure how to proceed. Zach cleared his throat and said, “Well, you help with weird situations, right?” A snorted laugh erupted behind the counter and the boys turned from Angel to see another person had slipped silently into the space with the pretty girl. A bleached-blonde man was standing beside her with a smile plastered across his face. “You might say that,” he interjected. “Spike,” was the single word uttered by Angel in a warning tone. Spike turned surprised eyes to Angel and said innocently with a shrug, “What? We DO.” Angel said to him, “Let Cordelia and I handle this, please. You have something to do, I believe?” Spike glared at Angel and reported, “But, my hand is cramping.” Angel said in a manner that Ben and Zach had heard before, “Do you really want to discuss this here and now?” Spike looked from Angel to their guests and shook his head before going back into the office adjacent to the front desk. Ben and Zach looked at each other, both processing what they had just witnessed. To the untrained eye, it was a casual exchange, but to anyone who knew better, there was more said than was heard. Zach raised his eyebrows at Ben who shrugged slightly and mouthed, “Toppish,” while Angel’s attention was diverted. Angel’s eyes stayed firmly on the blonde until he disappeared into the office. When the door closed, Angel turned back to them and said, “Now where were we?” “I was asking if you handle weird things.” “Well,” Cordelia said, “Spike was right. We do handle some…” she paused, her eyes searching the ceiling for the right words, “unusual situations.” She smiled and nodded her head, satisfied at her choice of terms. “Is that what you’re dealing with?” “You could say that,” Ben said. “We can’t get our partners to believe us, so we have to get other help.” “We’ll do what we can,” Angel said. “Why don’t we go in my office and talk a bit.” He led the way into the room where Spike had recently disappeared and the blonde head tipped up at the interruption. He was poised over a notebook, and the swirling pen stopped moving across the lines on the page when they walked in. Angel addressed him, “Spike, why don’t you take that out to the front desk and finish up?” Ben was trying to crane his neck nonchalantly for confirmation of what he suspected and unwittingly knocked over a pen holder. While he scrambled to right the overturned cup, Spike slapped his palm over as much of the paper as he could cover. “Do you mind?” he asked Ben. “Spike!” Angel reprimanded. Ben muttered, “Sorry.” Spike slammed the notebook closed while his angry eyes remained fixed on Ben. Ben looked away embarrassed and Spike got up from behind the desk. Spike turned his focus to Angel, forgetting about Ben’s intrusion for the moment. “You JUST sent me in here,” he grumbled toe to toe with Angel, his notebook tucked against his forearm. Angel said as Spike approached, “And, now I’m sending you out.” He reached out and clasped Spike’s upper arm as he turned to leave and looked at him hard. “I think you want to find a better temper while you’re out there.” Ben and Zach looked at each other again and this time, Ben gave a slight nod. Spike left the office without another word, leaving the door ajar, and Angel took his place behind the desk. Sweeping a hand over the chairs situated in front of him, he said, “Please. Have a seat.” Ben and Zach sat down and Zach rubbed his sweaty palms down the front of his jeans as he gathered his thoughts. Angel asked, “Tell me about your problem.” “Well, it’s about my neighbor,” Zach said. “He…he’s not exactly normal, I don’t think. Ben thinks I’m right.” “What do you mean by ‘not exactly normal’?” Angel pried. “Um, people go there to visit but they don’t come out,” Zach explained. “I’ve seen things…he never goes out during the day either.” A voice rose just outside of the office as Spike called to them, “Neither does Angel!” A snicker followed the comment. Ben looked at Zach before addressing Angel who was already on his feet. “How did he,” Ben asked looking over his shoulder as Angel passed by, “hear us?” he finished. “I’ll be right back,” Angel said without answering the question. He pulled the door closed behind him, and Ben and Zach peered through the glass to watch what happened. Ben said quietly to Zach when they were alone, “He was writing lines. Just like us.” “Do you think he’s Angel’s brat?” “What do YOU think?” Ben asked as though it was clearly obvious. Zach