Quid Pro Quo

A/N: Sorry that this has taken so long. Megan had to do some judging and then has been sick. She still is so send her some good wishes.


Chapter 5 – Who the Hell Is At The Door?

Ring…Ring…Ring…Ring…

Nina, who was spooned up against Angel’s back half asleep, whispered in his ear. “Don’t you need to get that? We are here on business, so to speak.”

Angel growled and then rolled over so that he could wrap his arms around Nina. “Let Spike get it. His curiosity will finally get to him.” After a few more rings, Angel yelled, “Spike, get the phone.”

“Lazy Bugger!” Spike slowly sat up in bed and rubbed his face.

“I heard that. Still a vampire over here.” Spike could hear a touch of playfulness in Angel’s voice. Nina was good for him.

“Damn eavesdropping vamp…” Spike jerked up the phone and practically growled out the word, “hello.”

A hesitant female voice spoke. “Very sorry, sir. That package you were expecting is here at the desk. Would you like for us to send it up?”

“Yeh…yeh. Send away.” Spike hung up, flopped back down, and promptly fell back asleep.

Knock, knock, knock…knock, knock, knock.

“Spike! Get the door.”

“Your turn. Get the sodding door yourself.” Spike rolled over and burrowed under his pillows.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Spike…!” Nina tried pleading.

“It’s Illyria’s turn.” That should be fun, Spike laughed into the linens.

Angel wasn’t playing anymore, not that Spike cared. “SPIKE!”

“Why do I get the bleeding deed?”

“You don’t have a beautiful lady warming your bed.”

“Angel!” Angel had sounded smug, and Nina sounded embarrassed.

“Well, there is that.” He didn’t bother yelling at Illyria. There was no telling what she was doing in her room, and he didn’t want to know.

Spike got up and slipped into a pair of his jeans. Not bothering to zip them all the way up, he padded barefoot to the door. He jerked it open just as the young bell hop started to knock again. “Oh no, mate, your knocks don’t meet the wood again.”

“Your package, sir.” The boy’s eyes were huge taking in a half nude Spike.

As the package changed hands, Spike fished around in his pocket and came up with two crumpled dollars, a quarter and a nickel. That’s what he handed the teenager before swiftly shutting the door in his face. Spike broke the seal on the large manila envelop and reached in.

Knock, knock, knock.

Spike walked off. “Now it’s your turn, peaches.”

“Not this time either, Spike.” That was Nina’s voice again.

‘Bloody hell.’ Spike spun around and stomped back to the door. “That cheeky bastard better not be looking for a better tip…” He jerked the door open. “This had better be fucking good.”

“I think it is, potty mouth.”

Spike’s brain came to a roaring halt. “D…”

“Dawn. Yeh, that’ my name. And you’re Spike.” Dawn looked down at his pants with its zipper only half way up and at his bare chest. Besides his condition of undress, there was something different about Spike, but she would leave that for later. “And I would say I’m seeing more of Spike than I expected.” She tried hard not to laugh as he came out of his stupor and rushed to fasten his pants properly.

“Bit, I…uh…wasn’t expecting you.”

“You stole my line. Really wasn’t expecting you…to be on this planet.” With a crease between her eyebrows, she looked him up and down again before a grin grew. “Now can I have a hug?”

Spike opened his arms, and she stepped in. The hug was tight. Again she was struck that something was very different, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Too preoccupied on other things. As she thought before, it could wait until later.

Her voice was muffled against his chest. “You came to the Watchers Council’s building and didn’t even try to talk to me.”

“I’m sorry, Nibblet.” Spike rubbed her back as he had done many times before when Buffy had been dead. “We didn’t really want to see anyone…even the people we did see.”

Dawn pulled back so he could see her smile. “Actually, I’m ticked I didn’t get to see you walking on the tables.”

“Ah, Bit, it was a right glorious sight to see. Let me grab a shirt, and I’ll spin you some yarns.”

Dawn walked around the suite as Spike put on a t-shirt. They had the penthouse suite in the rounded end of the Wyndham Cleveland Hotel. What a view. “Geez, Spike, now this is my idea of a hotel room. I heard you turned down Giles’ offer of a hotel. This is way, way better.” Dawn wasn’t surprised when Spike walked back into the main area wearing a black t-shirt. “Spike, you do know there are other colors than black, don’t you?”

