Not the End

The upstairs of Hell Incorporated was a lot less intimidating. The illusion of being in a normal office building once again descended upon me. At least until we came to Angel's office.

The sight of the blond behind the reception desk chilled my blood. Okay, maybe not chilled. Still, it was a bit of a shock to see the world's most pathetic excuse for a vampire answering phones.

"Willow?"

The girl that was not Fred paused in her dragging.

"Harmony?"

Harmony then let out a squeal that I'd hoped to never hear again. She rushed toward me and caught me up in a hug that made my knees go weak. This was not the kind of day I'd been expecting.

"It's so good to see you. We didn't know you were coming, or we'd have picked you up!"

She released me and looked at me. That happy smile scared me. I was about to ask her what she was doing there, when I was suddenly being dragged again. The girl who was not Fred was really strong. She pulled me through a set of double doors.

"This one was downstairs. She was a friend of the Shell."

Angel, Wes, Gunn and Spike just stood there staring at me.

"Spike?" I heard myself say it before I realized what I was saying.

"It's me."

He flashed that smile of his and the dizziness began to return. The room swam. Strong arms were helping me into a chair. What the hell was going on? I'd survived the plural of apocalypse, once at my own hand, and here I was fainting over the sight of a friend I'd thought dead. It's not like my friends don't return from the dead every so often. It's just not something you expect though.

It was Angel who was helping me to sit. Yeah for those vampire reflexes! His face full of concern.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Buffy send you?" added Spike.

I shook my head as it began to clear.

"No, she doesn't know I'm here. I just had the feeling that something was going down and you guys might need an extra pair of hands."

Angel simply nodded solemnly.

"That we could, luv." Rema Spi Spike.

"Red's in the house to help with the demon smack down. Evens the odds a little for our side." Remarked Gunn.

A silent moment passed between Angel and Wes. I didn't hear it, but I wasn't wrong. Something big was about to go down. I had arrived just in time.

Once enough of the shock had worn off that I could walk, Spike showed me to a guest suite. I have to say, Angel Inc. has always had more style than the Scoobie gang, but damn! I'd never stayed in a place that nice. Angel had sent some of his minions to get my stuff from the hotel, so I decided to get cleaned up before I got to work. As I closed the bathroom door behind me, Spike
attempted to not look like he wanted to ask me something.

The warm water felt good after all the traveling and a night without sleep. I could actually feel the tension in every muscle of my body, and thought about putting the shower massager to good use. The thought quickly passed though, when I remembered who was in the next room. Damn vampire senses!

I was still toweling off when there was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Red?"

"Yeah Spike?"

I quickly dressed. I sensed "the talk" was coming.

"Um...got a minute?"

I opened the door to gaze into those soulful too blue eyes. Sometimes it was easy to see what Buffy saw in him, but then he usually opened his mouth.

"Yeah." I replied as I curled up on the plush sofa.

He hesitated near the bathroom door.

"And may I ask, why the hell didn't let anyone know that you were alive?"

Okay, not my most tactful opening.

He smiled as he sat beside me.

"Haven't been alive in over a century."

"You know what I meant."

He shrugged as his bravado vanished.

"Not that simple, but I did tell someone."