Title:
Author: Abbie
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S/B A/B W/O X/C
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Summary:
Willow Summons an Angel from the depths of....Hell?
Spoilers:
Disclaimer:
All the BtVS characters in this story belong to Joss o mighty and mutant enemy
and all other characters that aren’t mine are the property of their respective
creators.
Authors
note:
Email: Feed back is welcome at any time to mailto:holly.smith@ntlworld.com
Of Angels And Lost Souls
Spike V's The Spiders 5
Willow staggered down the steps of the library her arms full of books. It was late Giles had already left for the night reminding her many times to lock up before she left. She was restless for some reason. It had been a month since Spike had gone back to Abby the Slayerettes had hardly seen anything of him. Sometimes one of them would see a blond head but not much more. Buffy always said she could feel him follow her around when she patrolled but he never made a move.
Willow was sad for Buffy she had to go through all this twice. Once with Angel and now again with spike. It wasn't fair. Willow set her book's down on the table. She was doing late night studying on witch craft and the other black arts that Giles was always disapproving of her studying though he would never turn down the offer of help when it came to it. Willow picked up the top book. It was just like all the others in the pile and in the library. Very heavy reading.
Just then something caught her eye. A book in the pile that stood out from the rest. Willow pulled it out, she hadn't put this in there. It was much thinner than the rest bound in suede. She opened it only the first page had been written on. It was some strange language she could hardly make out. She stumbled over the words under her breath not knowing what they meant. There was a sudden gust of wind and willow looked up.
"Okay something tells me I shouldn't have read this." She said to herself. A blue portal opened in front of her and Willow put the book down running back into the stacks.
She heard a thud and the light of the portal was gone. Willow poked her head around the corner looking out into the library. Nothing was out of place. She walked slowly down the steps and froze when she heard a moaning. She started forward again rounding the table she noticed the naked figure lying on the floor before her.
"Angel!" She gasped rushing to his side.
"Willow?" He asked
"Yes." She Smiled "Oh Goddess, your back."
*****
"And your sure you don't know what you did?" Giles asked Willow. As soon as willow had found Angel she had phoned the watcher and the rest of the Scooby gang. They had come over to the library and moved him to his apartment. Everyone was there now as Willow tended his wounds trying to work out how it had happened, everyone that was except Buffy.
"No. I just found the book and read it out loud, I'm gonna be wary of doing that in the future, and then Angel appeared. The book kind of disappeared though." The Scooby's had done a library wide search for the book but nothing had turned up.
"Well call me insane but the focus at the moment isn't why Angel is back, but *that* Angel is back, and soul bearing. This is of the good. If I wasn't so mellow I'd jump up and down and shout woo hoo." Oz nodded.
"Oz your insane," Xander nodded. He looked down at the vampire who had given him a quick hurt look and added. "It is good that you back though man, Oz is just so insane I have to remind him about it every opportunity I get."
"Thanks." Angel said sadly. He could hardly bring himself to look at any of them. He'd been reliving the deaths of all the people he had ever killed the more recent ones hurt the most. He understood why Buffy didn't want to see him. He'd done so much he would never be able to apologize for it all.
"Sorry that Buffy Isn't here." Willow said. "We phoned her but she's still feeling guilty for what she did to you." Angel looked up amazed.
"What she did to me?" He asked "She hasn't done anything to me I'm the one who should be feeling guilty."
"Duh, she sent you to hell." Cordy said.
"She had to. It wasn't her fault. She did the right thing." Angel told them.
"She's been beating herself up about it." Oz told him. Angel looked at the floor he was ashamed of everything he'd done to her. He didn't know if it could get any worse.
*****
Spike looked at the Slayer thought her bedroom window. He sat in the tree beside her house and watched her as she cried on the bed. Angel was back. He'd heard the conversation she had had on the phone with the Wicca. He'd have to tell Abby although he was hesitant about what her reaction would be.
It was Angel that was back not Angelus. She'd probably get hold of him somehow she was good at doing that. Spike looked back down at Buffy. He contemplated both killing her and kissing her. God sometimes he got so screwed up. At least Abby knew what he was going through and would leave him to sort himself out. Right now Buffy could say one word to him and he'd be too confused to speak for days.
He hated this. Spike jumped across the void between the tree and Buffy's roof moving with the stealth of a cat. He moved to the open window and stopped. *I'm going to kill her, I'm going to kill her.* He tried to move forward but ended up turning round and jumping off the roof walking away down the street. *I'm a chicken, I'm a chicken.* He just needed to work out a way to feel better.
*****
"A-Angel?" Buffy asked walking into the dark apartment. It had been months since she had been there, the night her and Spike had killed the Mimic, it was this memory that had come to her as she walked in not thoughts of Angel. "Angel?" She repeated Angel moved out of the darkness moving painfully. "Angel." She smiled her eyes filling up again for the tenth time that day.
