*****

"Well?"

Angel looked up, not understanding the question. "Well, what?"

"Well, what did he say?" Doyle paced in front of the vampire, his obvious jitteriness almost becoming contagious. "Am I in?"

Angel took a deep breath as he put down his pencil. "I didn't ask yet," he confessed, looking the half demon over. "I...to tell the truth, I really don't think it's a good idea for me to get involved."

Doyle stopped, his face showing incredibility. "What? Why not? It's just a simple question, isn't? No reason not to answer, right? Angel, man, you promised." The shorter man came over, leaning his weight on the desk with stiffened arms and outspread fingers. "I really need to know. Don't you know It's killing me?"

"I seriously doubt that." Angel muttered, looking at his calculator again.

"What? I didn't catch that." Doyle leaned closer, with a look of earnest curiosity

"I said," Angel replied with more than a hint of exasperation as he picked up his pencil again. "Why can't you ask yourself? I'm sure he would be more than happy to..."

Doyle made a sound of frustration, spinning away. "I can't do that, don't you see?"

"Why not?" came Angels quiet reply as he tried to stay patient, and also listen at the same time.

"Because..." Doyle explained with an almost lecture like quality...somehow ignoring the annoyed look on his bosses face. "One. He won't talk to me. Told me to leave him alone and that's that." Doyle held up another finger. "Two, I already asked him this question four days ago...and I kind of told him there was no hurry in getting the answer back."

"And three?" Angel looked up like a whipped puppy, hoping very sincerely that there was no three, and that maybe his over anxious coworker would just go away so he could make sense of the mess cordelia had once again made of the bookkeeping. Hadn't the man already asked him this five times since just the day before? It was kind of starting to get on the vampires nerves.

"And three....." Angel snapped his pencil, but was quiet. Doyle frowned and went on. "It's just a yes and no answer and you promised you'd ask him for me."

Angel closed his eyes and looked down at his ruined writing utensil. "That's it. Out!" Standing up, angel glowered and the half demon shrunk back in startled fear. Not that Angel would ever hurt him, but this guy had a serious problem with keeping his temper, or so he's heard.

"But, I just got here." Doyle managed, shying away. Hey...Look. I wont mention it again. I promise. Really. I can wait. Honest"

Angel grabbed his coat, throwing it on and heading toward the door. "Not you. Me. I need some quiet. You stay here. Call the guy. Don't call the guy. Personally, I don't care right now." With that, the vampire with a soul, left his stunned and slightly offended friend behind, and he went out into the night to think.

*****
Part 2:

The wind wipped around the building, hurrying late night pedestrians along and making them shiver. Angel watched them go, not really paying attention as he made his way to any place but back to the offices. He thought about what Doyle had asked him, and he felt slightly guilty. He *had* said he was going to ask, but other things had just kept popping up and he kept putting it off.

The vampire abrubtly stopped, and took a deep breath. He needed to let it go for now. He could ask tomorrow, or maybe the next day, but this was getting him no where, and there were other things he should be doing.

*Just forget it*. That was what he needed to do. He needed to put the whole thing from his mind and just try to relax.

"Help." A young girl ran by, face bloody, and clothing torn. She brushed past him and he could smell her fear as the wind carried it away from her body. "Oh, God. Help, me. Someone." She hadn't even seen him, she was just so afraid.

"What?" Angel whirled around in time to see he persuer walking languidly behind, a snarl on its' distorted face as he kept a steady pace. The vampire growled himself and stepped up to block the other "I don't think she wants a second date." he mentioned casually, his body already gettings itself ready to fight. He spread his legs slightly, ready to dodge away if need be.

The figure got closer and Angel growled again, hoping that no one passing would get hurt. A couple of humans dodged away, looking at their stuff and instincuatlly knowing that this was none of their busniness. A common thing in this city, and something to live by, and this time, Angel was relieved by their unwillingness to help.

Almost. A wind that had already been blowing, grew colder, and Angel realized it was coming from the one who was approaching. Black and forest green wraggs whipped around the figures inpressive frame, as he made his was ever nearer, almost within touching distance, but showing no sign that he was listening.

The vampire reached out to grab ahold of the dank stranger, and to halt his persuit, hearing his own sarcastic words slip out again. "You don't seem to be..." And his hand went through, as the figure moved right through him, and past, sending a shivering cold to the very core of the vampires being.

Angel staggered, and almost fell. "What?" his breath came in a thick fog, and he realized that he was breathing. "Oh, God." No, that wasn't right. Angel coughed and managed to turn himself around. He ran after the figure, lungs burning with the need to breath, legs and back hurting from running to much even though he had only walked down one block. He stumbled, almost going down as his heart beat sounded too loudly in his ears, pulsing painfully in his throat. What was happening?

A shreak sounded in the night, making Angel cringe, but he somehow managed to get going again, bracing himself against the side of the buildings. Somehow, he made to the corner and looked around it to see..

Nothing. A dead end. Nothing but a brick walls and a chain link fence. Angel felt a wave of dizziness and then he slipped down, falling to land sitting and leaning against the wall facing this new puzzle. He took in a raking painful breath, confused and weary as he closed his eyes to concentrate and to keep from passing out. What the hell, was that thing?"

"Well, well, if it itsn't the big bad nancy boy noise in these parts."

Angel looked up blearily, his vision spinning in and out of focus."Spike?"

"And...he still remembers my name. How about that?" Angel groaned, his breath coming more and more shallow as he felt himself being pulled painfully by the hair and yanked around. "Looks like you and me, have some business to discuss." The cocky British vampire said with glee. After that, everything went black.

*****
Part 3:

Angel moaned, waking with a sharp pain behind his eyes. His breathing came ragged, and he remembered. "Oh, God." The newly made human tried to sit up, but found that he had been restrained, and then he heard someone coming.

