Splinter

Angel stiffened up and his grip on the pen tightened. He could feel the expensive gold coated pen start to crack. He loosened his grip but didn't stop writing or even look up. The door closed as softly as it opened. Unsure shuffling of feet moved slowly but surely towards his large desk. From the corner of his eyes he could distinguish a dark figure standing a couple paces away from him. He didn't need to raise his eyes to identify the visitor. He knew whom it was from the moment the person had their hand on the doorknob for more than a minute deciding to enter or not. What Angel didn’t want to acknowledge was that he was holding his non-existent breath wondering if the door was going to open or not.

A few more minutes of pregnant silence and the figure started to shift on its feet. Angel knew that he wouldn't be able to stand still if his life depended on it. A cough to break the silence seemed to be a perfect start.

"Angel?"

Angel faked an irritated sigh and raised bored eyes. "Spike I'm busy. This had better be important."

The dark haired vampire raked his eyes over the younger vampire in a show of displeasure. But in fact he was making sure that he was fine. And there was no way anyone could get him to admit that he had been worried about his grandchilde. He barely conceded to it himself, reluctantly.

Spike narrowed his eyes but refused to fall for the bait. He didn’t want to fight. Not right now. He had something more important to do.

"Yeah, could see. Just wanted to say thanks, is all."

Angel shook his head and looked deep into Spike's eyes which only reflected sincerity. He had to give it to his boy – no not his - he could pull off this act if only Angel didn't know him better.

Spike frowned when soft laughter turned into bellowing. Angel clutched his desk as he came down from his sudden burst into mirth. The blond pulled back quickly and fell in the chair when Angel rose quickly from his with a dark look in his eyes.

"You would have the audacity to blame me for what happened! Well, newsflash, Captain Peroxide. What happened to you was by no means my fault. If you would grow a few brain cells and take a hint, you would leave and that wouldn’t have happened. Comprender!" How dare he? The vampire growled. Come into his office and place the blame on him like that. Like he needed to? Like Angel hadn't spent the hours since he found out Spike's condition awake thinking over his action, brooding, over Spike? Well, Spike didn’t know that. And he wouldn't. And now he comes striding in all well and pretend to thank him. Angel knew what he meant by that. The younger vampire had a hidden meaning. It was like saying, 'thanks for almost killing me'. Well Angel wasn't going to sit there and take that extra guilt, even if he well deserved it.

Spike was looking at Angel like he had gone crazy. "Reading all that small print didn’t scramble your brain did it?" he said in the same sincerity.

Angel felt his blood boil. He knew he shouldn't have worried about this errant childe. And to think he actually nearly lost consciousness because of blood loss after giving his blood for him. And this was the thanks he got. He growled warningly. "Get out of my office, Spike!"

Spike rose slowly with a look of disgust in his eyes. "Fuck you. I get it. Here I came to thank you for sparing some blood my way and you act all high and mighty," he spat. Before coughing and clutching his chest and closing his eyes in pain. Angel felt taken back. Before he could say anything Spike opened his eyes and looked at him coldly. "Typical, Angelus." With his hand still held protectively over his chest he took angry strides out of the office slamming the door behind him so hard it rattled on its hinges.

Angel stood frozen in his stop. Pondering which would be more affective slamming his head against the desk or the wall when a blur of pink entered.

Wearily he looked at Harmony who had a scowl on her lips. "Would it have killed you to just say 'you're welcome?'," she didn't give him a chance to answer as she continued, "*ugh* Cordy is SO gonna hear of this!" with a twist of pointy heals she was out.

Angel didn't bother to protest at the treatment. Not because he deserved it, and more, but he was used to it by now. He was there to look 'big and menacing' as Cordelia would say.

"Damn it! Why do I always do that?!" He chose the desk. He could easily replace it.