Angel lay in bed and knew that he would have another sleepless night. He had helped the girls to bed. He had locked up the hotel, and he had gone in search of Spike. He could still feel the hardness pressing into him. So repressed, so needing release in hard, physical contact, he desperately wanted to find Spike, to speak to him, to.. Angel didn't know exactly what he wanted to do with Spike, but his blood surged in his veins and whispered suggestions that confused him.

When he got to Spike's room, he hesitated in the doorway then leant on the doorjamb smiling. Face down, one boot off, Spike lay as if comatose, the excursions of the night seemingly having undone him. Angel frowned briefly; he had forgotten how fragile Spike still was and cursed himself that he had allowed him to drink so much. He slipped silently into the room and covered the sleeping vampire with a couple of blankets then returned frustrated to his own room.

He lay in bed thinking about release, remembering the feel of Darla's body under his, imagining Buffy's on him, but when he ran a hand over his chest, it was Spike's hard flatness that met him. When he took his penis in his hand, it was Spike's penis in his mind. He brought Spike into his bed, and his male presence banished the two women who had been Angel's obsession hitherto.

When he came, shuddering into his own hand, it was Spike's slim body riding him that had brought that delicious release.

********************

Angel felt ill the next morning and enjoyed every stab of the human pain in his head, every grumble of the human sickness in his belly. He had not had a hangover for a very long time, and it amused him to think how much they had all enjoyed themselves the night before. He heard Cordy and Fred come down, moaning and complaining, but he only had half an ear for them. He was listening for.. He came in. Angel lowered his face. Spike handed him a mug of blood and perched on the desk next to him. 'I'm ill.'

Angel looked up at Spike's amused tone and laughed. 'Think the girls are worse.'

Spike pouted and ran his finger over a small scratch on the desk. 'Angel. did I. proposition you.? Only I don't remember much, but I remember..'

'We danced together.'

Spike's eyes widened. 'No!'

Angel grinned.

'You felt me up.'

'No!'

'In front of the girls - for a long time.'

'No!'

Angel smiled shyly. 'You passed out, and I went to bed.'

'Oh. No.' Angel laughed at the same word being repeated in such a different tone.

Spike pursed his lips. 'I thought about you when I woke up this morning.'

Angel sat back, not seeing the significance of this. Spike looked him in the eye. 'Angel. I. thought about you. this morning. Do you get what I'm saying here?'

'Oh. OH!' Angel smirked a little and looked down, pleased. 'I thought about you last night.'

Spike raised an eyebrow. 'Jeez.'

Angel put a hand on Spike's thigh and began to run his thumb up and down softly on the hard muscle. Spike looked down.

'That feels. nice. Strangely, that feels nice.'

'Hmm.' Angel slid his hand higher.

'That feels even better.'

'Hmm.' Angel's thumb brushed over the seam just below Spike's zip, and he hissed slightly, a sound almost masked by the slight, but meaningful cough from the doorway.

Angel pulled his hand away; Spike turned sharply.

Angel shot out a harsh, surprised sound. `Wesley?'

Wesley stood his ground in the doorway for a moment, just establishing that he was not afraid of Angel then turned purposefully and went back out into the lobby to stand by a small holdall at his feet. Fred, Gunn and Cordelia were standing together behind the counter, their loyalties strained by this unexpected visitor.

Angel and Spike came out of the office together. Angel went menacingly up to the human. `You had better have....'

`I came to see Spike.'

`Spike?'

`Yes, Spike.'

Spike came forward slightly, eyeing him cautiously. `What?'

`I've been thinking a lot about our conversation.'

Angel turned slowly to Spike. `What conversation?'

`I went to ask him about the chip, if he knew why it still works....'

Wesley listened to the slick lie and saw Angel nod. Whatever he said now, he knew Angel would not believe him. He had not missed the intimate moment. He sensed Angel's need for this childe of his. He smiled inwardly, glad now that he had come, and that he had made the decision he had. He faced Spike and spoke directly to him, trying to ignore Angel's presence. `Yes, that's right, Spike. I see that what I told you has been of some help already.' Spike pursed his lips, looked thoughtful but, otherwise, made no comment. `However, you must know that I cannot allow that to happen.'

Angel started to interrupt, but Wesley quickly continued, still addressing Spike. `So, as I am utterly helpless to stop you, as it were, I have brought you something instead.'

Spike's eyebrow lifted, and he looked at Wesley speculatively. Wesley bent to the holdall, rummaged for a moment, noted, with an amused inward smile, Spike's step back and Angel's step forward, and deposited a very small, slightly fluffy puppy at Spike's feet.

Spike squeaked and jumped back as if it were the stake he had half been expecting. `Bloody hell! What the friggin' fuck is that?'

