*****

London, 1880

William gazed at the roaring fire, his bright eyes shining with ardent curiosity. Reaching out a slender hand, he waved it over the dancing flames, smiling as they licked and jumped around his palm. And for a while he was completely content. But he knew that the sadness was soon to overcome him. It was so beautiful and yet, he could not help the disappointment that frequently flooded him after gazing into the fireplace for too long. But he knew why he persisted in staying close to the fire, even though it only made him melancholy. Removing his hand with a sigh, he lay down in front of the fireplace, closing his eyes in thought.

�Just a mirror for the sun�� he murmured.

�Will? Are ye alright?� A commanding voice broke into William�s frustrated thoughts, making him look up with a start.

His sire stared back at him from the bed, book in hand, his eyes narrowed and cautious. His face screamed suspicion, and William didn�t like that look. Not when it was being directed at him. And it was being directed at him a lot nowadays.

William looked away from his sire. �I am well.� He spoke into the fire.

Angelus snapped his book shut. �Don�t lie to me boy! Your mind is sick, I can hear it scream. It�s all I�ve been hearing for days, and I for one am tired of it. So either you tell me what�s wrong now or I come over there and beat it out of you. Take your pick.�

Fearing punishment from his sire, William immediately opened his mouth to speak but no words escaped his lips. Frustration racked his body. He tried to speak again, but his throat closed up once more. It�s not fair! He screamed silently as he looked into the angered eyes of his sire. I want so much to tell you�

�I cannot say.� Was all that he said.

Angelus�s eyes widened. Will had always been honest with him, no matter what was on his mind. They had always been open with one another in the past, that�s the way it had always been between them. That�s the way it SHOULD be between sire and childe. Angelus growled softly, feeling his fury rise within him.

�Are you disobeying me?� He hissed slowly, dangerously.

Unconsciously, William�s eyes filled with tears. He knew this day would come. What was he supposed to do now?

Snarling, Angelus jumped off the bed and strode purposefully across the room to his insolent childe. William scrambled to his knees, the putrid waves of anger coming from his sire terrifying him to death. Angelus was furious. He was in for it now. Closing his eyes, he prepared himself for the blows that were sure to come.

Instead he only felt a cool hand caressing his wet cheek. Thoroughly astonished, his eyes snapped open to meet the equally astonished eyes of his beloved sire.

�Crying?� Angelus asked in wonder.

Oh God! When did he start to cry? He never cried, his sire had always forbidden him to do. Any show of vulnerability was considered unseemly in a vampire. William felt his insides tear. What must his sire think of him?

All worry about any violent reaction from Angelus was erased when his sire took him into his arms and held him close. �Don�t cry.� Angelus whispered into his childe�s hair.

�Sire, I�� William fell silent, wishing he could spill his heart out, unable to fight the doubt that still gnawed at him. Smoothing back his light brown tresses, the older vampire kissed him lightly on the forehead. �You can tell me anything, Will.�

�Can I?�

Angelus�s arms suddenly went slack.

William pulled out of them, suddenly very uncomfortable.

======================================================

*RING RING*

*RING RING*

*RING RING*

*RING RIIIIIIIIIIIIINGGGG*

There was a tiny click as Spike finally picked up the phone.

�Fuck off!� Spike yelled into the receiver.

�Spike?�

How the fuck did he know where I was staying? For a second Spike was shocked into silence. Then he got his voice back. �What the hell do you want.� He demanded stiffly.

�We need to talk.� Angel simply stated.

�There's nothing to say.�

�There is plenty to say.� Angel corrected him angrily. �We have to deal with this, you can�t just hide from-�

�I�M hiding?� Spike repeated icily.

Angel kept silent. So did Spike. Neither of them knew what to say after that.

Finally Angel gave up. �I�ll be in my office if you change your mind. Goodbye, Will.�

Fury rose up in Spike at being called by that name. He was about to give Angel a thorough screaming at but he had already hung up, leaving nothing but a steady dial tone in his wake.

Spike threw the phone against the wall, growling as it smashed into several pieces. He wants to have a fucking discussion group? FINE! I�ll discuss. I�ll fuck him up so bad it�ll tear him apart, and when I�m through with him that bastard won�t have a prayer.

Snarling under his breath, he grabbed his duster from the bed and slammed the door on his way out.

Time to pay another visit to Daddy.

~fin~