looked back out the door and registered the expressions on the two faces locked in a conversation. “I think I’ve seen that look a hundred times,” Zach said, watching Angel’s face as he spoke to Spike. His thumbs were hanging in his pockets supporting his hands on his hips as he leaned close to Spike, obviously speaking in stern tones from his expression. Ben swallowed hard, recognizing the same familiar look. “Yeah, me, too.” “I wish I could hear them,” Zach said grinning, his curiosity getting the better of him. “Somebody’s going to get it.” He watched as Spike’s head dipped down, apparently reacting to whatever speech Angel was giving him. Angel said something else they couldn’t hear, then his hand moved from his pocket and pointed toward the stairs across the room. Spike nodded and picked up his notebook, passing by Angel in the direction of the stairs. He turned his body as he passed by, putting his butt as far out of reach as possible. “Yep,” Zach said with conviction. “He’s a brat, all right. I perfected that move.” Angel turned suddenly toward the door after he confirmed Spike was ascending the stairs. “Shit!” Zach said, turning back around quickly. “Do you think he saw us looking?” “I don’t know,” Ben said, making sure his back was firmly toward the door. “Sorry for the interruption,” Angel apologized, moving behind the desk again. “He’s not in a very good mood today.” “That’s okay,” Ben said. “I’m not in a good mood sometimes, too.” Angel surprised them by gracing them with a crooked smile. “I hope you don’t get as testy as my partner.” Ben grinned and said, “I don’t think I get too testy, but my boyfriend would probably say differently.” Angel suddenly went serious again as his eyes focused past them and on the door. He jumped up from behind the desk responding to something Ben and Zach hadn’t heard. The boys looked around, not knowing what drew his attention, until he opened the door and they heard Cordelia moaning in pain. They got to their feet and followed Angel out in the entryway and saw another man, wearing glasses, supporting Cordelia. Her hand was to her head as she held her temples. “A demon, big with horns,” she was saying. “A girl is with him. She’s afraid.” She paused and then continued, “A house, they’re in a house. I don’t think it’s her house. 1177,” she said before relaxing, the pain suddenly gone. “1177?!” Zach exclaimed. “That’s the number of my neighbor’s house! Did you see something?” He looked away from Cordelia and over at Angel, who was hunched over her with a look of concern in his eyes. “What happened to her?” Zach asked him. “She had a vision,” a voice said from behind them. Ben turned to see Spike back downstairs and standing on the foyer side of the counter, supported by his elbows on the front desk. Angel turned to Spike and said, “I didn’t expect you downstairs.” “I wanted to come down and see what was going on,” he said. “Now you have,” Angel responded. Ben and Zach saw his eyes dart from Spike’s to the stairs beyond him, then back again. Spike stood from his stooped position, folded his arms across his chest, and said, “That’s right. And, now I’m staying to see what else happens.” Angel stood up straight and folded his own arms. Ben and Zach’s eyes were wide as they watched the exchange, knowing full-well that Spike was ignoring Angel’s intended message and what their own partners would think of that. Angel asked, “Are you sure you want to do that?” “I’ll stay down here if I bloody well want to,” Spike said in his English dialect. Angel was more than aware of Ben and Zach in their presence so he said cryptically, “If that’s your decision. We’ll talk in private later.” “I’ve got nothing to talk about,” Spike said insolently. Ben’s mouth fell open and thought Angel must put up with a lot more than Vic would until Angel spoke. “Oh, no. We have plenty to discuss. Plenty,” he repeated. Spike swallowed and his eyes wavered slightly. He said, “On second thought, I’ve really got a lot to do and I should get to it.” He uncrossed his arms and pointed to the stairs. “I’ll just go now.” “You do that,” Angel said. “We’ll have time to talk when I get back.” “You’re obviously busy,” Spike said with a nervous grin. “Don’t bother yourself with me.” “It’s no bother. Really. You know I always have time for you,” Angel said. “I’ll see you when I get back.” “That’s okay,” Spike said weakly. “I said I’ll see you when I get back. Count on it.” With