Wesley's reply was somewhat lost in the inordinate amount of oohing and ahhing from Fred and Cordelia as they rushed around to embrace and pet the bewildered animal.

Wesley spun on his heel and left. Angel and Spike looked at each other, amazed. Angel cast an eye down to the puppy and said slowly, `Get rid of it, someone.... OW!' Cordelia hit him again and glared for good measure. Spike turned, as if to go back to his blood, but the puppy wriggled out of Fred's arms and began to follow him. He did a neat sidestep, seemed about to give it a small kick but saw Cordelia's expression. `I don't want it.'

He carried on into the kitchen, the puppy stumbling in his wake.

**********************

It was unfortunate for Spike that he didn't like or want the dog, for the dog picked on him from the small cast of likely masters to be his. He followed him everywhere he went downstairs that day and, as he was too small to climb, whined pitifully until, with a huff, one of the humans got up to carry him up the stairs to wherever Spike had gone.

Angel was bewildered by the gift and could not fathom Wesley's motives. That he had come to his house, that he had come in uninvited, offended Angel. That he had also thought how good it looked to have Wesley standing in the lobby again and how he had wanted him to stay, was swiftly repressed.

He watched Spike avoiding the puppy with amusement. When Spike saw his amusement, he rolled his eyes, but they shared another small, intimate moment at that tiny glance across the room.

The girls took on the job of feeding the dog. After an hour or two, leads, bowls and toys began to take over the lobby. They could not decide if they had a valuable pedigree in their midst or a mutt. Angel, who was now quite blas� about the dog's presence, said that, knowing Wesley, it was a mutt. Spike said he didn't care one way or the other, but that it was a border collie. He would stare at it sometimes then turn away, complaining that it looked at him too deeply.

Later that evening, after one of these mutual staring sessions, he came into Angel's office and sat on his desk. `Angel...?'

`Hmm.' Angel glanced up at Spike then sat back and tented his hands. `What?'

`Do you think it's a robot?'

Angel summoned all his considerable reserves of strength not to laugh. `The dog?'

`Yeah. I mean. why did he bring it? I don't get it. and those bloody eyes looking at me all the time. Maybe they're cameras like, and he's watching.... Oh, fuck off....'

Spike stomped out on Angel's laughter. The next time he came into the lobby, Angel toed the puppy thoughtfully, then bent and said menacingly low, `Hello, Wesley.'

Spike merely breezed past with a cheery, 'Fuck off,' the puppy desperately trying to follow him as if his life depended on it.

The next day, Spike's things started to go missing. He didn't have a lot, so a T-shirt and some socks were inconvenient to lose. He accused Angel; he accused Gunn; he eyed Fred, but she gave him a withering look. She was the one who found it all - in a small nest-shaped bundle in one of the empty rooms next to Spike's. Spike looked down at the pile of urinated-on clothing and whirled in fury. `Where the fuck is it?'

Fred caught at his arm. `Don't, Spike. It's an expression of love really.'

`Yeah? Right, I'll show him an expression of demon love then. Where is the little fucker?'

He evaded her tailing after him and went in search of the guilty dog. Effectively as they had hidden him, the girls could not believe it when the puppy whimpered at Spike's call. He grinned at them evilly and extracted the helpless bundle from the drawer. They were powerless to prevent him carrying his prize upstairs. He heard them rush into Angel for support but ignored them, and took his prisoner into the room where he'd discovered the stolen items.

He held the dog up to his eyes and stared at him. The dog stared back. Spike faltered slightly and whispered, `Stop fucking looking at me and judging me. You don't know shit about what's going on here.'

He held the puppy up by his front legs until he whimpered then swung him around to see the pile of ruined clothes. `You're gonna die for that. I need to kill something, and you were first in line today.'

He held the puppy once more to his eye line. `Do you want to die? Do you?'

The puppy cried slightly. Spike frowned at the look in its eyes. `Did you think that was love?'

The puppy began to wriggle, fear beginning to set in at Spike's intense tone. Spike frowned and tipped his head on one side. 'Do you love me more than your own life?'

Suddenly, Spike's legs began to buckle. He put a hand out and leant on the wall, and then slid down it and put head in his hands. `Will you die for me? If I take my life from you, will you say no? Will you come on the journey with me?'

Not realising that Spike was no longer talking to him, the puppy nuzzled into his hand as if a willing sacrifice. `Don't. You shouldn't have surrendered yourself so easily.' When the puppy only nuzzled in more, with a distressed whine at Spike's sobs, he eased it onto his lap and continued to whisper, `Don't, please, don't.'

