AN: This story started out being about Wesley. My mother and I were distraught over the callousness of Wes’ death, and we decided to change a few things. One: he never meant to die, therefore didn’t. Two: Ilyria didn’t kill Fred so much as Fred finally became Ilyria. Three: Fred’s parents knew and expected it to happen. Four: Altyron is a bad ass.

However, in the course of the telling, It took on a life of its own, becoming more of an ensemble piece. I think it's better for it, but what others think? Remains to be seen, I guess.

AN the second: This story has actually started a universe all to its own. The continuing saga of Altyron and the other will begin in May with the series Titans of Spring.

Better Together

The sun set low in the California sky. It hung there on the horizon like a huge red atomic bomb, just waiting to obliterate all it encompasses, before sinking harmlessly down below the ocean line. Angel watched from his place next to the window. Careful to avoid the last red shining rays, which would burn just like white, he stood deep in thought about the coming night. Fred would be back, or so everyone thought. Buffy would leave - yet again and wasn’t that how their entire lives would play out? Coming together in brief moments, only to separate again when the catastrophe was over. He sighed. He figured he would have moved on by now, but again the nature of his unlife hit him. Demons don’t change.

Fuck, that wasn’t true either. Demons can and absolutely do change. Jesus, Spike is proof enough of that fact. Angel felt the low rumble in his chest before he registered the feeling behind it. Dammit, if his childe could change, then why the hell was he still mooning over some teenaged - well not so much anymore - crush?

Sure he loved Buffy. Absolutely, no doubt about it. And he was positive that she loved him as well. But she also loved Spike. She loved Giles. Hell, she even loved Xander, god only knows why. But Buffy’s love is like all mortal’s love: malleable, impermanent, ever changing. And his? Constant, like the tides. She will always be the seventeen year old virgin who had surrendered herself so willingly to his advanced years and experience. It was that innocence he had loved about her, and being what he was, he had taken it from her.

And now? The world weary woman who had taken her place held no appeal for him. He was world weary enough, cynical enough, hardened enough to know that two such entities cannot occupy the same space. The fallout would destroy everyone around them. So, he would fare her a final goodbye, give her a final kiss, when the ritual was complete. He sighed an unnecessary breath.

“You know, tosser, the world don’t revolve around you, right?”

“Yeah. I know.”

“Mmhmm. So what are ya doin broodin in front of the window? Looking to get yourself toasty? Have aspirations of fitting into an ashtray? Cuz, honestly, I’d love to help with that. In any way possible.”

“Spike. I don’t expect you to understand.” Angel moved away from the window to settle on the bed.

“Good, because - again, in all honesty - I really don’t care what has you so mopey.” Spike abandoned he perch against Angel’s door, and moved to stand in the center of the room. “We have things to do this night, things more important than your “woe is me” routine. So get your head outta your ass, peaches, and let’s get this show on the road.”

“Spike. Wait. Don’t you ever wonder?”

“Wonder what?”

“Don’t you wonder why everything about them is so impermanent? They make their minds up one day, change them the next. Love truly one moment, then brotherly the next? Why can’t they just stay the same?” He looked in genuine question at Spike, seeking the answers from the one demon who understood humanity better than anyone else he had ever met.

Spike paused for a moment, sensing the seriousness of the question from his Sire. The quick retort died on his lips and he settled next to Angel on the edge of the bed. “Because they don’t have forever, Angel. They can’t take the time to really relish, no, savor anything new. Nature, time, instinct is telling them time is running out, and they have to know it all before they die. We don’t have that urge. Time knows no bound for us.” He sighed. “And there is the crux of our problem ain’t it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well. We’re demons, Angel. She’s not. We can love her all we want, but it weren’t never meant to be. We are timeless and all she has are moments.”

“But she married the Immortal!”

Spike laughed. “Well, I never said she weren’t a daft bint, did I. Just laying it out like I see it. She’s fighting that calling of time. She’s clinging to a notion that she’ll live forever, and for all we know, she might. I mean, she’s been brought back from the dead twice.” He shook himself. “Anyway the point is this: she will always move on, and this is the key here, until she dies. We don’t die, Angel. Why move on? Oh I mean, we do. We change, we even grow, I like to think. But we take our sweet time about it don’t we?”

