For The Love Of Spike

Chapter Seven
Angel jerked awake when he heard the door open, not believing he fell asleep with all the turmoil in his life right now, he stood up and stretched. He looked down at the sleeping vampire on the bed and sighed, how was he possibly going to make this up to him?
Darla picked the one thing to focus on that had the slightest possibility of bringing Angelus back. William had always been his week spot, the one thing that Angelus ever loved; sure he felt the normal sire childe bond with Drusilla, but the all consuming love? That was for William alone.
When Darla had given her ultimatum Angelus was enraged, he couldn’t lose his boy, even if he took him and ran he knew there would be no place on this earth that they would be safe from her. So he agreed to the proposal that Darla put forth to him. Erase William’s memories; make him believe that it was Drusilla that sired him, turn all that love and devotion that William had showered on him to her. And the results were everything that Darla wanted, not being able to stand the indifference in his boy’s eyes he turned the rage of that grief towards making his life unbearable. He whipped William, lashed him with his cold words, and sat and watched helplessly as his sweet William turned into Spike.
After that it all became a blur, Darla’s gift of the gypsy and the soul afterwards, he longed then for his sweet boy, he would have given anything to have him back.
He jumped when he heard someone coming down the ladder, thinking it was Buffy again and not believing that she would have the audacity to return to were she clearly wasn’t wanted, he turned around ready to let a little Angelus come to fore, only to find a hesitant Dawn standing at the bottom of the ladder.
“Angel?” She asked uncertainly, having heard Willow and Buffy talking and wanting to be sure.
“Yes, Dawn. Angel, soul is still here.”
Dawn let out a sigh of relief, and then sat her book bag down and walked over to the bed, anxious to see that Spike was alright. “He’s sleeping right now.” He told her when she glanced anxiously at him.
“Will he be alright, Angel?” She asked him.
“Some rest and blood should help-“Angel started to say only to trail off when Spike moaned and thrashed out in his sleep.

“They won’t be back for awhile, Sire?” William asked, as the door shut behind Darla and Drusilla, the masters summoning of Darla was always a welcome time for the young fledge.
Angelus turned and looked down at his boy, the excitement was rolling off of him in waves, at the thought of having his precious sire all to himself. Then Angelus laughed, before pulling him into his arms and kissing him passionately, pulling back slightly he ran a finger down the face that was so dear to him and said.
“Yes, little one they will be gone for awhile so what shall we do to pass the time, huh?” William peeked at his sire from under sinfully long lashes and said mischievously. “Shag?”
Angelus thru back his head and roared with laughter, when he calmed down enough to talk he responded.
“Aye, me boy there will be plenty of that. But for now let’s sit down in front of the fire and enjoy it, hmm?”
End of flashback.

Spike woke up with a jerk; the first thing he registered was that he was in pain and his stomach was letting him know that it has had nothing in it besides whiskey for the last two weeks. The second thing he noticed was that he was not alone; he opened his eyes and looked around only to close them again quickly when he saw the object of his dreams standing beside a very worried looking Dawn.
Dawn?! Bloody hell, the bit was going to get him staked. He resigned himself to having to let Angel know he was awake and sat up.
“Spike! You’re awake.” Dawn screamed before throwing herself at the unsuspecting blonde, he winced as he caught her and then he pulled her close, needing the reassurance of the love she so effortlessly gave him, he closed his eyes when he felt the tears start to form in his eyes, yes, it was official William was back, and there was nothing he could do about it. He tightened his grip before setting her away from him.
“Bit, don’t you have school?” He asked her and winced at the hoarseness of his voice.
“Uh huh. But I had to come and see that you were alright.” He looked into her eyes and saw the concern in them and tried to smile she was so much like Joyce, what was it about the Summers that made you love them so much? Summers women, Buffy, oh bloody hell need to get the Bit out of here, the slayer always seemed to know when Dawn visited, and he always paid in blood for it.
“Bit, you have to get to school, and by now you’re probably late. Let me get dressed, and I’ll drive you, like old times ok?” He said seeing the way out of two messes, one Buffy’s anger and two the conversation with Angel that he didn’t want to have. He swung his legs around to the floor and stood up swaying slightly, Angel rushed forward to catch him and he jumped back not wanting his sire’s touch right now, needing it too much.
“Spike, you’re in no condition-“ Angel started to say only to have Spike cut him off. “Look been taking care of myself for a long time now, master vampire here. “ He told him angrily, not knowing who he was trying to convince himself or Angel.
“I know that, Will-“
“Quit calling me that!” Spike screamed pain and tears clogging his voice making it almost unrecognizable. “You have no right to call me that. I am going to take the Bit to school don’t be here when I get back, if nothing else you owe me that. Just stay away, Angel. I can’t do this right now.”
Dawn looked back and forth with wide eyes not believing what she was seeing or hearing. She felt a tug on her hand and looked back over to see that Spike was pulling her towards the tunnels, not wanting to resist and give the blonde yet more pain to deal with she followed him, but not before one last glance at Angel, he was wiping tears from his eyes, what was going on here? And why did she feel that maybe she should’ve never come here? Because the two vampires so obviously needed to talk.

