Title: A Meeting Of Immortals: Part Three

Date Posted:

Author: Buffywatcher

Feedback: Constructive comments always welcome: deepkori@hotmail.com

Pairing: Primarily Angel(us)/Spike, Other pairings (I’m not giving away the plot lol)

Rating: R Possibly a bit of romantic NC-17’ish circumstances.

Spoilers: None this story takes place in AU in Crossover mode with Highlander the series.

Disclaimer: Just borrowing them for a bit of harmless fun. All characters, recognisable likenesses are retained by their owner and accredited license holders.

Writer’s Notes: This story takes place post-Buffy finale and in the current season of Angel with one exception, Spike and Anya were not killed. Sunnydale has been rebuilt and most of the Scooby Gang still makes that their home. Spike has moved to LA and is currently under contract to Wolfram & Hart as a Special Consultant (Okay fancy name for a mercenary Demon hunter). Some prior knowledge of Highlander will likely make this story much easier to read. For those that have never seen the show just email me and I’ll send you some background bios on the characters along with some pictures J. This story will mention the death of a Highlander character. **This story will feature the songs Temptation Waits by Garbage and Fallen by Sarah McLachlan.** As always thanks are going out to GF, MarieC, Luba, and Mera my most excellent group of Beta/Editors.

Distribution: If I’ve already been given permission to archive my work please consider it yours if you want it. If I haven’t and you would like to archive it please do, all I ask is that you email me and tell me where it’s going so I can visit J.

Summary: Closely guarded secrets from the past have a way of returning to the present.

*

The bar is crowded to overflowing, a full blown sensory overload that even manages to knock out Angel’s superior senses for several moments as he adjusts to the anarchy. He breathes shallowly, not wanting to be overwhelmed by the scents of so many people and less savoury sources. There…the slight undertone of leather, cigarettes, Jack Daniels, vanilla and under it all the liquid sin that is the essence of Spike. Tapping Duncan on the shoulder and motioning him to follow. He wades through the crowds, parting the way with an insistent shove, growl, or snarl as he makes his way through the club to a dark corner table all the way in the back. Spike is sprawling over two of the chairs as he laughs at something Methos has said. The table is already graced by four glasses and two bottles of whiskey.

The impish pair smiles at them and rearrange themselves around the table and Spike pours everyone a drink before lifting his glass. “To Amanda Darieux-MacLeod, she may not have been an angel but she was sure one HELL of a woman.” He says solemnly.

“To Amanda.” The others all say together then knock their drinks down in unison.

“Tell us what you know about the Bastards that killed my Luvee.” The look in Spike’s eyes doesn’t bode well for the guilty party.

“We’ve been bothered lately by some subversive off-shoot of the Watchers; like to call themselves the Coalition. They feel Immortals should be wiped out to prevent the Gathering. They’ve been hunting Immortals for years subversively, making it look like just another lost challenge fight. A few months back they took a shot at Methos, Amanda and I were able to get their in time and we all got away…we thought. Two weeks ago I went to the airport to pick up Methos and when we got back Amanda wasn’t there but the answering machine was flashing. I replayed it while I was helping Methos get…settled in. It was a man’s voice, someone I didn’t recognise, telling us to come to the waterfront area by the docks. He told us that we’d find something that belonged to us.” Duncan trails off unable to go on. Spike reaches over and covers his hand, holding tightly.

“When we got there we found Amanda…she’d been run through with her own sword…and her head…” Methos’ voice cracks and he too trails to silence. After a few minutes he recovers his ability to speak. “There was…they’d branded the Coalition symbol into the middle of her forehead.”

Angel hears the roar of rage building in Spike’s chest and swoops, covering his mouth with his own, forcing his tongue through, cutting his tongue to shreds and filling his mouth with blood as he kisses his him furiously. Spike groans harshly and returns the kiss, just as carnally violent while Duncan and Methos can just stare entranced despite their refreshed grief.

Spike wrenches his mouth away from Angel’s, his chest heaving with emotion and a line of blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. His eyes flash to an amber gold colour before softening back to their usual glacial blue state. After several moments as his muscles stop twitching Angel leans over slowly and after a short pause runs the flat of his tongue over his skin lightly cleaning off the traces of their shared blood with a leisurely swipe of his tongue.