Angel grinned. “Yeah, I guess we do.” He turned to really look at Spike, almost as though seeing him for the first time. “I knew there was a reason I let Dru turn you. Too damn smart to let you get away, wasn’t I?”

“Sorry? Let her turn me? Let her murder me’s more like.” Spike raised his hand before Angel could defend himself. “ ‘S alright, pillock. I like bein’ a demon. Even with this soul. I even like that it was you what made me a proper one. And as much as I love this Sire/Childe bonding moment, we have things that need to be done.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” They rose to leave the bedroom. “Will?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

“Anytime, gramps. You just let me know when you need your head straightened out. I’ll try not to twist it loose.”

Giles finally found Buffy sitting outside watching as Xander worked in the courtyard. He thought about letting her have the moment of respite, but he was curious. The combination of Angel and Spike intrigued him. There was a aura about the two of them that he had never witnessed in them separately. His watcher instincts were clawing at him to write down the observations, but he had promised Spike he wouldn’t do that sort of thing. Dammit. Those two together, finally, could provide a wealth of information for the Council. He sighed. What a waste of a perfectly good opportunity.

He resigned himself to questioning Buffy. “So. How did it go? Did they take it well?”

Buffy, not quite startled out of her reverie, but still surprised enough to look quickly up at Giles’ question, grinned when she remembered the discussion in question. “Oh, no. They took it like I thought they would. Mort really is a thorn in their side. It was funny.” She laughed outright for a second or two, causing Giles to look askance at her.

“Dare I ask what garners such a chuckle from my - lately - usually stoic Slayer?”

“Oh sure. You can dare, but I don’t think you’ll like the answer.” What can only be described as a look of pure mischievousness settled on Buffy’s gamine features.

“Well. I’m certain to like the wondering even less, so out with it. What was so funny.” Giles prepared for the worst.

“Umm. Spike? Well, he sort of thought you..and ...I....were... you know...involved. Intimately.”

This was by far worse than the worst Giles himself could conjure. “I’m sorry?” He reached up to remove and clean his glasses, but floundered when he realized he didn’t have them on. “Spike thought what?”

“Oh! It wasn’t just Spike. Apparently, you smell like me and I smell like you, so they both thought we were doing it!.” Buffy couldn’t hold the laughter in any longer. Her peals of amusement eventually had Giles smiling, despite his mortification at the conclusion the two vampires had drawn.

“Hmm. I suppose you and I will have to stop training together then. Can’t have you smelling like me, now can we?” He laughed outright. “Good lord. The things those two come up with. I swear Buffy, that sort of thing makes me forget my promise not to treat them like case studies.”

Giles watched as Xander, who had obviously heard the laughter ambled over to them. “Hey Giles, Buff. What’s so funny?”

“Spike and Angel apparently have concluded that Buffy and I are in fact sleeping together.”

“What?” Xander looked incredulous. “No way. You’re joking right? Buffy, he’s joking, right?”

“Fraid not, Xan. Spike and Angel thought I was doing the deed with Giles! Oh god, it’s just so damn funny.”

Xander began to laugh as well. “Well. I had figured Spike smart enough to not make that sort of assumption, but Angel ain’t never had the brains of the outfit, ya know. You and Giles? God, where did they get that from?”

Buffy answered between guffaws. “We...smelled...like each other. Smelled! Oh God!!!”

“Hmm, ok, can I just say ‘eeewwww’? I knew there was a reason I hated vampire senses. That is just creepy.”

Giles finally began to take a little offense at the laughter that seemed to be at his expense. “I’ll have you two know that I am still considered quite a catch, you know. What is so repulsive about the idea of Buffy and I together?”

Xander decided he’d better be the one to answer Giles, because Buffy still appeared incapable of speech. “Ummm G-man? You and Buffy would be almost incestuous, ya know?”

“What? How so?”

