Souls Standing By.

Disclaimers: I don't own either TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer or it's spin off Angel the series nor an I making a profit off my fanfiction.

Warnings: Bitchy Buffy. Only good Buffy was Joan-Buffy!

Chapter 5.

Wesley was finally able to pick himself off of the ground and get his laughter under control. Oh God, Angel and Spike both looked utterly ridiculous under all that slobber. Both would have to go back to their flats or where ever they were now living to shower and change. He doubted either would be up for patrolling until they did so.

" Angel. Spike. The two of you might want to go home and shower before you venture out on partol. Xander and myself shall pair up, " Wesley said.

" But-"

" Can it, Peaches, you'll have plenty of time to play catch up with Mr. Rouge Man later. I am going home and washing this shit off of me and out of me duster. Whelp, I'm sending you the cleaners' bill, " Spike growled. He leaned in closer to the boy. " You are me are gonna have us a bit of a talk as well, " he whispered.

Xander swallowed, said nothing, but nodded. No sense arguing with the blonde vampire once his mind was made up. Something they both had in common was one hell of stubborn streak. Spike made his was down the street muttering curses to himself with Angel walking by his side, glancing backwards towards Wesley. The older rouge demon hunter in turn watched Angel leave before turning around and found the slayer peering up at him with sharp eyes.

' Lord, almost ten years have passed between the two of them and one would think she would do herself a favor and finally move on towards some possible happiness, ' Wesley thought to himself, ' but then I can still remember the time of what she had said when she found out what Faith had almost done that once upon a time before I left L.A. What she had said to Angel, that she can't stand the thought of him moving on. '

" Is there a problem, Ms. Slayer? " He asked, politely enough.

" Just what happened between the two of you five years ago that made you leave Angel's team and L.A? " Buffy asked. " I've been watching Angel all night and he didn't stop staring at you since you and Xander arrived. "

' And nothing pissed you off more the Angel not brooding over you, huh, Buffy? ' Dawn thought with a frown.

" Buffy, I do believe that that is none of your business, " Giles said to his charge.

" Are you asking me as a concerned friend or because that you suspect that we might have gotten intimately involved? And that we had a rather nasty falling out and I had to leave because staying would have just made things awkward bewteen us? " Wesley asked, crossing his arms. Thinking back about what he just said, he almost smiled since it sounded just like what had happened between the dark vampire and the slayer now standing in front of him.

" Angel isn't gay, " Buffy insisted, not sure what Wesley was smiling to himself about. She could just bet he was laughing at her! Ha-ha, Slayer, I have your vampire right where I want him, where he won't ever think of you again with the emotional hold I have over him.

" Rarely there hasn't been on written records of a vampire not being bisexual and I can guarantee that Angel does happen to be so, " Wesley replied.

" WHAT? " Buffy shrieked. She couldn't believe that her perfect, wonderful Angel would ever look at a man the way he had looked at her! And Wesley! Of all people! So she was right! How dare this- this man do this to her and her poor, confused Angel.

" You heard me, Ms. Summers. But anyone really isn't any of your business unless Angel himself decides to tell you, " Wesley added.

" B-but... "

" I dunno. I think the two of you getting together is pretty cool. Especially if Angel gets the whole curse thing fixed- " Dawn was saying until Wesley shushed her by gently putting his finger to her lips.

" Little one, Xander wasn't the only one who had to leave because something went wrong between himself and someone he loved, " Wesley told her quietly.

" Buffy, are you okay? " Willow asked the shocked looking blonde.

" H-how can Angel be gay! He loves me! " Buffy sputtered to her friend, trying to make at least Willow understand.

" We~ell, it's true. If you've ever bothered to at least peek into the journals Giles have about Angel's whole past, he's had quite a few male lovers along side his female sire, " Willow said.

" But that was Angelus! " Buffy argued.

" Something apart of you like that isn't something you can just shut off just because you have a soul, Buffy. Yes, Angel's attracted to both sexes, but you never asked so he's never really lied to you about his tastes, " Willow said hotly. Why was her blonde friend asking this way, after all the years she had stood up for Tara and her? The red head then sucked in a breath as realization dawned on her. ' Because it had never effected her so personally before! '

" He never told me! "

" You of all people, knowing Angel and somethings about his past, should have known how difficult that would have been. If a grown up Buffy Summers can't understand and accept that I can't imagion what a teenage Buffy Summers would have said or done, " Tara replied, standing up for Angel's choice as to not tell Buffy. She didn't want to sound so cruel, but it was the truth, plain and simple. But plain and smiple wasn't what Buffy was looking for.

" Okay, because I don't want to have to listen to a screaming match between Wes and Buffy over Angel, and because we do need to get a move on before our demon friends reopen the Hell Mouth, Wes-man and I are gonna head over to Madam Kitty's place and see if she's heard anything on the demon grapevine, " Xander spoke up, just getting so sick of the whole business with Angel. He could sense Buffy's additude towards Angel's would or wouldn't be sexuality wasn't just hurting his friend Wesley.

" Should we come with you? " Willow offered. She too, would like the evening to move on.