Chapter Seven
Angel watched as Spike, no Will, because the hurt and disappointment in those blue eyes was all William, that he knew for certain, Darla had succeeded in doing something that even the return of an insane Angelus never managed to do, she broke his boy, and for that alone she will face his wrath. Vowing to make things right no matter how long it took, Angel reached into his pocket and pulled out the cell phone that Cordy insisted that he carry and dialed the hotel.
“Angel Investigations, we help the helpless, how may I help you?”
“Cordelia, it’s me, I’m going to be lunged than I thought so unless there is something you can’t handle, I’ll be staying here indefinitely.”
“What? Angel what are you talking about? Indefinitely? Is something wrong there? Do you need some help?”
“No, I don’t need any help, thanks. This is personal; I’ll explain it all to you some other time right now I have arrangements to make.” With that he clicked the phone off and started dialing, he would need a place to stay, and not the mansion it would bring back too many painful memories for his boy, it was unacceptable for him to be here in this damp crypt. And then he would go about making things right.
“Hello.”
“It’s me. I need a place, in Sunnydale, by tonight spare no expenses. I want it nice and I want it by tonight.”
“Angelus?” The voice on the other line asked.
“Yes, are we clear?” Angel asked.
“Yes, yes very clear.”
“Just making sure. Time is wasting.” Angel started to hang up when the voice said.
“Oh and, Angelus?”
“What?” He asked impatiently.
“Welcome back.” Angel said nothing he just smiled and hung up the phone.

They had been walking for awhile when Dawn not able to stand the silence anymore said. “What was that back there, Spike?” Spike looked over at Dawn and then he wished for the hundredth time that he had grabbed his duster on the way out the door, he needed a cigarette.
“What was what, Bit?” He asked hoping to divert her, she was a smart one his sweet Bit.
“All that back there with you and Angel. Don’t try and tell me I won’t understand. You never treated me like a kid before so don’t start now.”
Spike looked away from those way beyond their years, knowing eyes, she saw too much and he wasn’t ready to talk about it.
“If there was anything to know you would be the first one I’d tell.”
“Bullshit, Spike. This is me remember I know you. We held each other together after Buffy died. And I haven’t seen that look since Buffy died so spill.” Spike met her eyes and she drew in a breath at the look of devastation in his eyes.
“Not right now, Dawn. It’s all still new and too painful.” She searched his eyes looking for something to give her the indication that the Spike she knew, the brash implosive, life loving vampire that she grew to love despite everything Buffy did to stop her, and found no trace of him. In his place was someone who looked like everything he ever believed in was ripped away from him. She knew that look, for she wore the same look herself when she found out she was the key and every memory that she ever had was based on a lie that some monks implanted into everyone’s memories. And she knew that she would be there for him just like he was there for her. She nodded and then looked up shocked to see they were at the Desoto, so she opened up the door and climbed in and waited for Spike to drive her to school.