“Well, she’s like a daughter to you. And God knows you’ve been a better father to her than her own. Hell you’ve been a better father to all of us than our natural ones. You and Buff together is just a little too hillbilly, backwater for me to contemplate seriously.”

Xander’s assessment of Giles’ feeling, as well as the rest of the gang’s, silenced - finally - Buffy’s uncontrollable laughter. She looked with wide wet green eyes at Giles. “You think of me like a daughter?”

“Er, yes. Well. Xander has made a considerable point. I suppose it would be rather inappropriate for us to be involved, as I have been responsible for you for some years now.” Giles began his usual hem-haw routine, but Buffy stopped him with a pointed look.

“Answer me, Giles. Please. Do you consider me a daughter?”

Giles smiled. He could hide his paternal feelings no longer. He thought sure she had known, but faced with her doubt now, he understood that she never even considered it. He took her into his arms, embracing her with a warmth and familiarity that he had always been afraid to show her, except when she came back from the grave nearly two years before.

“Yes. You are the daughter I never had. I tried so hard to remain impartial, like a good Watcher. But Quentin was right. I have had a father’s love for you since before your 18th birthday. I can’t believe you didn’t know that.” He looked over at Xander, who was looking a little sheepish. “And thank you, Xander for finally putting it so succinctly.”

“Well. I guess Dawn was right then. About my super power. Buffy’s the Slayer; Giles, you’re Knowledge Guy, Willow’s Magic girl, Spike is, well, he’s a vampire. And me? I’m Vision guy. I see the things no one else does. But honestly, I thought it was totally obvious, Giles. Thought sure it wouldn’t be news to Buffy.”

Buffy nodded. “Well. I had a feeling. You know. A daughter always wants her father to love her.” She paused just long enough to let that sink in. “But you never said anything, so I had no idea if you did or not. I hoped, I prayed, even tried to believe, but I guess I did need to hear it from you.” Giles heard her sniffle loudly and chuckled. She turned her face up to frown at him. “God. I feel so stupid. I’m a grown, married woman Giles. And here I am, still needing daddy to say he loves me. How pathetic.”

“We all need the reassurances, Buffy. Don’t worry about it.” He finally released her, setting her an arm’s length away from him. “But as I am so very British, I do believe there has been enough of the feeling things, don’t you?” His tone mocked the words, and Buffy responded in kind.

“Oh yes. Quite right, stiff upper lip and all that, ho.”

Xander just grinned. “You guys are funny. Now. Get outta my courtyard.”

“Your courtyard? Angel might have something to say about that, ya know.” Buffy commented on her way back into the hotel.

“Nah. He likes what I’m doin out here. Go on, get back inside and leave me to my work.”

“Alright. Have a good time, Xander.” She blew him a joking kiss.

“Right back atchya babe!”

Somewhere upstairs, Andrew sat alone. He’d packed for the trip back to England, and had nothing to do, so he sat and thought. His place in the circle of the slayer was solid, he knew that when they sent him to pick up Dana. Poor girl. Still so screwed up. Thankfully she was getting better, but it was going to be a long time till she was well.

So. He was going to have to go back to England alone. Again. He’d been so happy to be spending time with Xander this past week, helping him with the work on the courtyard - even if it was just moving stuff and handing Xander tools. He’d felt needed and the conversations they’d had? Well, yeah, they were all about Anya and the final battle with the first, but there had been some real bonding. Now Xander was going to stay in L.A.

Andrew couldn’t. He had responsibilities to the Council that he couldn’t ignore. Damn. He sighed heavily. Well. He’d been alone for a long time, he could do it for as long as he needed. Besides, he knew there was nothing in England for Xander. The man had found a quiet kind of peace in Africa that still had not left him. Andrew was glad to see it, and in point of fact it was the thing that had drawn him to Xander in the first place. That calm quiet that he now, almost always, exuded. He’d miss that, of all the things he’d miss about Xander, that calm settling presence he would miss the most.

“I know you hear me Kennedy. Damn girl! You always gotta be so damn stubborn? Jesus!”