Spike headed back up the stairs, Angel turned his attention to Ben and Zach. “What’s the exact address?” Zach was in the middle of giving directions when the man with the glasses came toward them with his nose buried deep in an ancient book. “I think I’ve found it,” he said, taking the book over to Cordelia. “Look here. Is this what it looked like?” Cordelia sat up and blinked at the picture before her. “No, Wesley, it was greener, uglier,” she described with her nose turned up as though she smelled something unpleasant. Wesley took the book back and flipped hastily through the pages. “Shouldn’t you go?” Ben asked. “We will,” Angel said and looked up when a tall black man entered the room, his head shaved clean of hair. “Gunn!” Angel said when the man walked in. “What’s up?” Gunn asked. “We have work to do,” Angel said, walking toward the cabinet of weaponry they kept in the lobby. “You got it,” Gunn said, following Angel to the cabinet. Angel looked up to see Spike leaning over the second floor railing to get a peek at the action. “Spike, where should you be?” “But, I want to go with you. I don’t want to stay here. It’s boring.” “No,” Angel replied. He turned his attention to the array of weapons, selected two for himself and stood aside for Gunn to do the same. “Gunn and I can handle this.” “But, Angel!” Angel looked up sharply and his expression stopped Spike’s words. Angel said to him, “All right. I’m coming up.” Spike’s eyes widened and he moved from the railing, apparently back toward his room. Ben’s stomach turned over in his belly and he looked back at Zach. Zach leaned over and whispered in his ear while Ben’s eyes were focused solely on Angel marching up the stairs with purpose. Zach said in hushed tones with a grin on his face, “I’ll bet he’s going to get it this time.” Ben’s eyes grew big and round when Angel stopped in his tracks and looked at them. Ben said, “Oh, God.” Zach followed Ben’s stare and saw Angel looking directly at them. Zach’s impish grin faded fast under Angel’s accusing look. After making eye contact with both of them, he turned back to his mission and started going back up the stairs. “Did he hear me?” Zach asked nervously. “There’s no way…” Ben said noting the distance between them and the stairs. “He looked like he heard me,” Zach said. They were distracted by Cordelia’s voice behind them. “That’s it,” she said, tapping the page in the book Wesley showed her. “You’re sure?” Wesley asked. “I’m sure. Big, green and ugly.” Then with disgust she added, “Very ugly.” Wesley turned back to the book and muttered, “Decapitation. Gunn, you need a sharp blade.” “Decapitation?” Ben asked. “It’s a Fraelic demon. It feeds off human hearts.” Ben gulped at the information. “Hu…human hearts?” he asked. “Like the ones we have?” “Yes, I’m afraid so. There’s only one way to kill it: it must be decapitated.” He turned his attention to Gunn and said, “I’ll come with you; he’s a strong one.” His eyes were focused on nothing as he concentrated. “Can you show us where it is, young man?” he asked Zach. “Sure!” Zach said, anxious to see it all come to a head. He had tried for weeks to convince Nelson something was going on across the street but Nelson had chalked it all up to Zach’s overactive imagination. Gunn looked around, closing the cabinet. “Angel’s got to hurry up. What’s he doing?” Angel appeared, moving quickly down the stairs just as Gunn spoke, and looked at the group waiting for him. “Okay, I’m ready. Wes, Gunn, let’s move.” He turned around when he heard Ben and Zach following, and he held up his hand. “Whoa. Where do you two think you’re going?” They looked at Wesley and Ben pointed at him. “He said…” Wesley’s voice interrupted him and said, “I asked them to come and show us where the house is. I thought it would be quicker.” “I don’t think so. I got enough from…” Angel paused, realizing he had yet to learn their new clients’ names. “Zach,” Zach said. “And, this is Ben.” His thumb pointed toward his friend standing beside him. Angel proceeded to finish his sentence, “…from Zach to know where to go. I want you two to stay here where it’s safe.” Dejected, but not anxious to launch into combat with the man, Ben and Zach stood where they were and watched the crew leave through the front door. “Damn,” Ben said to the closed front door. “We should be able to go.” “I know. I wanted to go,” Zach agreed. “Angel’s right,” Cordelia said from across the