“Yeah, there’s red.” As Dawn laughed, Spike headed for the bar. “Bit, how about something cool?”

Dawn made herself comfortable on a sofa. “Sure, is there any pepsi?” One was flying her way just seconds after her request, which she did catch. “Nice hands, pet.” Holding a beer, Spike settled on the sofa, turned so that they were facing each other.

“I’ve been training. Just think, all those days sweating, and now I can pluck soda cans out of the air. Yea, me, my hard work pays off.”

They spent the next hour with Spike telling her stories about the last year. Stories that mostly made him look good and would embarrass Angel if he were in the room. When Spike got to the puppet story, Angel came out of his room with a dark frown. “Enough, Spike. I think she has the picture.” He came over to stand above Spike. “Where is the packet?”

The dominance trick of towering over him just made Spike laugh. “Why, you great poof, you were eavesdropping.”

“Yes.” His frown washed away when he looked at Dawn. “Hi, Dawn. Good to see you.”

Dawn smiled. “Hi, Angel. He was right, Spike. Alright already with the ha ha stories. Tell me what is up with you. All of you. Being cold to Giles and Buffy isn’t the norm. So I have heard parts, but I want it from you.” Dawn could see Spike tense at the mention of her sister. Oh, there are still feelings there.

After Spike pointed out the packet to Angel, the serious stories began. Even though the lack of trust had been directed at Angel, it still bled over to Spike and the other that worked with the brooding vamp. Dawn wanted to cry when he talked about losing his hands, and then Andrew took the slayer from Angel. What a thanks the two vampires had received for their retrieval efforts. She also made note to kill Andrew when she got back to the mansion. No wonder the jerk had been hiding since Angel and Spike had visited the Watchers Council. And Spike and Angel had been in Rome, and that rat hadn’t told her or Buffy. She had to learn about Spike being back from today’s events and the grapevine in the slayers-in-training. But he was here now, and she would be happy with that.

Finally, Spike was up to current events. “Nibblet, I am glad we are no longer with those Wolfram and Hart blighters, but they had the coolest toys. Special glass for vampires, company jets, and some bloody fantastic cars. I’ve got a Viper downstairs.”

Angel laughed as the seventeen and one hundred thirty year old kids flew out the door to play with the very fast toy.

At a side door leading outdoors, Dawn stopped so abruptly that Spike hit her in the back.

“What? What’s wrong? It’s the red one on the front row. Let me grab the keys from the valet gits, and we can be off.”

“But Spike, it’s still daylight out, and we forgot a blanket.”

“Then maybe I shouldn’t do this.” He walked out into the sunlight. Her mouth dropped open. Then he took her hand and placed it over his heart. “Or maybe I shouldn’t do that.”

She could feel his heart beating, and now she knew what was wrong upstairs when he had been half clothed. He had blushed, and he had been warm when she had hugged him. “You’re human.”

“It’s called Shanshu, Nibblet. To be specific, a vampire with a soul, once he fulfills his destiny, will Shanshu, become human as his reward. Now, Peaches and I are guessing that the Powers That Be decided I am only half way there. I still have my vampire capabilities.”

“So you still go all grhh and have to drink blood, but you’re all warm and breathing?”

“You got it.”

Dawn’s mouth was hanging open. “Oh my gosh…everyone is so going to freak.”

“That’s the rub, Bit. For now, let’s keep this between us, ‘k?”

“Ooh, a secret. Even better.” She grabbed his hand and started pulling him towards the valet.

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By the time Spike and Dawn returned to the hotel suite and settled on a pair of barstools, Illyria was coming out of her room.


“Hey, EC, say hi to Dawn, here.” Spike leaned over to Dawn to explain the initials – emotionally challenged.

Illyria glanced over when she heard Dawn’s peppy “hi.” She gave a very dead pan “hello” to the girl and continued on her way to the kitchen.

“Come on, Blue, do it with a little bloody enthusiasm.” Spike gave Dawn a playful wink.

Without looking back, the blue and red demon threw over her shoulder. “No.”

“Told ya, bit, she is very emotionally challenged, but I’m helping her. With a little elbow grease, we can make it through.”

Angel spoke as he walked into the room. “More like driving her crazy.”

Spike squawked at the slam. “Hey now…”

Angel held up his hands. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining. Better her sanity under fire than mine anymore. Dawn, did blondie here use to baby-sit you?”