“What? I hear ya, I just don’t care. These girls have a routine, and just because you and your little team here can’t deal with an apocalypse by yourselves, doesn’t mean I’m going to disrupt their routine! So, just freakin deal, Gunn.” Kennedy continued her stalking pace across the lobby into the courtyard where Xander was pulling out the dead rose bushes and planting nightblooming jasmine.

“Oh, hey guys.” He looked up from work to address Kennedy and Charles. “Ah. He finally gettin on you about the 5 am wake up drills, Kennedy?”

“Yeah. What? Doesn’t Angel have some sort of training regimen here? I’d have thought we’d be the late ones. But no. Charles here is still beauty sleepin at 5 am.” She shuddered.

“Hey! You think it’s easy to look this good? No. It does indeed require the recommended 8 hours a night.”

“Ugh. Again? Get over it.” She dismissed him with a roll of her eyes.

Charles fumed and stomped up to her, getting in Kennedy’s face menacingly. He had to bite back a grin at her automatic flinching away from him. “No girly. You listen. You are a guest here. You are here because Angel says you can stay. What he didn’t say was that you could disrupt our routine with your pseudo military schedule. In other words, you get over it.” He stepped away from her calmly, establishing his superiority, or at least his authority in this place.

“I don’t want to hear those girls, or your mouth, before 7:30 am again? You got it?”

Kennedy looked ready to argue some more, but Xander stepped up. “Kennedy, Charles is right. Chill with the schedule and let people sleep. This isn’t Council headquarters. There isn’t a place soundproofed enough for you to be training at 5 in the morning. 7:30 is a decent compromise.”

She squinted her eyes at Charles and grunted an “alright” before stomping off toward the hotel again.

“Jesus. She always like that?” Gunn whistled his amazement. “Hmm. No.” Xander grinned at Charles’ relieved expression. “She’s usually much worse.”

“Oh, damn. Well, thanks, Xander. For chillin her out.”

Another grin slipped onto Xander’s face. “I wouldn’t thank me yet, Charles. You’re in for it later. What ever compromise Kennedy has to make in one area, she makes up for in another.”

“Ahh, shit.”

Xander laughed outright. “Yup. My sentiments exactly.” He turned serious again. “So when do ya think the ritual’s gonna go down? And are we invited?”

“Got no clue, except it’s supposed to happen before midnight. And no. None of us minions are invited. Just the big men, um or women, are going to be participating. Should be an interesting turn of events, though.” Charles let out a deep breath, one he felt like he’d been holding for a month at least. “I just can’t wait to have Fred back. Sure, Ilyria can grow on ya, but dammit. I really miss Fred.”

“You loved her.” Xander didn’t ask, he could read the feeling in Charles’ face and tone.

“More than my own life. More than my own goodness. But not more than my own mind, apparently. One slip of my faculties, and bam! I sold her down the river. What kind of man does that make me?”

“Human. Frail. Stupid. And so wanting to have a place. Basically? Just a man, Charles.”

Charles looked at Xander, really looked at him, as though for the first time. “What is it about you, Xander? You always know just what to say, how to say it, and when.”

“Dawn once said it’s my power, to see things. Don’t know how much I agree with that right now, though. I just think with all the strange stuff that happens in our lives, some normalcy is always welcome. We all need the simple, Charles. I guess my power is to see the simple, to see the solution without seeing the problem? Plus? I’ve lived on the Hellmouth all my life. I staked the vampire that was my best friend, saved the world from the crazy uber witch that was - again - my best friend, loved a former vengeance demon who later regained her powers, and I loved her still. Saved the Slayer twice, once when no one else could, and again when she didn’t need it. Truth? Is just another freaky thing that shouldn’t be feared.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah.” Xander turned back to his pruning, and Charles, knowing he’d been casually, but not thoughtlessly, dismissed returned to the lobby of the hotel.

The night darkened slowly, the blackness becoming rich with the sounds of nocturnal life in L.A. Angel stood in front of the doors to the pool room. He hadn’t been in this room in a very long time. Not since before Cordy turned into a demon to keep the visions from killing her. He knew that Giles, Wes, and the Burkles had set up the ritual components and was fearful of disturbing them, so he waited until everyone had assembled before he opened the doors.