room, remembering her vision. “It’s not safe.” She used the front desk to steady herself as she held her palm to her forehead, moving around the desk. “If you guys don’t mind, I think I’ll lie down for a bit. These visions take a lot out of me.” “Sure,” Ben said. “We’ll be fine.” “Make yourselves comfortable,” she said with a weak smile and went upstairs to find a bed in one of the many abandoned hotel rooms. Ben took the time to admire the large entryway complete with ornate columns supporting the upstairs landing. “This place is beautiful,” he commented. Zach looked around after Ben’s statement and stopped when his eyes fell on the blonde young man peering at him over the railing of the open balcony on the second floor. Zach’s elbow ground its way into Ben’s ribs to get his attention. Spike grinned down at them. “I thought you lads would be with the Ghostbusters.” “We wanted to, but your partner,” Zach said then stopped. “I mean, I guess he’s your partner. Your partner-partner,” he clarified. “Well, he said he was your partner but I thought he meant in business at first, until I saw the two of you, you know, kind of, well, sort of,” Zach stumbled on and finally stopped when Spike threw back his head in laughter. He descended the stairs gracefully, his eyes never leaving the two, and walked over to stand directly in front of Ben and Zach. “Yes, he’s my partner-partner,” he grinned. “One who is slightly less than happy with me at the moment.” “We’ve known the feeling,” Ben said. “Lots of times.” Spike’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Really?” he asked, stressing the first syllable of the word. “I doubt you’ve felt it quite the same way.” “No,” Zach corrected. “I think we have. I mean, he lets you know when he’s…not exactly happy with something you’ve done, right? You know, in a kind of way you can’t mistake?” Spike leaned back slightly and crossed his arms over his dark knit shirt. “What do you mean?” Ben looked at Zach and they both hesitated to answer. Finally, Ben said, “Well, like the lines you were writing. And, maybe other things?” “What other things,” Spike said, tormenting them by requiring them to say what they were thinking. Zach huffed and rolled his eyes. He said, “Discipline, okay? Are you happy?” Spike smiled broadly and said, “What do you mean?” He was enjoying toying with the two younger men and watching them struggle. “You know what I mean. You just want me to say it,” Zach said. “I’m not sure I do know what you mean.” Spike feigned a frown of confusion, put a forefinger against his chin in thought, and looked questioningly at Zach. Zach slapped his hands against his jeans in exasperation and rolled his eyes. “Corners? Grounding?” Zach said. “Spanking?? Stuff like that.” “Hmm. Interesting,” Spike said with a smirk. “Your partners actually spank you, then?” Their mouths fell open and they suddenly felt like they had divulged far too much personal information to this stranger. “You mean…yours doesn’t?” Ben asked. Spike’s smile grew wide and he shrugged. “Well, yes, he does, but I just thought it would be fun to watch you sweat,” Spike said with good humor. “And, it was.” “You’re mean,” Zach pointed out. “I just meant it in fun. So, why are we standing here when the action is out there?” Spike asked, pointing toward the door. “What kind of brats are you, anyway?” “The kind who don’t want to tick off your partner. He said we couldn’t go,” Ben said. “And, I think he said the same thing to you.” “He did,” Zach agreed. “Listen, do you really want to sit around here?” Spike asked conspiratorially. “Um, no,” Zach said. “Then. Let’s. Go,” he said, enunciating each word carefully. “Do you have a car?” Ben stammered, “But…but your partner said…” “Look, mate. I’ve already bought myself a load of trouble. I might as well get my pound’s worth. Car?” he repeated with his brows raised. Zach looked at Ben then answered the question. “We’re in my car, but I can’t drive,” Spike frowned at him and Zach explained, “Well, because my partner might see. We’re sort of supposed to be at the movie with some friends. Not across the street fighting demons.” “Yeah, and MY partner’s at his house,” Ben said with a nod toward Zach, “and I’m not about to get busted if I can help it.” “Think a minute,” Spike told them. “Why would your lovers be hanging out the window watching for your car? Can’t we just pull down the street a bit and walk?” Ben and Zach cast uncertain looks