“Are you alright?” He intones softly, under his breath taking a cleansing breath at the small nod he receives in return. He settles gradually back into his chair, letting his own emotions return to normal at their own pace.

“I want them Angel. Each and every last one of them will die. I want their blood and then I want their heads. I want every last one of them dead Angel, except for the one that took Amanda’s head. I have special plans for that one.” Spike says with icy calm.

Angel pulls his phone out of his coat pocket and hits the auto-dialler. “Wesley, Angel, I have a job for you. I want you and Gunn tracking down everything you can on a little outfit called the Coalition. No, apparently it’s some militaristic offshoot of some Watchers organisation that is itself an offshoot of the Slayers Watchers Council…yes immortals that’s right. I want EVERYTHING there is to know about them Wesley. No. No it’s personal. In Sunnydale. Visiting some friends for a few days. Yes he’s with me. Make this a priority Wesley. Thanks see you in a few days.” Angel hangs up his phone and shoves it back into his pocket. “If there’s information out there to get they’ll find it.” Angel says confidently, reassuring the three men looking at him gratefully.

“Thank you Angel.” Spike says quietly with the utmost sincerity. Which he then shortly thereafter ruins; by breaking into laughter at the sight of the stunned look on Angel’s face. He takes pity on the poor pole axed elder Vampire by asking Methos and Duncan what they’ve been up to for the last sixty years or so.

Over the next hour and a half, Angel finds that he is enjoying getting to know not only Duncan and Methos, but Spike as well. He’s never really taken the time to get to know the man Spike as he is but rather he’s been dwelling on William, the man that he was so very long ago. His eyes widen in stunned amazement as Spike lights up a cigarette and casually shrugging out of his Duster, revealing his bare chest much to the appreciation of the men at the nearby tables. His eyes narrow in mute warning as he glares at some of the worst offenders looking at the younger man like he’s an appetiser. Spike himself seems to be oblivious to the attention however, casually spinning in his chair to brace his boot heel over the edge and rest his forearm on his knee while he chats with Methos and Duncan.

Duncan taps Methos’ thigh under the table and motions towards Spike and Angel with a slight tilt of his head and the pair snicker quietly. They share a groan as their young mate starts tapping his heel to the music…they know what happens next and it’s not going to be pretty they think as they glance in tandem at Angel, then back at each other and smile and shrug. Duncan pulls over the pretzels and waits for the floor show to start. He’s not waiting very long as lust overwhelms one of the young college students sitting at a nearby table and he braves a trip to the table.

“Hi there…I was wondering…would you like to dance?” The handsome young man asks placing a light hand on Spike’s shoulder.

Spike doesn’t say anything for a moment, just smirks at Angel’s dark scowl and stands up. “Sure Mate, that sounds like fun.” A sea of whispers breaks out at the sound of the softly purring English accent and the sight of the shirtless beauty standing proudly before their hungry gazes. Spike turns on his heel headed for the crowded dance floor, his dance partner chasing after him and wrapping a large beefy arm around his shoulders from behind.

Spike and his partner freeze for a moment as the last song winds to a close and the strains of the next song start up. Spike listens carefully and after a few seconds he laughs out loud and starts to rock his hips to the beat, pressing against his partner who starts to move letting him set the dance. Spike lets his eyes slip closed as his body finds the rhythm of the song on its own.

I'll tell you something

I am a wolf but

I like to wear sheep's clothing

Spike relishes the feel of the strong body behind his, the warmth of it, the seductive smell of the blood so close to the surface, the mesmerising sound of that pounding heartbeat. He is so lost in the beat of the music that for a few seconds he doesn’t notice the brawny body behind his is gone until he spins on his heel on the beat of the music and finds himself caught up against Methos’ chest.

I am a bonfire

I am a vampire

I'm waiting for my moment

Spike purrs softly as Methos spins him around forcefully yanking his back hard into his chest and locking him there with a powerful arm thrown across his collarbone. He lets the flats of his palms skim down Methos’ sides and over his thighs, curving around to lock them together as they rock and grind in perfect time to the beat of the music.