Angel, weakened by the assault from the two furious females, went upstairs to intervene in the puppy slaughter. By the time he found them, Spike was sitting smoking on the windowsill with no outward sign of any emotion, just one hand trailing down toward the floor, gently tugging and twisting around a pair of soft, willing ears.

Angel looked at the quiet, contented picture, slightly puzzled. 'What are you doing?'

Spike didn't look at him but continued to stare at the boarded-up window. 'I'm trying really, really hard to forgive him.'

Angel was pleased. 'That's good, Spike; I'm sure he didn't mean it.'

Spike turned at that and looked at him speculatively. 'I think he meant it all, but I'm still trying to forgive him, cus if I don't, I'll end up destroying us both.'

'Oh. Okay.' Angel raised an inward eyebrow at the Spike-esque hyperbole and said forcibly to the puppy. 'Bad dog.'

The dog ignored Angel, intent only on the strange, disturbing emotions he felt pouring off his beloved master.

****************

No one ever saw Spike and the dog separate after that. Although in public, Spike never acknowledged the dog's presence, he would pause in passing, taking a long time to light a cigarette, as if waiting for something slower to catch up. The only time he permitted anyone to see him admitting the dog's existence was when he carried it up the stairs at night, but this carrying was done so causally that he might as well have been taking a book to bed.

Angel was puzzled by this change in Spike but more puzzled that there seemed to be a distance between them. Spike seemed to want to avoid him. He wasn't unfriendly; he just wasn't encouraging anything more with Angel than he seemed to want from the others: peaceful co-existence.

In some ways, this pleased Angel, for he did not like being. disturbed - his balance too fragile to be put too much to the test. In other ways, it saddened him immensely, for his body had begun to ache for Spike's.

He had little need to worry, however, for all this changed only a few days after the peaceful time began. Cordelia, crossing the lobby one morning, suddenly stopped and looked suspiciously at her heel.

'Spike! Spike! Where are you?'

'What?' Spike came out of the kitchen holding a book.

'Yours to clear up, I'm thinking?'

Spike looked down at the small pile. Cordelia continued icily, 'Dog shit in the house, Spike.. Sort it, yeah?'

'What did you just say?'

'Hello? Anyone in there? It's your dog; ergo, it's your shit.'

'Dog shit?'

'Jeez. Just clear it up.'

She stomped off, limping theatrically, one shoe held limply in her hand. Spike stayed staring at the small mess for longer than it warranted then he turned, picked the puppy up and began to go up the stairs. He caught the puppy's look and said mutinously, 'Shut the fuck up.'

*************************

That evening, Spike emerged from his room and came shyly into the kitchen. Angel looked up from the newspaper, slightly surprised by his arrival. He jerked his head back. 'Okay, that's a vampire I used to know.'

Spike pouted and ran a hand through his blond, short hair. 'Good or bad?'

'You or the hair?'

Spike laughed. 'Sorry 'bout the last few days. The thing with the dog shook me a bit, yeah? I was gonna kill 'im, and then I wasn't, and it was a soul thing, and it freaked me out cus killing dogs was our favourite hobby, remember? Well, yours, anyway - after babies.'

Angel lowered his eyes. 'I have discovered, Spike, that it is sometimes best not to speak such things aloud. Keep them in your heart, but don't give them air to breathe.'

'Oh. 'K. Didn't get that. Thought it was best to verbalise or some shit, or have I been watching too much daytime TV? Anyway, wanted to say sorry. And that's another fucking soul thing, ain't it? Jeez, it's a pisser.'

Angel smiled at Spike's back. 'I like the hair, anyway. It's still very you.'

Spike turned and grinned over his shoulder. Angel once more had the odd thought that this man could not be more different from the soft poet he had hunted to his death. He did not remember William having cheekbones. He did not remember William's eyes to be that penetrating. He shook himself slightly and went back to his perusal of the paper.

'Can we do something tonight?'

'Sure. What?'

'I dunno. What's there to do?'

'Uh huh. This is LA, Spike. I think you name it, it's here to do.'

'Okay then. What do you want to do?'

'Me?'

Spike sat down and looked theatrically at a non-existent watch and raised an eyebrow. 'Are you usually this hard to take out?'

'You're taking me out?'

Spike reared back a little. 'Not on a bleedin' date, Angel. I just wanna say thank you for. everything. So. you decide.'

Angel looked down shyly. 'Is this going to be just. us?'

Spike nodded with a small smile of apology.

'Okay then. The ballet?'

Spike narrowed his eyes. 'I'm not that grateful.'

Angel suppressed a chuckle. 'A movie.'

'Cool. What's on?'