between them and Zach said, “I don’t know. I haven’t ‘bought’ any trouble lately and I’m not anxious to do it now.” “Of course you have,” Spike said with a laugh. “You’ve lied to your partners tonight. Now, I don’t know what your boyfriends think of that, but MINE…” “They don’t KNOW,” Zach pointed out. “Yet,” Spike said with a mischievous grin. “They aren’t going to know,” Ben voiced his hope. “Are we going or aren’t we?” Spike asked. “At this rate, there’ll be nothing to see when we get there.” Zach said with exasperation, “Oh, all RIGHT. Let’s go.” He dug in his pockets for his keys and the three left for the action. **** Spike’s head popped up and the bushes behind him shimmered from the motion. He peered through the window of 1177 Brookstone Road and gave Zach and Ben, still huddled under the protection of the shrubbery, a play-by-play. “Wesley and Gunn are fighting it. The girl is huddled in the corner but appears to be unharmed.” Ben and Zach couldn’t take missing the show any longer, so they stood slowly and squeezed in close on either side of Spike so they could see, too. Zach’s head dodged from side to side with the blows being delivered to the demon’s torso and head. They all jumped back when Wesley was caught in a backswing by the beast, catapulting him against the wall next to the window they peered through. Wesley shook it off and got slowly to his feet and re-joined Gunn in battle. “It looks like they’re trying to move it toward the door,” Spike observed then noticed something else. “I don’t see Angel…” “Right behind you, Spike,” a deep voice said from their rear. Spike heard Ben mutter, “Shit,” beside him. An expletive crossed his mind as well, and he rolled his eyes before he turned to face his lover. He painted a pleasant smile on his face as he turned from the window and said, “Ah! There you are. Shouldn’t you be inside?” “Shouldn’t you be at home?” Angel shot back. Without answering the question, Spike said, “Well, since we’re both here, it looks like they need our help. We shouldn’t be standing out here.” “We can’t go in there,” Angel pointed out. “We haven’t been invited.” “Not invited?!” Zach exclaimed. “I don’t think those two were either, but they’re in there fighting.” A loud growl followed the sound of crashing glass and tearing wood when the demon was forced through the front door beside where the four stood outside. Angel and Spike bounded into action, landing fists and feet against the beast. Spike swung his leg around and caught the demon in the head and drew its attention. As soon as it turned to go for Spike, Angel swung his large blade at the thing’s throat, sending the head and demon goo flying. It spattered all over Ben and Zach who jumped back to avoid the rolling head just before the body turned to a puddle of the same jelly-like substance that now covered the boys. “Gross!” Ben exclaimed, looking at the sticky green mess all over him. “It smells.” Angel appeared before them having not made a sound in his approach. “Are you two all right?” he asked as Gunn and Wesley ran out of the house. “How do you DO that?” Zach asked. “You lurk.” “Sorry,” Angel said. “I guess I’m light on my feet. Are you okay?” “Uh, oh,” Spike said, his eyes focused across the road to see two men hurrying over. “Tell me those don’t belong to you,” he said to Ben and Zach. Zach looked up to see Nelson and Vic walking briskly across the road toward them. “Shit.” “I can’t believe it,” Ben complained. “I knew we shouldn’t have come. We are SO dead.” “That would be me,” Spike said playfully. Angel straightened up and saw Vic and Nelson heading over. He said to Zach and Ben, “No, you shouldn’t have come. I believe I told you to stay behind.” Zach and Ben responded to the correction and looked away. Angel asked, “Do you know them?” “Yes,” Zach answered miserably. “Our boyfriends who are NOT going to be happy.” Ben and Zach slipped behind Wesley and Gunn trying to hide themselves from their lovers, and managed to go unnoticed at first. Nelson and Vic made it over far too quickly and surveyed the damage and the group. Nelson’s eyes were fixed on the hole where the door had been and asked without looking at anyone in particular, “Is everyone all right?” Wesley picked that moment to bend down and pick up a dropped weapon, leaving Ben totally exposed. Vic’s eyes scanned passed him, unrecognizing at first, then darted back just as Wesley stood up. “Benjamin?! Is that