"Buffy." He walked forward no matter the pain that lanced through him he pulled her into his arms. "Buffy." He repeated
"Oh Angel I missed you so much." She said putting her arms around him. "I'm so sorry."
"Ssh its not your fault, its not your fault." He rubbed his hand over her back reassuringly. "I missed you too." He pulled back a little and looked down at her bending his head down he pulled her into a kiss. She returned it.... for a second then pulled away as the realization hit her. "What is it?" He asked.
"I can't." She said.
"What?" Angel asked looking hurt. Buffy Instantly fell into his arms.
"I'm sorry Angel." She laid her head on his chest and held him close. "I'm so sorry." How could this have happened? Something was missing and as much as she hated to admit it she knew what it was. She looked up at Angel who was staring down at her concern written across his face. Would she be as shallow as to let him believe nothing had changed?
"Buffy I told you its not your fault, you did what you had to do." Angel insisted.
"No it's not that." She said.
"Well what then? What's wrong?"
"I-I don't l-love you anymore....I don't know why its just. I-I don't know." She began to sob again. "Nothing's simple anymore." Angel felt like he'd been staked for the second time. How could this happen? He had returned after and now Buffy, his Buffy was telling him she didn't love him anymore. *Well what could you have expected? You die for a year and a half and expect for Buffy to wait when she didn't think she'd ever see you again you expect for her not to move on when that was the one thing she needed to do? Let her go.* Angel held her tight and quieted her.
"Nothings ever simple." He told her. She stepped away and wiped her eyes. "Is there someone else?" He asked.
"No, yes, no." Buffy sighed. "I don't know."
"It's Spike isn't it?" Buffy looked up at him
"How did you know? No one even told you he was around..."
"Your wearing his coat." He half smiled at her appearance. She was wearing black boots and jeans and a black turtle neck along with Spikes worn duster. He wondered for a second if Spike had actually possessed her, but decided Spike was hardly likely to hug him like she had after what he'd done with Drusilla.
"Yeah." Buffy looked down at the coat "I've been wearing it pretty much since he left." She admitted as Angel moved over to sit on the bed. She noticed as he winced.
"Left?" Angel asked.
"Are you alright?" Buffy enquired wanting to steer conversation away from her and spike.
"I'll survive." Angel joked.
"Let me see." Angel obediently pulled his sweater over his head. Buffy gasped as she saw the crisscross wounds on his back and chest, bruises from broken ribs and several deep gashes running below the waist line. *what have I done?* She asked herself and looked at the floor.
"What do you mean Spike left?" Angel asked.
"We argued.... and he attacked me, tried to kill me. Then he left we haven't seen much of him since then." She told him. "It's just like my life is repeating it's self. God Angel what is it with me and the undead?" She smiled at him and was relieved to see him return it.
"Do you love him?" Angel asked Buffy thought for a second.
"Yes." She said.
"Do you know where he is?"
"He's staying with Abby." She told him.
*Abby, why was that name familiar*
"Abby?" Angel frowned trying to recall the face "Abby!" He said again this time with recognition. "She's still alive?"
"Nope, she's very much dead, but she still has that nasty habit of walking, talking and maiming that some corpses get." Buffy joked. "I had better go though. Suns just going down I have early rounds to do." She smiled and left him in the apartment. Angel sat for a moment contemplating what she had just told him the grabbed his coat and followed her out of the apartment. He had a Childe to talk to, he'd been waiting too long to see Buffy properly smile. He wasn't going to let Spike postpone the sight any longer. Angel had things to set right.
*****
Spike sat back on the sofa watching cartoon network. He'd go out later watch the Slayer slay then stop by at Willies and grab some dinner. Eating animal blood was a nasty habit Abby was trying her best to get him out of but some how every time he went to kill a human his body wouldn't co-operate. Spike sighed and shook his head. Suddenly he felt someone put their hands on his shoulders grip his T-shirt and hoist him over the back of the sofa turning him quickly they slammed him up against the wall. Spikes eyes widened.
"Angel! What the fuck are you doing here?" He asked.
"Coming to settle the score. I hear you've been looking after *my* Slayer while I was out of town."
"Look mate you can have her back for all I care!" Spike spat. Angel slammed him against the wall again.
"You know what I'd do just that but I have one problem."
"What?"
"She doesn't want me any more she wants you." Angel told him.
"What?"
"I said she wants you." Angel said letting go of him and stepping back. "So you better go and make up pretty damn sharp or go stake yourself."
"Why should I? Why would she want me?" Spike frowned.
"Because she loves you, you fool!" Angel shouted instantly regretting it because it made his ribs hurt all the more. "So you better sort out what you want and soon." Angel said turning away and walking out. He'd done enough it was all up to Spike now to make the right decision.
Spike looked at his sire's retreating back. His words began to sink in and the confusion that had filled his mind for the past few months dissipated as he realized what exactly he had to do.