They agreed to a mutually interesting one: explosions, death, violence, but in Japanese and supposedly cultural. Angel bought some popcorn, Spike bought a coke, and they sat together not thinking about much while the place filled.

Angel was just looking around, hoping someone who knew him might see him with Spike, when a soft voice said, 'Do we look gay?'

Angel answered with his body, bending away from Spike. 'What the.?'

'Seriously, Mate, if you were looking at us - an' didn't know us - would you think we were gay?'

'No! Of course not. Do I look.. I mean, do you think you look gay?'

'No. But I used to sit next to Buffy and wish people would think we were together.'

Angel was saved from commenting on this thought, which had so closely mirrored his own, as a couple pushed past them. When they were seated again, he said with a slightly puzzled tone, 'Even if we were. we're not human. It would be like calling Darla and Dru lesbians.'

Spike chuckled. 'But not to their faces.'

'There ya go. Different rules.'

'Huh. Shh, movie's starting.'

Angel found it hard to concentrate after this and wished he'd not picked a Japanese film. He watched the moving images without thought of them, for his thoughts were all on Spike. Spike seemed to unconsciously bring him back to Darla at every turn: her slim body, her startling blond hair on the pillow next to his dark locks, her sexual energy, her spark of life. A hand sneaked into his popcorn and took a sizable amount. He let it go, but when it returned, he stabbed at it with his thumb. Spike retaliated by pressing Angel's foot with his. Spike was the first to surrender and withdrew his hand, cursing softly under his breath.

Angel wanted him to return his foot and his hand but did not have the words to ask.

After the movie, they went to a bar, and Spike cheered up when Angel brought him a large drink. 'Ain't this where we discuss the film?'

'Hmm. But as I didn't hear it, and you didn't understand it, that would be a pretty dumb conversation.'

'Why didn't you hear it?'

'What?'

'The movie. What were you thinking about so deeply?'

'I was thinking about guarding my popcorn.'

'Uh huh.' Spike gave a small, seductive smile. 'Do you think someone is trying to relieve you of it, Angel?'

Angel leant back and blinked slowly at the smile. 'I think they are.'

'I think you'd be right.'

'What are you saying, Spike?'

Spike caught his gaze. 'I'm saying that I'm getting better every day, Angel. I know what I want.'

'Oh.'

Spike spoke so softly, even Angel had to strain to hear him. 'Let's go home.'

Angel rose urgently. They walked through the LA night swiftly, both deep in their own thoughts. Suddenly, Angel felt his arm seized; he was dragged into an alley and pushed roughly into a doorway. Spike held him by the shoulders, looking him intently in the eyes, then with no more hesitation, kissed him.

Before Angel could separate the sensations: arousal in his loins, nicotine on his tongue, soft moaning; Spike stretched his neck back and pleaded, 'Take of me, Sire.'

Angel made a small animalistic growl and bent feverishly to the offered neck. He had not done this for so long: feeding under the dark skies, a creature of the night, powerful, deadly, all-encompassing. Spike's hands started on Angel's neck, but he slid down to hold onto his strong arms. When he felt himself held completely upright, he slid them lower to Angel's waist. As Angel enfolded him totally in his dark embrace, Spike put his hands to Angel's erection, and in an almost natural extension to this intimacy, he fondled and worked Angel's shaft through the barrier of his clothes.

Angel drank deeper this time. He wanted the touch to continue; he wanted to come to Spike's hands - here, in the dark, where they were both welcome, but gradually, Spike's movements became less urgent. Gradually, Angel sensed Spike's body sagging against his. He reined his demon in and pulled away. Spike was limp and lifeless in his arms. Angel frowned and slapped at him lightly. 'Spike. Hey..'

He cursed. He had not realised that Spike was still so weak. With little choice other than to force feed him in the alley, Angel hefted Spike over his shoulder and found an entrance to the sewer system.

It didn't take him long to get back. He deposited Spike on his bed and went to run a bath. Stripping Spike was hard. Angel felt a sense of prurience at doing it, because he did get aroused when he looked at the unconscious form; he did part the jeans slowly and pause at the sight of Spike's penis. He knew it was wrong, but he bent his face to the dark patch of hair and inhaled. He had not smelt male arousal for nearly two hundred years, and once more he was struck by how different Spike smelt to William. Angel held Spike in his arms and began to lift him off the bed, but the feel of the body against his was too much. So close to orgasm in the alley, so aroused by the touch of skin lying supine against him, he reached into his own pants and slipped the tip of his erection out. He rubbed it against Spike's belly, and within a few urgent strokes, he spilt onto the pale skin he had created with his blood. The sperm shot out and pooled in the muscular indentations across the toned belly. Angel placed his palm over it and trailed some of it up and around the scars still visible on Spike's chest. He bent his head onto the unconscious form and wanted to take those scars from around his childe's heart.