you?” He marched over with the same resolve Ben had seen Angel use to go upstairs earlier. “Ta for shopping,” Spike said in Ben’s ear. “Looks like you bought yourself some trouble, too.” Ben remained behind Wesley without acknowledging Vic’s question, but his lover had seen all he needed to in the brief instance under the streetlamps. His upper arm was grasped and he was yanked without ceremony out from behind his protective shield. Without saying a word, Vic released his grip and crossed his arms, obviously waiting for an explanation. Ben swallowed the lump in his dry throat and said, “Hi, Vic. What are you doing out here?” “You first,” Vic said. “Zachary! Where are you?” He knew if Ben was there, Zach would be as well. Zach held Gunn’s upper arms for support and popped his head out around his shoulder. “What’s going on here?” Nelson asked. Zach tried a smile and said, “Um, these are our friends.” “Correct me if I’m wrong,” Nelson said, stepping over to pull his own brat from behind the human barrier, “but the last time I checked, they weren’t showing movies in our neighbor’s front yard.” Zach dropped his head, knowing he was sunk. “Excuse me,” Angel said, stepping in. “I’m Angel. We’re with Angel Investigations. These boys…your partners?” he asked, and continued when Nelson nodded, “came to me for help tonight.” “Zachary, I told you to leave it alone,” Nelson said, taking his hand and drawing him close. “I’m sorry if they’ve put you to any trouble.” He paused and released Zach’s hand, feeling the sticky residue on his palm. “What’s all over you?” “Our neighbor,” Zach said. “He was a demon. A Fraelic demon.” “You already lied to me once tonight, Zach. Do you really want to do it again?” Nelson warned. “I’m NOT lying! Tell him!” he said to Angel. “Even if he says the same thing, I’m not going to believe it,” Nelson replied with a glance toward Angel. “Demons don’t live in our neighborhood.” “They don’t anymore. And, you will believe him! Because he’s a Top! Tops aren’t allowed to lie,” Zach said anxiously. “Tell him!” he repeated to Angel. Angel’s mouth was ajar with the accusation and looked at Spike. Spike shrugged and looked at his partner. “They’re brats and they’re Tops,” he explained, pointing respectively at the appropriate men at the appropriate time. “Are you…?” Vic started. “Yeah, he’s a bloody Top, too. Anal, unreasonable, on my BACK,” Spike said, looking at Angel with the last word. “And, he’s my brat,” Angel said to the two other Tops, pulling Spike close and looping an arm around his shoulders. “One who’s long overdue for a spanking.” The last sentence was uttered with a glare at his partner. “No, I’m not,” Spike disagreed sullenly. “Yes, you are,” Angel corrected. “Speaking of which, we need to get home, where you’re supposed to be. We have unfinished business and now a bit of new business to take care of.” “Wait! Don’t go without telling them about the demon!” Zach said, still worried about his own rear end. Angel looked at Vic and Nelson and said, “He’s right. It was a demon. We had to behead it to kill it.” “But, it couldn’t be a demon,” Nelson said confused. “I met the guy. A little weird maybe, but not a demon. Unless they look like regular men.” He looked up to see Wesley leading the shaking woman outside and knew something major had taken place. He didn’t see his weird neighbor anywhere, either. “Well, we look like regular men,” Spike pointed out. “But, we’re vampires. Demons.” “I told you he changes, Nelson,” Zach reminded him. “Our neighbor…our former neighbor…changes into this…this THING.” Spike’s words finally were digested by Zach’s brain and his mouth fell open. “You’re a WHAT?!” he screeched at Spike. Spike laughed heartily and Angel patted his behind in a warning. “Spike…” Spike got his laughter under control and said, “Don’t worry. We both have souls. We don’t drink human blood any longer.” Nelson was shaking his head and he looked to Vic whose brow was furrowed deeply. “Wait a second. You’re giving me way too much to take in,” Nelson said. Vic looked over at Angel with his brows raised and put a protective arm around Ben. Angel said, “It’s true. But, you’re safe.” “Then why couldn’t you go in?” Spike said to Angel after thinking about it. “Someone else must own the house on paper…” “Apparently,” Angel said. “You’re really vampires and Nelson really had a demon for a neighbor?” Vic asked in awe. “I’m afraid so,” Wesley said, stepping forward