Abby watched the drama unfold before her from her perch in the shadows and smiled sadly when it was all over. She watched as Spike left after Angel. She had finally lost him, and to a Slayer! She shook her head. Angel was back, but unlike spike he had too much soul and too little demon to ever come back to her.
She hated being alone but it looked like again that's what she would be. Maybe she should create another childe to teach. That would take up another hundred years or so. Someone male, men where less inclined to fly the nest especially if you treated them right. Abby began to smile as she formulated the perfect candidate. All she needed now was some one who fit the description. Abby chuckled as she turned back into the shadows and disappeared.
*****
"Angel what are you doing up?" Willow asked standing. Everyone in the library turned to see the vampire walking through the door's
"I got restless sitting around at home." Angel replied "And the exercise will do me good."
"Hey Bunnicular how's it going?" Xander grinned.
"That's a dead joke Xander." Angel shot back. Everyone stared at him.
"Angel you joked!" Cordy grinned.
"How are you?" Buffy asked.
"I'll survive." He smiled affectionately. "So what are we researching?" Angel asked.
"Y-You as a matter of fact, or-or rather why you are h-here." Giles said not meeting the vampires eyes. Angel looked at the watcher a moment.
"Giles could I have a word with you in your office?" Giles looked up at him and nodded silently.
"Miss Calendar." Buffy nodded when they had retreated into the office. "Must be hard on both of them."
"Yeah, and they aren't the only ones who need a little talk." The Slayerettes save Buffy scuttled up into the stacks as Spike walked into the room.
"Spike!" Buffy walked forward but stopped when she saw the hate reflected in his eyes.
"You know Slayer I'm really tired of this skulking around not confronting you and it stops now. We have things to sort, we're going to do it the old fashioned way." Spike dropped down into a fighting stance and waited for her to do the same. Buffy quickly shed the duster joining him on the floor understanding what was going on. One second there was silence the next the fight began.
Buffy and Spike matched each other blow for blow neither holding back. The moment one gained the upper hand the other would knock them back keeping them in constant stalemate.
Spike aimed a right cross at Buffy's head but she blocked it and threw a strong jab to his gut pushing him back she followed it up with a Thai kick throwing him into the library doors. Spike was back up in a second landing a push kick into Buffy's stomach doubling her over. Stepping forward as she straightened Buffy grabbed a hold of the books trolley pushing it at Spike.
Before long both of them had bloody noses deep gashes covering their arms, neither let up. Giles and Angel came out of the office to find the two 'enemies' beating each other close to death. Giles moved forward to stop them but Angel held him back.
"They need to do this." Giles nodded and they retreated up the stairs to the banister where the others had all grouped to watch the fight. No wonder neither of them ever managed to kill the other, they where so evenly matched it was like looking in a mirror.
Buffy kicked Spike in the stomach. "Why?" She asked when he fell back.
"Why didn't I kill her?"
"Why everything. The last few months. What's going on?" Buffy asked. Both of them fell to the floor unable to stand anymore.
"When and mortal becomes a vampire his soul is beaten by the demon and banished from his body to the ether." Spike explained "Mine didn't."
"What?" Buffy's head snapped up at his admission as did everyone else's.
"When The demon came to take my body I fought it. For hours I fought it until both of us got trapped together." He told her. "I still have my soul Buffy. I never lost it, I can't loose it."
"How do you kill people?" Buffy asked.
"Let the demon take over, but I don't really need to. I killed people before I became a demon." Spike shrugged, "the whole reason why I can be a demon whose afraid of spiders." He smiled. "It was my biggest fear as a child. I fell into a nest when I was a nipper and got covered in them head to toe." He shuddered.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" Buffy asked.
"I was too scared. And when you expected me to kill Abby just like that it kind of screwed me up. Abbie looked after me when Angel forgot that I existed." Spike shot daggers at his sire who had the sense to look sorry.
"I have something to tell you too. Actually I have two things to tell you. One it I'm sorry. Two is.... I love you." There was a collective gasp in the library from the Slayerettes as both Spike and Buffy struggled to stand. Spike walked painfully up to Buffy and pulled her into his arms.
"You know what slayer?"
"What?"
"I love you too." Spike smiled. "you know what else?"
"What?"
"I can't move."
"Me either." Buffy laughed "Giles. Could you get us something.... Like an ambulance." The Slayerettes slowly descended the stairs and Xander looked at the two of them. Suddenly his head clicked up.
"Spike's afraid of Spiders?"
*****
Abby walked down the street following her prey. He was perfect he'd make a wonderful disciple cute, young, strong and full of potential. He was a little too independent but that could become an asset. She smiled falling back into the shadows.
Xander walked down the street to his house. He felt like he was being followed. Each time he looked back there was no-one there. He shook it off and walked up his drive. Abby smiled as he went inside. *Perfect*
*END*