Back In The Game

Back In The Game

Spuffy....Spuffy...but will take time to get there.....Buffy/Immortal implied.....

No actual harm to any fictional charater was done during the writing of this story. I borrowed the characters and no profit was made by me or anyone associated with this project.

CHAPTER ONE


Los Angeles May 13th 4:30 a.m.

Lorne continued to look into his glass of whiskey, not knowing whether to cry, laugh, or scream. He knew that by killing Lindsey and not joining the fight had betrayed his friends in the end. He also knew that his being there would have hindered the others from fighting at their best, because they would have been worried about him and his inability to fight. Angel, especially, would have paid more attention to his well-being than to his own.

He wasn’t sure where to go from here. "Do I wait and see if they make it and then leave?" He hung his head and held back the tears fighting for release. "Or do I go and let fate play my hand and see where it takes me?" He was lost deep in his thoughts that he didn't realize he had spoken aloud.

The green demon sadly smiled as he stood up, leaving money on the bar to cover his drink and tip. On his way out the door, he started to hum a catchy little tune. By the time, he put his key in the ignition and put the car in drive. He'd started to sing.

"Somewhere, over the rainbow way up high." He pointed the car toward the east and decided to let fate take him away.

A young male, be that demon or human, no one could tell, stood and watched the sad ex-owner of a once popular demon bar drive off singing to the Wizard of Oz. He had tried to get Lorne's attention, but by the time, he'd gotten within hearing distance the demon had said something that worried him.

"I have to find out if my father is okay," Connor sighed as he ran to the SUV. He needed to catch the demon so he could tell him where he could find Angel.

Connor had to tell his father what he had found when he had returned home to his so-called surrogate family, Lawrence and Colleen Reilly. It seemed they had known all along whom and what Connor was. The Senior Partners hired the couple to watch over him and try to turn him to the side of evil. What they didn’t know was when the spell to make him forget who he really was had been reversed, he had come to understand and believe just how much his true father did love him. Nothing was ever going to destroy that love again.

Lorne felt like someone was following him when suddenly headlights were flashing on and off from behind. His first instinct was to run, but he knew that it would be useless. If they were out to kill him, there was nowhere he could run. Thinking it could be one of the gang, he decided to stop.

The demon pulled his car over to the side of the street and watched as the silver SUV pulled up behind him. He watched as a young male got out of the truck and started to approach his car. For some reason he felt he knew who it was, but just could not put his finger on it. Suddenly he called out as he rolled down his window, "Sing for me, young one, and do it quick."

Connor smiled, and started singing a tune that would remind the demon of a happier time, not musically as much as comically; with all the stories he had heard about it. He started singing, Barry Manilow's 'Mandy' and heard the shocked gasp and his name being said,

"Connor, Oh, My God!,, I remember now…Connor!" Lorne shouted.

"Yeah, it's me, and I won't hurt you, I promise."

Lorne opened the car door, jumped out, and grabbed the kid in a bear hug as his tears flowed. "He will live through you; we haven't lost him as long as you're alive."

Connor knew the implications of the demon's words as he returned the hug and started to cry- his father was dead. "He came to see me today, I knew then it was bad."

Lorne felt a sense of closure as everything was falling into place now, the real reason Angel went to work for department evil. It was to give Connor a second chance. Making right what that damn demon hunter had wrongfully done, by making the son hate the father. Trying to give the boy a chance to be normal. So he could forget the past misdeeds and misconceptions that had darkened his life since he had come back from the other dimension fully grown and brainwashed.

"Tell me, is my father dead?" Connor barely could ask without crying.

"I don't know, for sure if he is yet. But they were meeting up at the hotel after they finished taking out the circle," Lorne replied.

"Should we join them?"

Lorne looked up and noticed the sun was about to peak its head up over the horizon. "I'm not sure what we'll find there?"

"I'm willing to take my chances," Connor nodded.

"Okay, sweet cheeks, I drive, you talk. Tell me what happened that you were out in demon bars to the wee hours of the morning."

Connor smiled as he moved to get into the passenger seat. He took a moment to catch his breathe before he started to tell Lorne about his day. Including the fact, he had helped his father fight Hamilton, and that his father had killed the best-dressed demon rep the firm ever had, so his father had said.