You come on like a drug

I just can't get enough

I'm like an addict coming at you for a little more

And there's so much at stake

I can't afford to waste

I've never needed anybody like this before

Spike rocks his hips bending his knees and sinking slowly to the floor, laughing as Methos glued to his back, is carried down with him and slowly back up. Spike’s smile turns wicked as he plants the ball of his foot and spins around suddenly on the next beat of the music to press his palms against Methos’ chest pushing him back.

I'll tell you something

I am a demon

Some say my biggest weakness

I have my reasons

Call it my defence

Be careful what you're wishing

Methos catches the low growl reverberating through Spike’s chest and shivers at the look in the glacial blue eyes on fire, peeking at him wickedly from beneath the younger man’s unusual lush lashes. He dances forward and grabs his wrist in his own wresting it around and forcing the young Vampire against his body wrapping one arm across his collarbone and the other around his waist.

You come on like a drug

I just can't get enough

I'm like an addict coming at you for a little more

And there's so much at stake

I can't afford to waste

I've never needed anybody like this before

Though he could easily break the hold Spike relishes the tight embrace lifting him into every rock and roll of Methos’ hips and he laughs at the sheer joy of feeling possessed and owned.

You are a secret

A new possession

I like to keep you guessing

Methos spins them around to face Duncan and Angel, they’re both almost falling out of their chairs with shock as they stare fixated.

Angel licks his dry lips as Spike slowly lets his arms rise to lock behind Methos’ neck and lets his neck relax as his head slowly falls back to rest against his shoulder intentionally displaying his vulnerable throat.

You come on like a drug

I just can't get enough

I'm like an addict coming at you for a little more

And there's so much at stake

I can't afford to waste

I've never needed anybody like this before

Duncan swallows a groan as the arms around Spike relax until one hand rests low on his belly rubbing in time to the music as his other hand rubs slowly up and down his chest. Though freed Spike doesn’t make any move to get away, seemingly lost in the moment Methos has seduced him into as skilfully as any Pied Piper.

Methos sweeps his tongue slowly up the side of his more than willing captive’s neck; up over the curve of his jaw to be met by a willing mouth as tongues sweep out to tangle on a soft moan.

When I'm not sure what I'm living for (when I'm not sure what I'm)

When I'm not sure what I'm looking for (when I'm not sure what I'm)

When I'm not sure what I'm living for (when I'm not sure what I'm)

When I'm not sure what I'm looking for (when I'm not sure what I'm)

When I'm not sure what I'm living for

When I'm not sure what I'm looking for

When I'm not sure what I'm living for

A groan is finally torn from Angel’s throat at the sight of those teasing and tasting tongues and part of him hears the needful sound echoed by Duncan but he is lost in the sight of the two dancers.

When I'm not sure who I am

Temptation waits

Twin moans break out as Spike and Methos’ mouth slowly part and twin sets of lustful eyes lock on them as Spike’s arms slowly lower palms up and he fans his fingers inward towards his palms, beckoning the twin watchers forward. Twin self-conscious head shakes answer the silent summons but it seems that they’re one of the few hold outs as a stampede of people head for the dance floor.

Angel grabs his glass and pours a full shot and tosses back the fiery liquor before rubbing his hand over his face. “Christ, were they dancing or mating?” He mutters, rubbing his face again.

“Knowing those two…both!” Duncan moans and bangs his head on the table briefly. “They always do this to me! They should be quarantined for public safety! God if I could even tell you all the times they’ve gotten us in trouble pulling that stuff! God they started a riot at a royal ball once…”

The two men share a look of long suffering and fill their glasses again and silently thank whatever higher power there is that Angel runs a law firm, as they’re going to likely need lawyers when they get arrested.

“By the way…where the hell did William’s shirt get off to?” Duncan mutters.

“Don’t ask me…but as tight as his clothes usually are…not like you can’t see everything anyway. The only lose thing about that boy is his mouth,” Angel mutters.

“Yeah.” Duncan sighs dreamily with a goofy smile on his face.

Angel does a double take and hopes his face isn’t wearing the same stupid grin.

Half an hour later as they’re crawling out the front door avoiding flying bodies and punches being thrown as the bar fight wages around them, Angel and Duncan share the same long suffering sigh.