and paused when Vic took a step back with Ben firmly under his arm. “Oh, sorry. I’m not a vampire and neither is he,” Wesley said with a look toward Gunn. “We work with Angel, helping him to rid this city of things like your neighbor.” “I can’t believe it,” Nelson said with his mouth hanging open. He and Vic looked at each other, both having a claiming grip on their partners. They noticed Angel doing the same. Angel finally broke the uncomfortable silence. “We need to go. Spike and I have to discuss a few things.” Ben asked Spike, “Vampires think ‘discuss’ means ‘spank’, too?” “This one does,” he answered with a hand on Angel’s chest. Angel’s hand covered the one against his chest and clasped it. “Get in the car, Spike. You know what I told you before we left,” Angel said then pushed Spike toward his dark convertible parked behind the others. Spike passed by and stopped beside Ben and Zach. “Lovely meeting you both.” With a glance at their partners, Spike continued, “I hope you fare better than me.” “In the car, Spike,” Angel repeated from behind him. Spike lowered his eyes and slumped toward the car. Wesley looked between Angel and the two couples. He said, “I think we’ll wait in the car, too.” Angel nodded and waited while Wesley and Gunn left the area with the woman. Angel approached Vic and Nelson. “I’m sorry these two came down here. I told them to stay at the office.” He cast a hard glare at Ben and Zach intermittently before turning his eyes back to Vic and Nelson, satisfied that the boys had gotten his message. “They weren’t supposed to be here OR at your office,” Nelson said. “Were you, Zachary?” Zach shook his head hard, but said, “But, you wouldn’t listen to me.” “That’s no reason to lie to me,” Nelson said. “What was I supposed to do? You thought I was just imagining things! At least he listened to me!” he complained with a finger pointed at Angel. “More than you did with me,” Angel said. “I told you to stay away from here. It could have been dangerous.” “How did you get here?” Vic asked Ben. “We drove Zach’s car. It’s parked a block down,” Ben said. “Zach and I will walk back and get it. Then we have some things to discuss ourselves,” Nelson said. “So do we,” Vic said. “Don’t we, Benjamin?” “I guess,” Ben said. “It was nice to meet you, Angel,” Vic said. “Thanks for taking care of this,” he said extending a hand. “No problem. It’s what we do,” Angel said shaking Vic’s outstretched hand. Vic noted how cold the palm was against his. “I didn’t catch your names.” “Vic, and that’s Nelson.” “Nice to meet you both,” he said and stretched out a hand to Nelson. “I only wish it had been under other circumstances. Goodnight.” *** “Pull your pants down,” Angel said to Spike from the edge of their bed. “Angel, pet, this isn’t necessary. I was just trying to help,” Spike argued. “It certainly is necessary. I promised you a spanking before you disobeyed me by following me tonight. You just made it worse by doing that.” “You don’t have to keep your promise. I’ll forgive you if you don’t.” “Get your pants down right now, Spike, and bend over my lap.” Spike eyed the paddle lying on the bed beside Angel within easy reach of his lover and said, “Please don’t paddle me, Angel. I swear I’ll act better tomorrow.” “Good, then I won’t have to paddle you again,” Angel said, unswayed. “Pants down. Now.” Spike knew there was no way to get out of what was coming. There never was. He slowly unbuckled his belt and unzipped his fly. He looked back at Angel before he pushed his pants down his legs. “Hurry up about it,” Angel said. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t hurry, but he did manage to get his pants off his hips. Angel reached for his wrist and pulled him over his lap, and Spike settled ungracefully across his lover’s knees. Without further adieu, Angel reached for the paddle and began to smack it down with force across his partner’s buttocks. They rippled with the swats as the paddle caused a heated sting to build quickly in Spike’s rear. “Ah! Angel! Stop it, please!” Spike begged, trying to hold on to his tears. The paddle kept falling and his resolve quickly broke down, tears streaming down his face. “Aaaangeeel!” he cried. Angel kept up the rhythm, stroking Spike’s backside over and over with the smooth surface of the wood in his hands. Spike cried in relief when it stopped falling and he relaxed over Angel’s thighs until he heard what Angel said next. “Had