Lorne heard the sadness in the boy's voice as he told him how Angel made him leave his side earlier that night. He could hear how the boy was proud of his father, and had wanted to be there to fight along side the man he came to admire and love. He also heard the heartbreak in his voice, over his so-called parents and how they had tried to kill him.

The last thing he wanted was to take the boy to his father's grave. He prayed for Angel's well being, but he had seen Connor's future, and his father was no where to be seen. Instead, he had envisioned another vampire and a slayer holding an important role in the young man's future.

*******

He could smell the impending scent of dawn approaching as his senses were coming back to life. For some reason, he was having a hard time waking up, aching all over while thinking to himself, 'Feels like I've been run over by a train.'

"You awaken," a monotone voice broke into his thoughts.

"Yeah, so what," he returned as he looked over at her highness, sitting there all bloody. "What the hell happened to you?" He asked, with a confused look on his face.

She tilted her head and gave him a questioning look as she replied, "Same thing that happened to you, vampire."

Spike shook his head, trying to remember what he had been doing the night before. "Sorry, Your Highness, but I'm drawin' a blank at the moment."

"I can understand it from a human, but not from an undead creature such as yourself." Her words spoke unkindly, but the look she was giving him showed her concern.

"Maybe if you give us just a little hint, it might all come rushin' back and all." Spike squinted as he looked around the room. Wondering where Captain bloody Avenger and the rest of his merry crew ran off to. For some reason he was sure that Angel not being here right now was very important piece of information.

The blue warrior looked sadly at the vampire who had come to mean something to her. In their own way, they all had touched her in some fashion. One she never regarded highly, but she would have to seek vengeance on. She was sure the traitor would not be happy to see her. The blonde vampiress would pay for her betrayal.

"Do you not remember our mission to kill the members of the Circle?" Illryia asked calmly, watching the blonde male closely. "Do you not remember fighting the demonic army or the slaying of the dragon?"

Spike tilted his head and concentrated on what she was asking, sparks of memory coming back to him, as he muttered, "I remember going and savin' the little imp and taking him back to his half-baked mum. Now that was a vision of sunshine and roses, let me tell ya. Saw more joy watching Angel's face slam a door in mine, than that poor excuse of a mother takin' her own flesh and blood back into her arms."

"He will not be safe with her for the survivors of the clan will return for him," she told him.

"Yeah, well I’m gonna talk with Peaches about that, see if we can find him a safe home and all." Spike swung his legs over to the side of the bed. "Where are we?"

"We are inside the hotel."

"Where are the others?" he asked as he stood up and stretched.

"They did not make it," she stated without any emotion as she looked out at the rain that was still falling from the darkened skies. "When Angel died, they started to break off and leave."

"What!" Spike looked over at the blue demon. "Angel’s dead? As in- dusted? I mean he's like me and already dead an all, well undead."

"He did slay the dragon as he wished, and then they killed him." She shrugged. "They were no longer interested in us for some reason, so I picked you up and brought you inside here."

"How did he die?"

"They cut off his head, and he became dust." She looked over at the vampire and frowned. "I can feel your grief. It is as I had felt for Wesley."

Spike suddenly remembered everything, from catching up with the great Poof in the alley, to Charlie boy's bloody return, and the Blue Meanie jumping down to tell them that the ex-watcher had died during his mission. "Well, seems it's just you and me, pet." He chose to ignore her assumption on his grief over his Grandsire's demise.

"It is I that wish to keep you as my pet," Illryia glared.

"Ain't nobody bein' anybody’s pet, you stupid bint…just an endearment that I will have to curb using around you I see." Spike rolled his eyes as it made him think of an ex-demon he used to know as he thought to himself. 'Ah, Anya…you and Blue here would've been entertainment galore, that’s for sure. Just, as if I was sittin' down to a good dose of Monty Python.'

"What do we do now?" she asked, ignoring his words.

"Well, I say we get out of L.A. for one, as far away from the evil empire as we can." Spike walked over toward the window and looked down into the alley where they had faced their enemy as four soldiers, and now were down to two. "I don't understand why they just walked away leavin' us alive. It just makes no sense."

"We are not important to them, insignificant." She shrugged, "A very bad tactical decision on their part. In my day we left no one standing."

Spike looked sad at first, agreeing about the not being important. "No, they had their reasons, just didn't care to share. We need to find safe haven and regroup and plan our next step is all."

"Since this is your world you must decide where we are to go," she simply stated as she joined him at the window.