" We~ell... " Xander hesistated, " Wills, think about it. This place is run by Madam Kitty. A Madam. Get what I'm saying? "

" Realization dawned in that emeradle gaze and Willow quickly turned as red as her hair. " N-no, that's quite all right! Not really into the whole S&M scene! " She studdered, flabergasted.

" Madam Kitty offers much more then a little bondage, Willow, " Xander explained, " but you might be exposed to somethings you aren't ready for. "

Willow's mouth dropped open. " H-how do you know all of this!? " Her eyes flashed, " And I'll have you know that I can handle anything, Xander Harris! "

" Okay, okay, truce, truce, Ms. Witch. Through a friend of ours, " Xander replied, " anyway, we should head over. Duke's getting antsy. " And with that said he and Wesley quickly headed off in the direction of the establishmentin question. Mostly 'cause Buffy looked like she was about to pop and needed to take it out on some poor, dumb fledglings that were sure to get in her way and Xander didn't feel like dwelling into his past with Willow just yet.

" I can't believe Angel's gay! And with Wesley! "

" I'm not gonna even say anything about how stupid or pathetic you sound pissing and moaning about Angel and about how he didn't share every bloodly fact of his past that was personal and probably couldn't talk about it for whatever his reasons were and you won't get over yourself because the vampire can't have a life, past or present, without you! " Dawn rambled, her voice rising in steady anger, " nope, not gonna say a damn thing! "

" Don't make me ground you, Dawn Summers, " Buffy retorted.

" Oh, I'd like to see you try since I'm in college now and I'm old enough to give my opinion! " Her sister shot back. She crossed her arms and cast a look over at Willow and Tara, " besides, you weren't the only one helped raise me! "

" Let's not fight. Let's just do our rounds and try to met up with everyone else later, okay? " Tara offered. Anything to get everone to stop yelling!

" Okay, but I'm coming with you and Willow, " Dawn replied.

* - * - *

The establishment of the imfamous Madam Kitty was usually overlooked by the general human public of Sunnydale. On the outside and in the daylight it looked like your ordinary, abandoned warehouse. Both Xander and Wesley only knew of the place and the Madam herself by rumor and mostly through D'Lark who was rather fond of the demoness. And not just because of the service she could provide for him durning his inbetween visits of business and general socialization. She was a shrewd business-demoness, crafty enough and sometimes down right malicious in going after what or whom she wanted. But Madam Kitty also only stepped on those who deserved it, especially if they happen to get her goat or were stepping on the underdog when there was no need for it.

On one occasion when one of her girls brought to her attention that a favorite bookstore she and a few of her fellow employees enjoyed visiting were being bullied by a shady realisate agency trying to force the elderly couple into selling their plot so the agency could sell it with the surrounding lots to a company looking to build a new minimall. The couple themselves had retired early from their coorpurate jobs to open a little place that was all their own where they could spend more time with each other and family. Business was a little rocky at times, but loyal customers kept the couple's business from sinking under. Madam Kitty got together with some of her favorite non-human lawfirm assoicates and by the time she was done teaching that particular realistate agency some manners, several individual agency members personally responsible for damage done to the bookstore had gone missing and the surviving members learned well enough to leave the elder couple alone if they wished to live.

To this day any employee of Madam Kitty who bought a book or two from their favorite bookstore got a nice little discount and Madam Kitty always sent a bottle of wine for all holidays.

The walk to Madam Kitty's and where Xander and Wesley had parted from the others was about a fifteen minute drive. They had only stepped around the corner and from sight when a limo pulled along side them and a drive stepped out.

" Master Harris and Master Wyndam-Pryce, I presum? " The driver asked. At their nodd, he walked around and opened the door, " Madam Kitty sent me with her compliments. "

" Well I was never one to turn down a lady, " Xander grinned and the two entered the fully loaded limo, everything and anything one could want was at their fingertips. Even two of Madam Kitty's finest girls to escort the gentlemen inside once they had arrived.

" Gentlemen, m'lady told us to apologize for her to you for not meeting you herself as she was busy with business, " the human of the pair explained. She was a pretty, petite creature with long dark hair, fair, baby soft, healty complexion, and huge amber colored eyes.

" We completely understand, miss. We're grateful for any time your lady could spare for us, " Wesley said with a relazed air about him, totally opposist of how he used to be when around the fairer sex.

" You don' have to worry about that, sugar, " the non-human female of the pair chuckled, " Madam K coulda had a meeting with the President himself, but she'd still rather met you sweet, fine things. " Female demon with human features, no extra limbs, smooth, soft complexion the color of sunset purple, fresh snow white hair that grew like mane down her back, and with eyes as dark as mahogamy with a twinkle of mischieve. Fangs and longer then normal nails were furthur tell-tails signs of her un-human nature.

" Dibs on the Brit, " she purred and it was a good thing Angel wasn't around when she made herself comfortable in the former watcher's lab.



* Don't worry. Part 5b will be up shortly. I promise, but it's just so late!! And the whole chapter 5 is longer then I remembered. I hope you've enjoyed it. Took me long enough!!