you not gone out tonight after I told you not to, we’d be finished. But that’s not what happened, is it?” Spike choked back a sob enough to get out a tearful response. “NO! Angel, don’t. No more. I won’t do it again!” “I’m not spanking you for what you might do again, but for what you did tonight. Do you understand me?” “If I say ‘no’, will you stop?” Spike asked. “No. You understand me.” “Then why did you ask?” he responded. Angel answered with another round of stinging spanks from the paddle. “You will learn to obey me,” he said bringing it down over and over. “I mean it, Spike.” Angel stopped talking recognizing that Spike probably wasn’t hearing him at that point. The paddle finally stopped falling for the second time and Spike’s bottom was rosy red. If not for the fact that his vampire partner healed quickly, Angel knew he would surely sport bruises from the intense paddling. He also knew he had to make it count since there would be no lasting reminders by morning at best. Angel pulled a crying Spike off his knees and cuddled him in his lap. He put his arms around his brat and rocked him gently. After a few minutes, Spike wiped tears off his face with a rough swipe of his hand and said, “I hate to cry. I just hate it.” “It’s okay. It’s only me, Spike,” Angel said. “I know, but you’d think with all the torture I’ve endured in my time…endured without hardly flinching…” Angel understood and kissed his partner’s short blonde locks sweeping back from his hairline. He explained, “It’s different when you’re being punished by someone you love. It hurts a different way.” Spike sniffed and swallowed enough tears to respond. “It hurts inside, too,” he acknowledged. “I don’t like it.” “I know, Sweetheart.” Angel said in calming tones, “But, it’s over. It’s all right, it’s over. It’s over.” *** “…It’s over. Zach? Sweetie, wake up. Your show’s over,” Nelson was saying. Zach’s eyes opened and his brain registered his partner’s face hanging over him as his vision began to clear. “Huh?” Zach asked. “Angel. It’s over. You need to brush your teeth and go back to sleep.” “Angel?” Zach asked disoriented. He realized his own butt wasn’t sore and his thoughts cleared. “It was just a dream,” he said to himself, and then to Nelson, “I had a dream. You wouldn’t believe it. It seemed so real, though.” “What was it about?” Nelson asked while pulling his groggy lover to his feet and walking with him to the bathroom. Zach started to wake up, excited over telling Nelson all about his dream. “It was about Angel. He was Spike’s Top. And, we had a demon across the street.” Zach stopped in his tracks and looked accusingly at Nelson. “And, YOU didn’t believe me,” he said with a frown. “Oh, God,” Nelson groaned. “Am I about to pay in real life for something you dreamed?” He put his hand to the small of Zach’s back and pushed against his t-shirt to get him moving again. Zach pouted a little as he walked and said, “It seemed real enough to me.” “Well, if we had a demon across the street, I’m glad it wasn’t real,” he said, settling his hips against the counter while he watched Zach brush his teeth. Zach mumbled around his toothbrush, “An, ou were nah habby cuz…” Zach stopped trying to talk when Nelson burst out laughing. He spit in the sink and said with foam ringing his lips, “What?” “Would you finish and then talk? I can’t understand a word you’re saying.” Zach hurried through the process and spit again before rinsing his mouth. “What wasn’t I happy about?” Nelson asked. “I thought you couldn’t understand me?” Zach said, drying his hands on a towel then wiping his mouth. “It wasn’t easy, but I got that much,” Nelson said. “You were mad because I lied to you to go to Angel Investigations.” “Um, hmm,” Nelson said walking back with Zach to the bed with his arm around his shoulders. They climbed into bed together and Nelson switched off the light and turned on the alarm. “And, you know what?” Zach asked snuggling up against his lover once he got settled. “What?” “Spike got a spanking.” Nelson laughed softly in the dark with his arm around Zach. “It’s about time,” he said. “It was way overdue.” “You said that before and I guess my brain threw it into my dream because that’s what Angel said, too.” “Maybe Spike will straighten up now if Angel did the job right,” Nelson said. “Spoken like a true Top,” Zach commented. “Goodnight, Zach. Pleasant dreams. Without demon neighbors.” “Goodnight, Nelson.” The end.