Angel finally carried Spike to the bath, placed him in it and knelt alongside him. He tipped Spike's neck back, opened up his own wrist and pressed it to Spike's mouth.

As his blood flowed into his childe, Angel's love began to flow, too. As if blocked, this outpouring loosed it. The vacuum left by Darla's explosion on him sucked this new love violently through his dead body, animating it. Like tributaries to the main stream, Angel's love flowed from the many parts of his complex psyche: from the demonic hot love he had felt for Darla; from the sweet, passionate love he had felt for Buffy; from the intense, loyal love he felt for his friends - and all these intricate flavours of love mixed together to form a new love for Spike. This love was strong. This love felt pure. This love felt as if Angel had found a reason for his path. He had never felt love like it. He remembered Wesley's words.

He would fight the good fight until its inevitable conclusion to keep Spike safe.

He would lay down his life for him, if he were called upon to do that.

*****
Part 10:

Spike woke so full of Angel's rich blood that his ears were humming slightly. It was an out-of-tune hum though, and he wished it would stop. He turned over, and it did, and when he opened his eyes, Angel was propped up on the pillow next to him, smiling.

'Did I proposition you again?'

Angel shook his head fractionally, still smiling.

'Did we..'

Angel shook his head, his expression never wavering.

'Stop smiling, Angel; you're freaking me out. Why are you smiling, by the way?'

'Because I've been waiting to do this..' Angel leant closer to Spike, cupped the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss. There was no mistaking this kiss - no accidental brush whilst training, no chaste childe to sire obeisance, no aftermath of demonic feeding. This was Angel, in the bright light of day, leaning into Spike's mouth and pushing his tongue through the cool lips. This was Angel, in the bright light of day, taking his time to explore and taste Spike's mouth. This was Angel, rising in the passion of this kiss to lie on Spike. This was Angel, initiating the unmistakable movements of a man intending to have sex. This was Angel, reaching a hand down to find Spike, to rub around his erection, cup him and hold him in preparation. This was Angel, beginning to moan softly and enter that state of arousal that as a man, he could not draw back from.

Angel began to lift Spike's leg, but Spike twisted his face away from the kiss. Angel shook his head and, in his urgency, began to kiss down Spike's neck, still trying to lift the leg and give him access to where he could find release. He felt a hand placed over his mouth, and he finally looked up into a pair of dilated blue eyes. 'Pet..'

Angel shook his head; he didn't want to speak. He shook off the hand and began to bite urgent nips over Spike's collarbone. His head was captured and pressed in the chest so firmly that he had to stop and listen. 'Love, it's too soon.'

'No. It's not. I want you.'

'I know. But.. Angel.. it goes around in my head. That steady progression of evil. The unreality. Jeez.. I thought Fred and Cordy were unreal, ya know? And Denzil and Lorne Green - fuck, it was all so real and so unreal. It's too soon. For me. to do this. with you.'

Angel lifted his head and saw Spike pause briefly at the look on his face. 'You saw Lorne? When?'

'When I first got here. he came up with the others.'

'No. He's been in Las Vegas for months.'

'He was here, with the others.'

'What did he say?'

Spike hesitated. 'I don't remember.'

Angel rolled off Spike. 'I'm sorry.'

'No, pet, I don't mean for you to be sorry, and I'm feeling like a teenage virgin now. I. only. I want you. Can you wait?'

Angel turned to him, trying to bite back the small bubble of laughter at this odd request from the Big Bad. Spike narrowed his eyes. 'Are you taking the mick?

'Apparently not. I have to. wait..' Angel put an arm over his eyes to cover his laughter. He felt a cool hand snatch it away.

'I said I wasn't ready for. that, didn't say I wouldn't do some of. this..' Spike initiated the kiss, and it was even better for Angel for that. Spike slipped on top, taking care to keep the sheet modestly over him. He looked down shyly then lifted his face and gave Angel the full power of one of his soulful, slightly pouting expressions. 'Kiss me.'

Angel rose fast and hard to Spike's mouth. He clamped them together, twisting their mouths until their lips hurt and swelled. Other things swelled, and Angel once more began to push a hand between them to find Spike's penis. Spike pulled away and slid down to the end of the bed. He double wrapped the sheet around his waist, gave Angel a little look and said softly, 'Today's gonna be interesting after that..'

It was. They could not stop looking at each other. Subtle undercurrents of passion sparked between them. Angel was in a state of arousal all day, pheromones pumping off him until the humans they worked with felt headachy and ill.

