The phone loomed on the table like a giant demon insect waiting to devour Angel whole. He had been staring at it for the last three hours trying to gather the courage to make a call he knew would change his life. For the better or worse was yet to be determined. Xander was sitting on the plush leather couch reading a book, occasionally glancing at his lover with a bemused expression on his face. The next time Xander glanced up, Angel glared at him, which only made a broad grin spread across the new vampire's face.
It just wasn't fair. He knew the reasons why he had to call but it didn't mean he had to like them. It was necessary that Xander get the best training he could and Angel simply couldn't give it to him without jumping on him at every turn. A sweaty, panting, excited Xander was simply more than he could resist. But it still wasn't fair.
Sighing, he finally picked up the phone from its cradle and slowly dialed the numbers. The line rang. And rang. And rang. Angel was just about to hang up with a sigh of relief when the other end was picked up.
"Hello?" Said somewhat breathlessly, as if the owner of the voice had run to the phone.
"Rupert? It's me, Angel."
"Angel? Is something the matter? What's wrong? Is Xander o.k.?" Giles' voice gained an octave as his worry grew. Angel hurried to reassure the Watcher.
"No, no, Xander's fine. I actually called to speak to Spike. Is he there?" Giles, relief evident in his voice, confirmed that he was and set the phone down. Angel could hear Giles bellowing for the bleached vampire and a brief argue before the phone was picked up.
"Oi Peaches, what do ya want?" Same old Spike.
"I need your help with something." Angel began, somewhat embarrassedly, to fill in the reason for the call. Waiting for the laughter to die down he shot his lover an accusing look. Xander simply lifted his eyebrow in a 'who me?' manner and once more turned to his book, smug expression firmly in place.
"Peaches your such a ponce." Spike stated trying to catch his unnecessary breath. "Why should I help you? Last time I was down we wasn't exactly chatting and having a cuppa."
"I know Spike." Angel sighed. "I just need...please." At the serious note in his Sire's voice Spike grew pensive. His Sire had never asked him for *anything* before, let alone saying please. Perhaps it was time to let some things go....maybe. No reason to look too eager though.
"What's in it for me, Peaches?"
"You want me to pay you?" Realizing the ridiculousness of that question, of course Spike would demand payment, he hurried to comply. "Alright, $100 a lesson plus room and board."
"And blood but none of that nasty animal crap, I want human, O neg."
"Spike..."
"Take it or leave it Peaches."
"Fine, whatever. When can you be here?"
"Well it's noon now, so I'll leave soon as the sun goes down."
Having for once agreed they each hung up the phone. Looking up from the phone Angel spoke, his teeth clenched. "Not one word. Not one." He got up and left the room to the howls of laughter coming from his Childe.
*****
Spike set the phone down in the cradle and turned to face Giles who had been hovering nearby. "Well, I'm off to L.A. Peaches needs me."
"Do you think that's wise?" Giles inquired, slipping off his glasses and polishing them on a handkerchief.
"No, but it's better than here. What with soldier boys and the Slayer hangin' about it's gettin' to were a vamp can't be a proper demon." Spike smirked at the Watcher and sat down on the sofa, flipping on the televison. He had several hours left before the sun went down and since he had nothing to pack, he had time to kill. Time to kill. That was about all he could kill nowadays. Shaking off his temporary self-pity, he found the loudest and most annoying show he could and sat back. Giles muttered under his breath about bleach affecting intelligence and went back upstairs to his room.
Spike reviewed the conversation with Angel. The fact that his Sire had called had surprised him. He hadn't even known the poof knew about his current situation and that thought led to a whole new series of questions he decided to tuck away until later. What had shocked him was Angel asking for help....and help with a new Childe at that.
He could remember his training at the hands of Angelus. It had been brutal, bloody, and there was no repeating. You learned it the first time or you didn't walk for a week, sometimes two. But Angel had a soul now and was having difficulties. His brain swarmed with all the ways he could play with this situation but he decided to wait until he got there before making any decisions.
This was gonna be interesting.
The End