Giles and Wes came out of Wesley’s office with the Burkles and Ilyria. The humans looked pleasantly eager to have done with the ritual, while Ilyria simply looked as she always did. Inscrutable. Sometimes she and Angel could be a matched pair.

Spike stomped loudly down the stairs, his boots leaving scuff marks where he deliberately dragged his feet to piss Angel off. Angel just grinned. His childe could be so predictable. Angel watched as Spike and Buffy met at the foot of the stairs and made their way silently over to the gathering.

Gathered in the lobby, Charles, Xander, and Kennedy and some of the newer slayers all watched as the others met at the large double doors. “Guess this is it, eh, guys?” Xander asked the two he was standing with.

“Yup.” Kennedy nodded quickly.

“I guess. I hope they know what they’re doing.” Gunn still sounded wary of the ritual.

“Don’t worry, Charles. Giles knows what he’s doin. Besides, Altyron? He seems to know what’s what. Even if he is of the primordium.” Xander looked toward the stairs thoughtfully. “Call me when they’re done. I got something I need to do.” And he headed up stairs.

“Alright, Watchers. Ready to get this show on the road?” Angel rolled his eyes at Spike’s impertinence.

“Um, well. Yes. Quite.” Wesley smiled, then he just shifted, and Altyon stood before them. “I believe we can start now. We wait any longer and it will be too late.” He raised his hand, indicating that they all enter the room.

Charles and Kennedy watched as the doors shut behind the group.

Giles took a good look around the room, noting the placement of the ritual accouterments and ensuring the formation of the circle was correct. “Alright. Everything seems to be in order here.” He glanced to Ilyria. “Umm, Ilyria, I believe you need to be here, in the center of the circle. As the ritual begins you’ll feel a rush of energy and you need to be in the center to catch all of it as the ritual requires.”

“I know the placement, human. I was the power that was channeled. I have not forgotten where the vessel needs to be. Your attempts to reassure me fall as ash. Completely useless and irritating.”

“Yes, be that as it may. You need to be here.” Giles stated resolutely.

Spike laughed. “Oh, Blue. Suck it up, eh? This will be over in a jiff.”

“You mock me, vampire? I am to lose my control over the shell-”

“Don’t call her that, dammit!” Wes’ voice called out of Altyron’s mouth, who frowned deeply, trying to restrict Wes’ access to his body. “Oh yes. This is why I chose him. So strong, but sometimes so rash.” He turned a cobalt eye on Ilyria. “You’ll do as you’re told, godling. Or I’ll remove you from this plane just as surely as I did the wolf, ram and hart.” His eyes shown bright, lighting the dim room with their power, and Wes could again be heard, despite Altryon’s control over the body. “Ilyria, you promised. Does a God King renege on promises?”

Ilyria settled again into some semblance of calm detachment. “Yes, Wesley. I did promise. I’ll submit to this abomination to my presence. But I do it because it pleases me to do so. Fred,” she emphasized her use of Fred’s name over ‘shell’, “will be returned to you this night.”

“Thank you.” Was whispered and retreated again to within the strong presence of Altyron. “Strange, Ilyria that my threats do not persuade you, but the simple question from my human host has you bending to his will.”

“He but has to ask, Altyron. You? Demand too much.”

Angel, Giles and Buffy had been silent through out the display. Watching with casual awareness what would happen. Roger and Trish Burkle smiled at the display of tempers. When things had calmed down, Giles continued with the placements.

“Angel? Spike? You’ll be here, at the head of the circle, north, the location of propriety. Buffy, you just to his left, east. Roger and Trish? You two will stand as one, the inquirers’ position to the south, and I’ll be the west. Altyron? You will be inside the circle with Ilyria. You are the guide. Your presence will draw Fred as a beacon of light.” After letting Altyron pass into the circle, Giles closed it with his presence and an incantation.

“Now. Let’s get started shall we?”

Xander stood outside Andrew’s room for a minute or two before he tentatively knocked. When the door didn’t open for a few minutes, he turned to head back down stairs. Then the tiny sound of a lock being turned had him turning back around to the door, watching as it opened.