Every opportunity he got, he took what he was allowed of Spike. He pulled Spike into quiet corners and spread-eagled him against the wall, laying his hard, heavier body over him, just pressing in and enjoying the totality of the contact. When he could, he found an excuse to get Spike into the office and hardly closed the door before he pulled Spike to him, snatching at his mouth with hard, fast kisses, urging him to more.

He could not talk to anyone else; he could not concentrate on what he had to do. Spike's body consumed him, and every time he thought about Spike, there he was, returning the look, thinking about him. Angel became almost dizzy with unsatisfied lust, so when Cordelia swayed while he was talking to her, for one brief moment, he thought he going to fall. Sense returned, and he caught her, lowering her gently to the floor.

'Hey? Bad one?'

'They all are. It's Lorne.'

Angel frowned, his odd conversation with Spike forgotten until that moment, squashed by different thoughts of Spike.

'Is he in trouble?'

'Nooo. more like he's trying to call us.'

'And they don't have telephones in Vegas?'

'Maybe he can't get to one.'

'Okay, where's Gunn?' Cordelia tried to get to her feet. 'Not you. You stay here with Fred.'

'Angel, I..' Angel saw her determination and bent to her ear. 'I have to leave, Spike. I need you here for him.'

Cordelia, flattered by the trust Angel placed in her, nodded. Angel went up to Spike's room and found him sprawled on the bed, reading, a small furry object asleep on the small of his back. Angel smiled and came over. Spike raised his eyes, and once more a tingle of desire coursed down Angel's spine. 'I have to go to Vegas.'

'Cus of what I said?'

'No. Well, maybe. Will you be okay. only one night.'

'Who's gonna be here?'

'Just the girls.'

'K.'

'I don't want to go.'

Spike looked at him shyly. 'How long you got before you go?'

Angel groaned and knelt on the bed. Spike rolled and dislodged the puppy. They came together once more, Spike fully dressed only exciting Angel more. He rubbed his hands over the soft material of Spike's T-shirt, groaning as it slid across the smooth skin. He felt Spike through the thicker material of his jeans, cupping and squeezing gently at the bulge. 'Get yourself out.'

'Huh?'

'Come on, I've not got much time.'

'Angel?'

'Fuck. Hurry.'

'Angel, man, you up there?'

Angel shot Spike an agonised look then climbed off the bed, straightened himself as best he could and said. 'Tomorrow?'

Spike slid off the bed, pressed him swiftly against the wall and captured his mouth. When he pulled away, he said with a strange note to his voice, 'I promise, Angel. Tomorrow. Think of me while you're away, yeah?'

'Angel?'

'I'm coming.' Angel tore himself away and went out to intercept Gunn, his head so full of Spike and that momentous promise that he wondered he could function rationally at all.

Spike waited until he heard the car drive away then came casually into the lobby and sat down on a chair near Cordelia. He rummaged through some stuff on the desk then propped his head on his hands watching her.

'S quiet when he's gone, innit?'

Doing some calculations, she only gave him half her attention. 'Funny that - for a morose, taciturn vampire.'

'So, how's this thing gonna work between you then? You being human an' all. Just.'

'What, Spike? Look, I'm doing accounts. What thing?'

'Well, you and Angel.'

'Me and Angel what?'

Spike hesitated. 'Okay. I'm gonna change the subject here rapidly.'

She looked up and laid down the paper. 'No, you're not. What are you talking about?'

'He has told you, hasn't he?'

'Spike!'

'Angel loves you.'

'What!' She burst into delighted laughter.

Spike looked relieved. 'Okay, so you know. That's a relief.'

She sobered instantly. 'Angel told you that he loved me?'

'Uh huh.'

'Love me how?'

'Well, that's what he's worrying 'bout, I guess. Are you seriously tellin' me you didn't know this?'

'Well, I mean we've always been.. It's not that I wouldn't.. I..'

'Cus you'd make a pretty couple; I'd have to say that.'

She sat staring into space for many minutes, a slight flush on her face as she clearly thought about some of the highlights that might be involved in loving Angel. Spike waited until just the right moment and said, 'Course, lots of advantages; I can see that.'

She murmured, 'Hmm,' shifting slightly on her seat.

'You'd never 'ave to worry 'bout stair lifts, for a start.'

'What?'

'When you got old. Or getting outta the bath. cus Angel'd be good like that.'

She stared at the disingenuous expression for many minutes. 'Will you be all right here on your own tonight?'

'Fred'll be here, why?'

'I'm taking some owed holiday.'

'Oh. Cool. How long?'

'As long as I can. Spike?'

'Yeah.'

'Does Angel listen to you?'

'No.'

'Well, try to get him to get the stair lift thing. Try hard.'

She swept up her bag, most of the things in her drawer and left swiftly.