“One long summer, until Buffy came back from the dead.” Dawn watched Spike flinch at the mention of Buffy’s name. Yes, Spike still had some feelings. The question was, how much.

Angel’s voice was full of pity. “You poor, poor girl.” He easily ducked the apple Spike threw at him from the hotel’s complementary fruit basket.

After Dawn was introduced to Nina, she sat back and watched the interaction. Dawn marveled at all four of them, all getting along, all comfortable being so close that they shared a suite without knocking holes in all the walls-- especially Spike and Angel. The name Dru alone had stood as a gigantic barrier between them. What Dawn was the most interested to observe was Spike and Illyria. Some chemistry was there, but the dynamics seemed complicated. In a way, Spike talked of and to Illyria like a girlfriend. He smiled, he teased and he watched her move through the room. But she did notice they had separate bedrooms. Then again Spike said they traveled everywhere together. How together was together? However, Illyria seemed to just put up with Spike’s smart ass comments. What a great mystery to unravel, and no matter what, she bet her allowance that Buffy was going to go ballistic with jealousy. Even though Buffy had been with the Immortal, Dawn knew her sister still missed the blonde vampire.

Illyria’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “Are there any of those croissant things left from this morning?”

“Ms. ‘barely puts up with humans and vampires but wants one of those human made pastries’ talks!” Spike teased before turning back to Dawn. “You’ve gotta love her.”

‘Really?’ Dawn thought. Friends or lovers? Dawn definitely needed to solve this mystery. It had better be friend or that would conflict with her match making plans for her sister. Buffy needed Spike even though she may not know it. And Spike. Who was he kidding, the miserable man? He needed her sister!

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Later at the hotel after Dawn left, Angel found a moment to privately speak to Spike. “Even though I am happy with Nina, it was still hard seeing Buffy today. But then I looked at Nina again and knew I’ve done the right thing. It’s hard with the curse and all, but it’s worth it. How are you doing?”

Looking at the scuffed toes of his boots, Spike thought for a moment. “Peaches, the truth?…I wanted to go straight to her, but then I reminded myself about her betrayal of trust and about the Immortal. And now seeing what you have with Nina, Buffy’s type of heartache isn’t worth it. I’d rather do a swan dive into the Grand Canyon. The Immortal can have her.” Spike visibly shook himself and strived for a little humor. “Hey, have I ever asked if Nina has a friend?”

“You’ve asked, and yes, she does have friends, but no one for you.” Angel laughed and slapped him on the back like it would knock his feelings for Buffy out. Spike hoped it would.

Regardless of the blow, Spike was lost in thought. He wanted to believe his own words about his resolve about Buffy, but wasn’t one hundred percent sure. Spike knew Angel hoped for Spike’s sake that he had meant what he said. Regardless, before they had entered the Watchers Council, Plan A had been hoping that Buffy was still in Rome, and Plan B was that she was there and they avoid Buffy if at all possible. Since she wasn’t in Rome, they were at Plan B, and they had again agreed to stick to that plan.

And Spike didn’t think it would be very hard to at least attempt to avoid the slayer. Not only was he pissed at her over the trust issue, but he was disgusted with her sleeping with the Immortal. No, it shouldn’t be hard to stay away from her.

Famous last words, mate.

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Before Dawn was three steps through the front door of the mansion, Buffy walked out of a side room, obviously trying to act cool.

Dawn wanted to laugh. Her sister must have been glued to a window. She was as transparent as the window in her curiosity. “You’re back.”

“Looks like.” Dawn headed for the stairs while Buffy followed at her heels.

“So,” Buffy tried to sound nonchalant. “Where have you been?”

Dawn flipped her hair over her shoulder. Yep, crystal. “As if, Buffy. As if you didn’t guess already.”

When Dawn opened the door to her room and stepped in, Buffy finally got enough courage together to ask, “How was he?”

“I assume ‘he’ is Spike, and he is doing great. They all are. Spike is so funny with Illyria.” Dawn started to shut the door in Buffy’s face, but hesitated. “But he and Angel are mega hurt and pissed at you and Giles. And I think they should be.”

“But, Dawn, I didn’t know…” She was talking to solid wood. And she hadn’t known. She was still stewing over the trust issues. But what was this about that demon, Illyria, with Spike. She would hate to admit just how much she was disturbed hearing about Spike with someone else. Distrubed? More like crushed. She headed to her room, and a long night of lying awake and thinking painful thoughts.

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TBC

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