“We’d better get our arses out of here, not even the idiot Sunnyhell police will ignore a bar fight for long, we’d best get out before we have to try and explain our acute allergy to the dawn.” Spike says grinning and pushing the door open. He slips outside pulling Angel after him like a caboose and they dart for the shadows followed by Methos and Duncan. Spike darts around the corner and into the alley followed by the others and grabbing Methos swings him around to his back.

“Hold on Mate.” He waits a few seconds for Methos to latch on and begins to climb with agile ease to the chorus of curses and complaints from Angel and Duncan. “Unless you want to be a big pile of dust in the holding cell Peaches you’d better grab Duncan and get your arses up here Gramps, I can see Sunnyhell’s finest headed this way.” Spike chuckles and Methos snickers, as the younger Vampire easily gets them safely onto the roof. Turning instantly on his heel and sprinting for the edge; sailing easily over to the next building, despite carrying Methos’ additional weight. He clears the leap for the sixth building landing lightly on the ball of his left foot letting his momentum carry his body around; his duster flaring around him to swish around his legs as he watches Angel as he easily carries Duncan over the last hurdle. He feels Methos chuckle and slide off his back and step away.

“That was fun. I haven’t done that with you in so long I forgot how much fun it was.” Methos says laughing quietly, sharing a happy smile with his youngest Mate.

“What was fun exactly Pet? The drinking? The dancing? The tasty bit of tongue jockeying? The fight? The roof…” Spike moans into Methos’ mouth as he pulls him tight to his chest and tightens his arms around him.

Methos slowly pulls back from the slow kiss and smiles at the slight dreamy smile on the young man’s face as he turns him and gently pushes him over to Duncan who catches him with a nod of thanks.

Duncan swoops as his armful looks up in slight confusion and moans softly at the feel and taste of the man he has never in his many long years forgotten. Looking up from the kiss, he can see Angel’s hungry look and a devilish bit of whimsy seems to invade his mind. He pulls his mouth from Spike’s reluctantly and turns him and gives him a gentle push sending him hurtling towards Angel.

Angel’s mouth drops open as the slightly kiss dazed Vampire is suddenly being pushed to him. He catches him up against his chest, lifting him off his feet, stopping his forward momentum. He sets Spike down slowly intending to just let him go but as he raises his head and he can see the kiss bruised lips and unfocused eyes he pulls him against him with one arm and cups his cheek with his free hand. He holds him patiently, smoothing a gentling hand up and down his back until awareness returns to those devilishly wicked eyes looking up into his own. No sooner has he returned to attentiveness than he dives in and steals it back with a hard yet strangely poignant kiss. He sighs as Spike presses closer relaxing his muscles and melting into the embrace with a soft purr. Everything seems to be suddenly more vivid, as though his eyes had been closed for a very long time and only now can he see the world around him in all its myriad glory. He gentles the kiss and lifts his head back sighing at the indescribable sight of the younger Vampire with his mouth moist and slightly parted with his head tilted back to fuse those crystalline eyes with his dark gaze. Rather than pulling away as he suspected he would with some glib insult or outright violence, Angel is shocked to feel the tender slide of hands up his arms and the soft hold of kind hands curving over his shoulders. The fire in those frozen eyes that should have been so cold that he was frozen through; set a fire raging deep into his belly as Spike begins to sway, ever so leisurely pulling him into the rhythm of a slow dance.

Music from a nearby apartment lends its quiet touch to the dance of moonlight across the beautiful face of his most perfect Childe. His pale skin has been fashioned from the purest moonbeams draped over alabaster strength. He lets his eyes drift over the troublesome treasure that has graced his life with an abundance of anything but the same old, same old day in and day out.

Heaven bent to take my hand

And lead me through the fire

Be the long awaited answer

To a long and painful fight

He admits, even if it’s only in the silence of his own thoughts, that eternity would be a very dreary proposition without his bleached fanged pain in the ass. He finds himself taking an unneeded breath as a hand slips off his shoulder to rest lightly caressing fingers on the nape of his neck, as the weight of a body slowly presses closer to his own.