Spike pulled one of the dog's hairs off his jeans, smirking slightly, then went in search of Fred.

Fred turned, surprised when Spike knocked shyly at her door. 'It's just us tonight now, Pet. Cordy weren't well.'

'Oh! Shall I.?'

'She's gone. Here, I brought you some tea.'

'Oh! Thank you. Say it again.. I just love the way you say that..'

Spike grinned and handed it to her. She made a face. 'Eew.'

Spike's face fell. 'Sorry. It's some of Cordy's herbal. I can't do anything right around here.'

'No, I'm sorry. It's me. It's lovely. really.' She sipped bravely, smiling at him all the time.

************************

Fred woke to the thought that she was back in the place she did not name in case giving it its name made it real once more. Everything hurt. She opened her eyes to a huge wave of relief when she realised she was in her own bed and safe. but everything still hurt. She turned and gave a small scream. The small scream woke Spike. naked Spike who was laying along side her. She looked down and screamed again, pulling the sheet up over her naked body. Spike gave her a horrified look and twitched a similar amount of covering over his body. They stared at each other in mutual horror for a while. Spike swallowed nervously. 'Did we.?'

She shook her head. 'I don't know?'

'What time is it?'

'I don't know.'

'What time are they getting back?'

'Oh! Charles..'

Spike took hold of her arm. 'Look. Nothing happened, okay? I would know. Trust me on this, Fred. I'm a vampire, and I would know. Don't tell Gunn. There is no need - nothing happened.'

She nodded and swallowed equally slowly. Spike gave a pleased little shake of her arm. 'Now, get up, get dressed, and we'll never talk of this again. Gunn trusts you implicitly. It's what makes you unique, isn't it? What makes you special to him. So, never tell him. What he doesn't know, won't hurt him.'

She took a long time thinking about this, her eyes as wide as an animal facing death. 'I have to go.'

'That's right. Get up..'

'No. Go. I have to go. I can't tell him, but I won't deceive him either. He deserves more than that. He deserves someone who is..' She didn't finish but turned away, her eyes filling.

'Hey, Pet, don't take this so seriously, yeah.? He'll never know. Where's the harm in that?'

She pulled all the sheet to her, climbed out of bed and, without looking back at him, said, 'Tell Angel I needed to see my parents.' She went toward the shower. 'Please be. out of my bed when I get back.'

Spike watched her walk out into the sunshine later that morning and stretched into the silence of the now friendless hotel.

*******************

Angel and Gunn arrived back a couple of hours after the sun set that evening. Gunn immediately began to run up the stairs. Spike said quietly, 'She's not there.'

'Where is she?'

'She had to go home. To her parents.'

'What? Texas? When? Why?'

'Dunno. Only she. wanted to see you 'fore she left, seemed real upset an' all.'

'Angel, man. I've gotta go..'

Angel frowned slightly and looked at Spike for a long time. Spike held his look and said helpfully, 'She had a phone call, like, just before. Seemed real upset.'

'Where's Cordy?'

'On a case.'

Gunn didn't wait to hear more and left.

Spike looked at Angel and grinned shyly. 'We're alone at last.'

Angel looked closely at him for another moment then laughed and relaxed. 'We are.'

'Have any ideas how we can make best use of it?'

'I have.'

'Those ideas involve me?'

'They do.'

'Come here, Angel.'

They kissed in the lobby, standing, lying on the couch, rolling on the floor. They kissed as they mounted the stairs, clothes peeling off and lying discarded as they passed. They kissed as they stood alongside the bed, and then they fell into its welcoming softness, and the kisses only grew in passion. Angel murmured into Spike's mouth, 'You okay about this now?'

Spike smiled slightly. 'Yes. Now I am.'

Suddenly, he twisted out from under Angel and sat on him, and they paused. Spike put a hand to each of Angel's arms and stretched them over his head, running his hands over the soft skin on the inside. Then he bent slowly and captured Angel's mouth, rubbing himself slightly on Angel's hard stomach. Angel felt a cool trail of liquid running over his skin and broke away to watch Spike's precum bubbling out of his flushed, erect penis. He flicked Spike off onto his back and rose darkly above him. He captured Spike's leg and began to raise it but paused at the slight frown on Spike's face. 'What now?'

'Nothin'. Only, I remember Dru didn't like this much. Said it hurt.'

Angel frowned, too. 'Yes. She did.'

'Huh. You.?'

'Yes.'

'Oh. So you know. She didn't like it.'

'You don't want to?' Angel's voice was agonisingly low, as if forced out.

'No, I do. Only I think more. getting ready would be good.'

Angel visibly relaxed. 'That I can do. Didn't for her. But..'

'For me.?'