Spike snorted. "Luv, there's nowhere we can call safe, not after today." He looked down at the trashed alley and wished they could gather their dead. They didn't deserve unmarked graves. They deserved words said over their burial places, telling anyone who would listen that the bravest warriors lie there.

Angel and his lot died to make the world just a little safer, from those who could not be defeated. Sent evil back to the drawing board to find another way to defeat and conquer the world.

He hated that Angel was right and couldn't keep from silently agreeing. "Like Mr. Martyr said- can't kill them? Just make it where they have to start all over. I think we just move around for awhile, keep a low profile." Spike sighed. "First we need to think about how to save the brat, and then leave town."

"First I must find the one who betrayed us and kill her, and then we can think of the child," Illyria stated, hate laced in her words. She still had a problem with thinking about the safety of one human child.

"Her?" Spike asked as he looked at the old one, trying to figure out whom she was talking about when suddenly it came to him like a punch in the stomach. "Damn, stupid bint. Harmony."

He looked ready to kill, thinking, 'God, can't believe I told her she had on a pretty skirt and tried to get a quickie, good thing she went evil, before I got to home plate.'

"Yes, she is who I speak of." Illyria smiled evilly.

"Well, if we find her, you can kill her as long as I get to watch and cheer you on." Spike returned the smile. "However, we can't hunt her right now, it's not safe to hunt her and try and get the boy safe before we leave."

"So, where do we go from here?"

"I say we sleep, and then we can see about procuring us some transportation out of this town and think of a plan to save Junior." Spike sighed. "I'm thinkin' after, we just keep moving until we find a place we wish to hang our white hats for a spell."

"Hang? White hats?" She looked at him as if he had finally lost his mind. "We do not wear any hats to hang."

"Never, mind luv…another one of those human expression that makes no sense to you yet." Spike found himself smiling. "I will make you a human lover yet, Blue, you just wait and see."

Illyria briefly looked at the smiling idiot before turning to find the comfort only a bed could give her right now. She was feeling tired all of a sudden and knew she would not be able to stay awake much longer. "I feel the need for rest."

Spike watched as she moved toward the bed and removed the blankets. His smile deepened as she used them to cover the windows to block the on coming rays of sun that would come shortly. "I must make sure my only chance to get out of this town does not fade to dust."

"I'm glad you got my back, Pet." Spike laughed as he noticed the irritated look come on her face. He then walked over to lie down on the other empty bed. 'What I need is some blood soon, lost more then I care to admit.' He thought of how he was going to get the money he would need to buy it.

Illyria looked over and noticed that the blonde vampire was more pale than usual. She walked over bedside the bed, stared down at him, and smiled. "Would my blood help to sustain you until you can find that variety that is more acceptable to you?"

"Don't know luv, never bit a blue majestic before." Spike shrugged. "Not even sure yours won't kill me."

She looked down at him with a look of indecision, when suddenly she lay down beside him and offered him her neck. "Feed."

"What?" Spike looked into her blue eyes and felt a connection.

"I said feed, Pet." She brought her hand up behind his neck and gently brought his face closer to her neck. "I do not like how weak you are becoming."

He could smell the strong blood flowing through her veins, her calling him pet made him chuckle. "I just need a small nip is all, just enough to help me heal faster."

"Take what you need, for you will not kill me," she whispered. "You need me as much as I need you."

He was about to protest, but then realized she had spoken the truth. For, if they were to survive, they would need each other to do so. Upon this day, he found the one person he could trust with anything and everything. Her decision to fight with them forged a trust, but saving his life formed a bond that nothing but death could break.

She felt his features change and a small pinch in her neck as he gently bit into her. She felt the pull as he drank softly from her, feeling warmth for this creature that she had once called enemy.

He took just enough to take off the edge of his hunger. As he withdrew his fangs, he lightly licked the wound clean until it stopped bleeding and no blood was left visible. He had expected her to get up and move on to the other bed but was surprised when she shifted in his arms and cuddled closer laying her head upon his shoulder.

Neither of them spoke of their position when he pulled her closer as they drifted off to sleep, to rest for their journey out of L.A., once the sun disappeared.

*******

Whistler smiled as he looked inside the hotel room through the window, and noticed the odd couple consoling each other on the bed. The bottom corner of the window had a small enough opening he could peek through.

He looked up toward the sky and smiled. "I think we did a nice job at protecting her champion." He opened his hand and revealed an old rolled up scroll. The fact that The Powers That Be had the original Shanshu prophecy did not surprise him.