Truth be told I've tried my best

But somewhere along the way

I got caught up in all there was to offer

And the cost was so much more than I could bear

Spike melts closer to Angel, in carefully measured increments, waiting for the rejection that is sure to come, as it has come every time before. This oh so magnificent man that is determined to keep him at a distance despite all that now draws them together. Here in this time and in this place they are more alike than they have ever been yet perhaps never farther apart.

Though I've tried, I've fallen

I have sunk so low

I have messed up

Better I should know

So don't come round here

And tell me I told you so

He wonders what it is about him that so scares a man that would sooner face an apocalypse than his own unresolved feelings. He knows that it is likely that Angel sees in him a tangible link to a past that he has never been able to bring himself to reconcile with. There are times he wants to weep from the isolation of being what he is, of being cut off from the only other being in the world that can UNDERSTAND. He has tried to make the overtures and the peace offerings but in the end they remain mired in the past. It’s not all Angel’s fault; he knows he too must bear the responsibility for their inability to progress. He has his own baggage, his own bloody fears and insecurities that seem to only be magnified whenever they attempt to step beyond their carefully labelled roles.

We all begin with good intent

Love was raw and young

We believed that we could change ourselves

The past could be undone

But we carry on our backs the burden

Time always reveals

The lonely light of morning

The wound that would not heal

It's the bitter taste of losing everything

That I have held so dear.

He is stunned as the expected rejection never comes and his Sire instead pulls him closer and caresses his cheek with his own. Swallowing his pride he turns his head and opens his mouth and finds his lower lip captured between tenderly forceful fangs and obligingly lets the words die before they can be spoken. Perhaps that is where they’ve always gone wrong before, in silence there is contentment as each moment passes one to the next with no angry words to steal their magic.

I've fallen

I have sunk so low

I have messed up

Better I should know

So don't come round here

And tell me I told you so

Angel releases the plump lip held captive so gently between teeth that could all too easily shred it to ribbons and soothes it with a sweep of his tongue. He catches the soft purr of delight in his own mouth as he invades the welcoming mouth beneath his own.

Heaven bent to take my hand

Nowhere left to turn

I'm lost to those I thought were friends

To everyone I know

Oh they turned their heads embarrassed

Pretend that they don't see

But it's one missed step

You'll slip before you know it

And there doesn't seem a way to be redeemed

The kiss lingers, changes, as lips and tongues explore familiar territory that is once more new, flavoured by century of separation. How long it goes on neither could truly have admitted to knowing but in the end what does that matter? Sometimes to feel something is to know all you ever need to know about the why and wherefore.

Though I've tried, I've fallen

I have sunk so low

I have messed up

Better I should know

So don't come round here

And tell me I told you so

Mouths finally part but only barely, as their lips brush together with the slightest movement and finally the words come.

“Poof.”

“Brat.”

“Ponce.”

“Pain in the ass.”

“Peaches.”

“Childe.”

“Sire.”

“Spike.”

“Angel.”

“Mine.”

Mouths meet once more in a timeless dance older than even the oldest of the immortals as ties of blood and of the heart are reaffirmed in the present and made new once more.

Though I've tried, I've fallen

I have sunk so low

I have messed up

Better I should know

So don't come round here

And tell me I told you so

For Immortal and Vampire alike the moon shines down like a benediction. It is not the answers to all the questions or the solution to every problem. It is merely a beginning. Here in this place, in this time, the past has finally given way to the present and opened the gateway at last to a future.

The couples part but hearts clings close; even as bodies are drawn apart and the four make their way down to street level and into the gathering night. The night holds little that can scare these proud warriors and still less that will stand in their way. Each carries their own legend on burdened shoulders and each has a past that stubbornly refuses to stay there, sometimes violently intruding on their present. An ancient warrior, a soulful angel, an ageless hero, and an irrepressible demon childe; that isn’t nearly as evil as his past would have him be. They will face the blackness of the night and the deeper darkness of men’s souls for a redemption they may never fully achieve but their fight will go on; together. Perhaps their nights have just gotten a little less lonely.

TBC

*

In part 4: Angel and Spike confront their shared past and lay some old ghosts to rest and take their first baby steps towards understanding one another. The search for Amanda’s murderer intensifies as an old adversary of Angel’s turns up to deepen the mystery.