Andrew, looking for all the world like someone killed his dog, looked up at him. “Yeah?”

“Umm, hey Andrew.” Xander just stood for a minute, until Andrew asked, “What do you want Xander?”

Xander smiled. He faced the younger man fully and stepped up to the door. “I want to come in.”

Andrew’s eyes opened wide as he pushed the door open to allow Xander in. “Ok.”

“Holy fuck!” Charles shouted when the blue light that crept through the cracks in the doors threatened to burst them.

“What the hell is that?” Kennedy asked, truly frightened for the first time since arriving in L.A.

Suddenly, the light died down and a thunderous crash sounded behind the doors, then they swung open and the occupants of the room came flooding out, covered in some thick blue slime.

Buffy and Giles came out first. Buffy making her patented “ewww” face and screaming for a shower. Giles walked out calmly, the blue gunk dripping from his brow. He quietly headed up stairs, presumably to shower.

Angel came out next. He looked aggrieved, as Spike followed behind him grinning from ear to ear. Spike stepped up in front of Angel and smiling, slowly swiped a finger down Angel’s cheek. “Mmmm, sweet, Peaches. Like blueberries.”

“Get off me, Spike.” Angel groused. But he echoed the gesture on Spike’s face, sucking the sweet off his finger and smiling.

They stared for a moment at each other, then laughed easily.

Roger and Trish emerged looking a little shell shocked, but well pleased. They turned when they heard Wes ask, “But did it have to be blueberry?”

Fred’s sweet voice laughed out from the room. “But Wesley? I’m blue! What else could you expect?”

Everyone gathered back in the lobby after cleaning up. Charles, Angel and Wes all sat huddled around Fred. Their love for her evident to even the most casual observer. That they had missed the sweet Texan was also obvious. Kennedy smiled as she watched the group, and turned to address Fred’s parents.

“Must be nice having your daughter back, right?”

Roger answered with s grin. “Oh, she wasn’t ever really gone, not to us, but yeah. To see her and know that it’s her and not an act Ilyria’s puttin on? Yeah. That’s nice.”

Xander and Andrew made their way back downstairs and joined Kennedy to watch the small group get reacquainted with one of their lost. There was a wistfulness in Xander’s eye, but none of the pain that had been there the previous week. Andrew patted him on his shoulder, offering a smile of solidarity.

Buffy and Giles, both finally scrubbed clean of the blueberry goo, game back downstairs. They were talking quietly to each other, Buffy looking grim and Giles at his most serious. Xander called out to them, catching everyone’s attention. “Ok. What’s with the faces you two? The ritual worked, Fred’s back and things are good. Why so grim?”

“Well,” Giles began, “it seems that there is a reason, other than the battle with Wolfram & Hart, that Altyron has decided to present himself. Also, the predetermination of Ilyria’s rising had a, for lack of a better word, prerequisite.”

Angel turned a confused eye to Giles, saying, “Ok. So, it, Ilyria’s rising, was preordained based on certain events happening?” At Giles’ nod he asked, “So what happened?”

“I don’t know if you’re aware of what has been happening outside America, or even, considering recent events, outside L.A. But the world is in chaos. Massive earthquakes, fires, volcanic eruptions, and tidal waves are taking devastating tolls over the world. Nothing apocalyptic, at least not by our standards, but still, a little too frequently to be entirely natural.”

“Alright. So what does it mean?”

“Just that someone or something is doing these things, and at the complete randomness of the disasters, this entity doesn’t really have an agenda.”

“Ok. That sounds bad.” Spike finally spoke up. Just then, the air in the lobby turned thick, heavy with the scent of ozone. A silent concussion of the atmosphere had Willow standing before them, looking harried. “Umm, guys? We have a serious problem. And by ‘we’? I mean everybody.”

Wes and Fred, who until now had been seated, rose together and stepped up behind Angel. Their features shifted together, and Ilyria looked over at Altyron who finally spoke.

“It appears, Angel, that Ghybranach is bored.”