He had arrived just in time to use the glamour spell to protect Spike and Illyria. Just like the one he gave Angel to trick Hamilton into believing he was fighting with his friends. This one made the demon army think that all four warriors had died in battle.

The demon felt bad, having been the one that put the ball in motion to set Angel up as the one the prophecy was supposed to be about, under directions of the Oracles. They had known all along that the cursed soul Angelus was not the vampire mentioned in the prophecy, but it told of a creature of the walking dead that fed off humans to survive, that for the love of a slayer would fight for and win his soul.

He would become a champion, and for overcoming, his true nature he would be rewarded his Shanshu. What no one knew was the meaning of Shanshu. Everyone assumed it was becoming human again after redemption, but again that was the forged copy's intent for those involved to believe such drivel. Its true meaning could only be revealed to the rightful recipient when the time was right, and he was ready to accept it.

Eve waited for her brother as he walked toward her, wanting to run to him and hug him tight. She held back, not knowing how he would react to seeing her again after all this time. Thoughts of if he knew that The Powers That Be had sent her into the fire to prepare for this day came to mind.

She hated that Angel had Lindsey killed- that had not been part of the deal. But since having found out that Lorne had been the one to kill him, she understood why it had to be done. The Pylean must have foreseen her lover's betrayal of them in the future. Knowing this made it easier for her to understand, but not making it hurt less.

"So, are they okay?" she asked Whistler as he came and hugged her close.

"Yeah, sis, they are both fine, going to survive this they are." He smiled sadly down at his youngest sister he had not seen in over a hundred years. Not since the day she had went to work for the bastards at Wolfram and Hart. "How are you, Evie?"

"I'm sorry I never told you the truth about why I went to work for the evil corporate beings," Eve whispered softly. "Other than feeling like I lost my heart, I'm doing okay, I guess."

"I'm glad you can come home now. Everyone will be more then happy to see you, ya know."

"I'm more than ready. What better way to heal my broken heart than with the love of family?" She smiled, knowing she was on the road to become who she used to be. She was a good little demon, who had stopped believing in miracles a long time ago. Today she witnessed one, but at a steep price.

The truth be told she had come to care about Angel's little gang of do-gooders. "They truly are what heroes are all about. I just wish they could be written about and given stories worthy of their sacrifice."

Whistler smiled as he let her go, only to take her hand. "Yes, maybe one day it can be done, maybe you should write about what you have seen and what you know of them and the events of today." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, proud of the woman she had become.

"Home," he said as he closed his eyes and mumbled more words under his breath. Eve smiled as she felt her body becoming warmer as the incantation started to work. She felt a weight leave her shoulders, knowing that soon she would be home with her family. Until she would be needed again that is were she would stay.

*******

Lorne and Connor arrived at the hotel as the sun was rising. The green demon smiled sadly as he pulled out the key, he thought he would never use it again as he let himself and the boy in the hotel. By seeing the lights off and evidence that no one had been in the office told them what they needed to know. Friends and family had not survived, and both looked at each other and could not say anything at first.

Finally, Connor looked at the man who he remembered as being easygoing and always able to see the silver lining in most things. "I'm going to go to my dad's room and get some sleep."

"You go right ahead kid; you need your beauty sleep. I’ll crash here on the couch." Lorne nodded. "We can rest up and then we can take a look around town, put our ears to the underground and see if we can find anything out."

"Sounds like a great plan." Connor looked around the office and thought of happier times when Cordelia would be answering the phones, Wes and Gunn would be talking about the latest demon conquest with Fred listening and smiling with silent understanding. All the while, his father would be down in his room resting, trusting those he considered his friends to watch over him.

"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" Lorne sighed. "I will only remember the good ones."

"Yeah, it does, and I, too, will only take the good ones with me," Connor said with a small smile on his face as he went to the elevator that would take him to his father's room.

"Sleep well sweet cheeks, I’ll be here when you wake up, I promise."

"I know you will be," Connor returned, letting his father's friend know he trusted his word.

Both settled down to rest not knowing that one floor above them were two survivors who held the answers they were looking for. As the upstairs couple on the bed slept, not knowing they had guests below them. Neither knew what the morning would bring, too exhausted to care, too numb to feel. The protection spell Whistler had placed over the occupied rooms keeping their presence hidden from each other.

*******