Angel captured Spike's face. 'I can't tell you what you mean to me, Spike. So I haven't bothered to try..'

'Try now?'

Angel clenched his jaw and sat up on Spike's belly. 'When I think of Darla, she makes me think of you. When I think of Buffy, I wished I'd tried harder then to have it be you. The main thing I regret about my soul, is that I could have loved you so much better, so much earlier.'

'Do you love me?'

'Yes.'

'Is it really love?'

Angel bent down at Spike's wistful expression. 'Yes, yes, yes. I can't put it into words, Spike. But yes. I love you.'

'Do you need me?'

'I would die without you, I think.'

Spike pulled him down onto his mouth, and they kissed again, rolling in the bed, each struggling to get dominance. Angel let Spike win and once more lay supine between Spike's hard thighs. Spike stretched Angel's arms up again and captured his wrists in one hand. He grinned evilly. 'I'd like to be able to keep you like this. My prisoner.'

Angel raised an eyebrow. 'And what would you do, jailor?'

'I'd punish you.'

'What for?'

'For not doing this to me.' He dipped and bit one of Angel's small nipple buds. Angel arched off the bed, dislodging Spike's hand. Spike patiently grasped the wrists again.

Angel said huskily, 'What next?'

'Oh, I'd..' Spike began to slide down, as if moving to more interesting areas of Angel's anatomy then stopped when he couldn't do this and hold the wrists still at the same time. 'Bugger.'

'What?'

'S good game, and I had all sorts of punishments worked out, but..' He frowned and pouted at Angel's offending wrists. Suddenly, he reached up and pulled out the manacles Angel had used to restrain him. Angel rolled out from under him. 'No.'

'Why not?'

'Because it's too.. I don't really..'

'Trust me. Oh.' He put the manacles down sadly.

'Spike, I love you more than I ever thought possible to love anyone again. I do. trust you.'

'But not enough. Don't worry, Pet. I wouldn't either. Only.. I wanted to put my face to you. If you'd have let me do this.'

One cool finger began to trail over the hot, bulbous tip of Angel's cock, tracing a pattern as if a tongue had already reached him.

Spike smiled seductively. 'If you let me chain you, I'll take you in my mouth. My tongue will bathe you..'

Spike took one of Angel's hands so softly in his free hand that taking it toward the manacle was more of a suggestion than a command. He snapped one bracelet home.

'Do you want me, Angel?'

'I want you with my soul, with my demon and with what is just me, Spike, yes.'

'That's so pretty. I kinda like that. So, again, how much do you want me to do this, Angel? Hmm. like this..' Spike suddenly shifted and, shockingly, took just the leaking tip of Angel's penis into his mouth. Angel cried out and put his remaining free hand to Spike's head to entwine his fingers into the soft blond hair. Spike pulled away.

Angel began to groan, deep sounds of frustration making his body shudder. 'I want you more than this damn unlife, Spike. I love you.'

Angel found his mouth possessed by Spike again. Then a coolness on his ear as Spike whispered urgently, 'Do you mean it, my love?'

'I love you.'

'No, do you love me more than your own life?'

'Yesss.'

'Will you come on a journey with me?'

'A journey?' Spike began to ease Angel's other wrist toward the remaining manacle.

'It was such a long journey, Angel.' He clicked the bracelet home. 'There. Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?'

'Hmm. I think we're both hard, Spike.'

Spike laughed. 'Kiss me, Angel.' He bent and placed a slow kiss on Angel's forehead then slid off him.

'Hey! Where'ya going?'

Spike slid a hand over the chains where they attached to the wall, checking their firmness.

'Nowhere, pet. I'm just going to get something that'll make this more. pleasurable for me. More memorable for you.'

'Oh. Good. Hurry up, cus I'm kinda..' Angel nodded down at his erection. Spike smiled once more and disappeared.

When he returned, he was fully dressed. Angel's eyes widened in surprise. 'This is getting weird, Spike. Are you kinky?'

Spike began to giggle. 'It's just that I wanted to help you out, Angel. I've been thinking about nothing else, and I think I've finally got it.. ' He produced a piece of paper from behind his back. Angel recognised it as the portrait he had tried to complete. Spike held it up, looking at it, shaking his head. 'I finished it for you, see? Did the eyes. Not sure I got the emotion right still.' He looked at Angel. 'It's hard to capture pure hatred in a pair of eyes. But hell, after all, who cares?' He slowly crumpled up the picture and tossed it casually onto Angel's belly.

Still giggling, he spun on his heel and began to leave. Just at the door, he stopped and said with a click of his fingers, as if remembering something important, 'By the way, my name was once William. It would have been better had you remembered that, Angel.'

*****