Making Things Right

Hopefully my next chapter will be longer. I wanted to write something, though. Please review.


Angel tried to keep calm. Cordelia said I'd be okay so nothing can happen...right? He jumped as he heard someone clear their throat. He spun and prepared to beat the crap out of someone. When he saw who it was he smiled slightly. "I missed you..."

Fred smiled shyly, not sure if it was all a dream or not. "Am I really back?"

He nodded. "I think so. I'd fill you in on everything, but I want to wait and see if anyone else joins us."

She didn't understand, but thought that she might be dead since Angel was all in white. She looked down at her own white gown. "White's not my color."

Angel''s eyes widened as she shrieked when her dress became a pale yellow instead. "That''s...convenient."

She nodded. "Yeah...great...I'm satisfied now. Let's not do that whole changing my clothes without my knowledge thing." She wasn't sure who she was talking to, but she really thought that she should make it clear that she didn't like things changing around her like that. She glanced out of the large observation window and shrieked. "Angel!"

"I know...this is hell...don't worry. I think we're safe."

"You think? That's comforting." She found herself staring at everything in fascination. Her mind wandered back to a time when Spike had begged her to save him from this place and she caught her breath on a sob as she put her hand to her mouth.

"Fred? What is it?" He walked to her, but didn't touch her. There was a part of him that thought she'd disappear.

"I never told you, but..." She proceeded to tell him all about Spike and why he was so terrified of fading away.

Angel turned away from her, knowing that she would be the one to see how deep his guilt ran. "I didn't know. I always bitched at him about coming back...I always made jokes and..."

She touched his shoulder gently. "It's alright. He knew that you'd feel guilty. That's why I was sworn never to tell you...ooops..."

He nearly spun her around in a moment of joy as she got that cute ''oops I made a mistake'' look on her face. He had missed it so much. "I have a lot to atone for."

"You can say that again, Angelcakes." Lorne appeared in a bright purple outfit that matched Angel''s in the make. "For instance...what is with the pajama motif?" His lopsided smile let Angel know that all was forgiven.

"It wasn't my idea." He watched as Lorne and Fred hugged happily and tried to figure out what was going on.

Angel sat down and let his mind fill with the sounds of two very close friends talking with each other. He swore he would never take the sound for granted again. He looked up as the sounds stopped and a loud moan filled the air.

Fred cried out. "Wes?" She ran to the slumped figure that had appeared in the corner. "Are you alright?"

Wes looked up at her and held his hand to his wound that was no longer life threatening, but still very painful. "You were waiting for me..." He pulled her down and kissed her.

Lorne had the good sense to look away, but Angel just smiled stupidly and watched the reunion. He was well aware of the reason they were there, but he wanted to enjoy the little bits of happiness he could witness before then.

Fred pulled away. "No, Wes...we're not dead. You're still alive and I'm back."

Wes stroked her hair back from her face. "You're quite sure? I don't really care as long as we're together. I'd like to know why I'm in pain though. Death is supposed to be freedom from pain, right?"

At that moment, screams from hell broke through their silent contemplations. "Not always apparently." Lorne looked out and frowned. "I'll just tell myself that they deserved it. Makes it easier." He looked back at Wes. "Hey...you got white pajamas, too. I guess they recognized that I had good taste and that's why I was singled out for the good pair..."

Angel shook his head. "I'm just glad to have you back. We need to talk about something."

Fred helped Wes up and encouraged him to lean against her. "But you said you were waiting until we were all here."

"We are."

She shook her head. "No...Gunn and Spike aren't here and..."

"Fred...just let me explain." He told them all of it. From the fight in the alley, to the old men, to Cordelia''s gifts to them all. He allowed himself to grieve finally as the others let their tears fall.

Wesley sighed. "So Spike is going to be punished. That's why we're here then?"

Angel nodded. "I think so. I've been through it and Spike can handle it. He's stronger than I've ever given him credit for." He turned away and looked out the window again. After a few moments of deathly silence he felt, rather than saw, a presence. He turned to greet the newcomer and forced himself not to turn away. One of the demons that oversaw his torment was in front of him.

"Hello, Angel. Long time...no see..." He smiled a sharp toothed grin. "You're here to witness the executions of the vampire renamed Spike by his experiences."

Fred spoke up. "Executions? There's more than one?"

The demon nodded. "Yes, he will pay for you all."

Angel shook his head. "I'll take some of it."

The demon laughed. "You have no rights here. It is decided."

"I never decided anything."

"I never said you did. You won't be punished and only Spike will be punished."

"Why? Why do you insist on punishing Spike?" Angel felt a desperation clawing at him that he didn't know he had in him.

The demon sighed. "So ignorant...Angel, listen to me. You decided that it would be him that would deal with us. You did not choose that it would be him that would be tortured."

"I don't understand."

"Obviously....Cordelia knew what he would do and she was correct. He was the one that negotiated with us for all of the punishments due to you all. He offered to take them all himself to spare all of you. We agreed. It is done."

Angel stumbled backwards and leaned against a far wall. He felt like he had been physically hit. "Why would he do that?"

The demon shrugged. "He said it was to make you proud."

Angel no longer felt the need to hide his emotions and slid down the wall. He silently cried as the others gathered around him and shared in his grief.

TBC....

Next chapter will be nasty. Just a warning.