Hell Is In the Details
Epilogue - A Foregone Conclusion
Hell Is In the
Details – Epilogue – A Foregone Conclusion
~Two Years Later~
A couple of hours spent trolling through some of
Angeles
question the common sense of his search. He was on edge and longed to drown his
nerves in a bottle –
make that several bottles – of JD, but knew he had to remain
sharp and focused.
Right.
This was useless, Spike thought. Like
searching for a soddin’ needle in a haystack.
tosser, but at least he could leave the stench of the
city behind for a while.
A half hour’s walk and the changing landscape found his
spirits much improved. Surrounded by green grass, trees and the deep midnight
blue of the nighttime sky, Spike took stock with his preternatural senses,
reaching out for… and yeah, there it was – due north, not far from where he
was.
Of course it worked both ways, so by the time he was within
visual range, the dark figure slumped on the bench with his head in his hands
spoke first.
“What do you want, Spike?” The elder vampire was quietly
resigned, as if a confrontation were somehow inevitable.
“Lookin’ for you, Peaches.”
Angel sighed, looking up to face his
erstwhile childe. “So what is this, Spike? You here to
finally collect your pound of flesh?” His posture remained open; it was
obvious that if the younger vampire were to attack, there would be no defense
offered.
Spike wasn’t surprised by his attitude in
the least. Brood boy was back in the house.
"Nah... have
to watch my girlish figure these days. Slayer gets all pinchy
if she sees love handles formin’." Taking a small
breath to steady his nerves, Spike took a seat on the opposite end of the
bench, staring up at the night sky. “Truth is, Buffy an’ me was
Angel snorted in disbelief. “How do you
think? And why don’t smell a mating claim on you? You and Buffy
Refusing to rise to the bait, Spike replied
calmly. “What we have, Peaches, is what workr usr us both at the moment. We
live together; fighting and shagging as the occasion suits. Snoggin’s
pretty much our favorite indoor sport. Outdoor sport too.
But we’ve both agreed that bein’ mated
Angel sighed. It was all out of his
control, anyway. Was never meant to be in his control.
“Back to my reason
for bein’ here, then.
"Courier New"'> How’s the soul settled in now? Not back to fur an’ tails on the
menu, are you?”
Angel shook his head, laughing a little,
bitterly. “No rats and alleys this time around, Spike. I’m back to basement
living – trading demon killing for a place to stay. Same kind
of deal with the butcher for my blood. It’s not like being newly
years.
“The last
three or four years? I’ll admit the soul’s
been beating me black and blue on a moment-by-moment basis for them.
For the first time, Spike grew agitated.
Shut your gob. You don’t get to apologize to me. Not now, not for that – not so
soon. Maybe not ever. Not what I came for, anyway.”
Angel held up his hands in placation. “All
right, you’re right. Apologies won’t change things or make them better. Sorry.”
He shrugged. “You know what I mean. Anyway, if you’re still interested, I do
realize how much I’ve lost. Friends, I mean. But I’m getting used to it.
Figuring out just where I went wrong in the first place.”
“
Tribunal’s cobbler work did more’n hurt you.
Surprised at Spike’s unvoiced concern,
Angel found himself curious as to how the younger
vampire spent his time. “Well, my unlife is an open
book. What about you?” he asked. “Has Buffy managed to make a kept demon out of
William the Bloody?”
“Spike
is very much a kept demon. Kept, coddled, loved, wanted, and treated with
respect. Slayer an’ me freelance for the new Council these days.” He laughed.
various ‘consultants’ as they’re needed.
“Between all m’human
schooling an’ the demon languages and lore Angelus managed to beat into me,
and fangs, too – sometimes the lady an’ me step in to
teach the fledglings a thing or two ‘bout fighting.
“Best part of my unlife
is just being a family vamp. Watchin
The urge to return to his Slayer battled
with Spike’s desire to brag. He wasn’t fooling himself; rubbing his rich, full
life with Buffy in Angel’s face was a bonus, if not the entire reason for his
visit, but he’d just about had enough.
Spike nudged Angel up, just a gentle shove
of the elbows that said ‘c'mon, let's get up and walk.’ Plenty of night left
and ground to cover.
As they wandered about, Angel asked if this
visit was the only reason Spike is in
"Courier New"'>Los Angeles
"Courier New"'>. Spike told him they'd gotten a small place in LA for the time
being. Just taking a break from everything for a month or so.
Resting a bit.
- no patrolling, so they wouldn't run into each
other. With most of
"Courier New"'> once more his playground, the relative anonymity of LA was
welcomed.
Angel stopped mid-stride; the whole
scenario of Spike seeking him out for mindless chatter and not retribution not
sitting well. The elder vampire was determined to get to the bottom of things.
“Look, Spike… I know I don’t deserve this
second chance at redemption. You would have been well within reason to have
demanded my final death from the Tribunal. Hell, I would have asked for yours
if the situation was reversed. Would you mind giving me an explanation? I mean,
after all I’d put you and Buffy through… “
Spike clapped him on the shoulder once,
before distancing himself slightly. “First of all, Angel, I am not now nor will
I ever be you. S’the one thing you never learned… I
react to things my own way – not yours.
“As for why I’m here? When all is said and
done, a piece of paper doesn’t change who family really is. Your blood will always
flow in my veins. Without you I would have been dust in an English grave near a
century ago. So I care. We care. And
one day, we hope…” Spike turned away, his emotions getting the better of him,
and walked off into the cover of darkness.
Leaving a
puzzled Angel behind, alone again.
Because Spike knew, and hoped that Angel
would one day soon realize... it’s not the big mistakes you make that ruin
lives – Hell is all in the details.