"Well, well...look who's awake. And here I thought that I was going to be bored. No such luck"

Angel flinched at the sound, mind racing furiously as he struggled against the things that held him.

"You'll never get away, that way." Spike mentioned, as he appeared in Angel's view, looking down over his captive. "but isn't this funny?" The blond vampire leaned down, running his face close to Angels cheek, smelling. "When I first brought you back and saw what had happened to you, I was kind of disgusted. Being human and all...though I do wonder how that happened."

Spike pulled away, and then straightened completely. "But then, I realized something else. This is a golden opportunity, isn't it, mate?"

Angel growled, bucking against rough cutting ropes, realizing that he was on a table finally. He seemed to be tied, wrists and ankles to each of the legs, or as far as he could tell ... not that did him no good right now. "You don't know what you're doing. You have to let me go. Something's happened." He had to find out what had happened to him, and how long it would last. This couldn't be right.

"Something's happened to you? Now, that's a bloody understatement." Spike chuckled as he took out a cigarette and calmly lit it. He put it to his mouth and took a nice long drag, contemplating. "Now, stop interrupting, or I'll have to punish you."

Angel growled again, but said nothing for the moment. He needed to think this through, and he kept being distracted. His head hurt, and he was dizzy...and he was cold too. Warily, he stopped struggling, trying to be ready just in case. He needed to get away, but Spike wasn't going to let that happen too soon. ~What do you want? ~ Angel bit the question off, knowing that Spike would soon start speaking again.

"Now, as I was saying." Spike let the smoke drift out, grinning as it did so. "I have a really good deal here, and I think even you can see it. I could do several things even." Another drag and the vampire circled around. "First, I'll have to torture you. That, of course, goes without saying. After that though, I have a couple of options, and those may depend on you." He shrugged, grinning. "Or not. I never paid much attention to anything you said anyway."

Angel sighed, the dizziness intensifying and making it hard to think. "Are you going to bore me all day?" He shivered, wishing that the other would just shut up and get it over with. "Or is the actual torture part?"

Spike glared, takings his cigarette from his mouth and then coming closer. "Fine then. I'll leave the other for later." A quick movement, and the smoldering fag was pressed smartly into the back of Angels hand, making the human jerk and moan in pain. Spike held Angel's hand down, pressing it until he had put the cigarette out before letting go. "How's that? Does it make you...less bored?"

Angel shivered again, flexing his wounded hand, but somehow not making any more sounds. He stared up at the ceiling, wishing that someone would come and find him, but the idea was futile. Finally he managed in a horse whisper. "You still talk to much"

Spike growled, grabbing Angel by the hair and jerking his head side ways. "No more talking. Now, I just give you lots of pain." Thus saying, the vampire who was once Angels childe, let go and backed away. He ran his hands over Angels silken shirt before he started to unbutton them, one at a time. "You recall what you did to me, so long ago, I'm sure." The vampire was still talking, but that didn't matter. He would make sure that Angel suffered, and he would do it in spades. "Now, I get to return the favor."

Angel remembered, and the idea made him ill. He moaned as his shirt was opened, exposing his pale chest as it rose and fell in fright. He could feel his heart beat, pounding faster and faster, and it did him no good. "Leave me alone, Spike" A bad thing to say, and he was angry with himself, but it had just slipped out. Angel bucked again, but all his once childe did was to smugly grin.

"Soon enough pet. Soon enough." He leaned over Angel, putting his lips onto one rosy nipple, his teeth coming out to score the flesh and then to dig deeper.

Angel groaned, but he couldn't pull away from Spikes sucking mouth. "Please. No." He knew what Spike had in mind, and it couldn't happen. "Don't." It was almost too painful, and the dizziness was eating away at his vision...and then, once more, Angel was consumed in the darkness.

*****
Part 4:

"Angel?" Doyle frowned, peeking around a corner as he came in. "Angel?" Nothing.

Doyle went to the stairs and went down, checking through each of the room, but they too seemed to be missing the vampire. "Angel? You in there?" He looked around for a note or something, but nothing seemed to be showing up that might announce where the other would be at this hour. Finally, the Irishman shook his head and made his way back up stairs, calling again for his boss.

Doyle stopped, starting to get worried. It wasn't that Angel never disappeared these days, but somehow, this felt different. The hairs on his neck stood up, making his shiver "Angel, man. Stop kidding. Look, I said I was sorry. You don't have ta sulk, ya know."

Looking at a clock, his worry turned to fear. Unless his boss had discovered a new sense of humor, and was hiding behind a door jam somewhere, then something was seriously up...and Angel was missing.

Doyle went to the phone, picking it up as several dozen numbers raced through his head. "Maybe he went to ask if I was in," he muttered out loud, glancing at the clock again. It was already past noon, and their boss had been missing since the night before.

"Yeah. That's it. He must have gone to ask." Just in case, he could just make a quick call. Pushing some buttons, Doyle brought the receiver to his ear to listen. He'd said he could wait to ask again, but this was something else, and really important too. Surely it would be okay.

The phone rang, and then there was a clicking as it was picked up. "Hello?" The sound of someone he'd been seeing, but not seeing, spoke expectantly, and then waited for Doyle to do his part.

"Yeah. Hey...Migsy. Hey. Wait. Don't hang up, man. I just wanted ta..."

"Why are you calling me, Doyle? Couldn't you have just waited one week to start bugging me again? Jesus! You'd think you didn't have a ..."

Doyle mentally swore, hearing a familiar sound on the other side of the line. The man was exasperated by him and that was more than easy to see ... but he had to try."No. You don't understand, Migsy. My lucks looking up, really. But, that's not why I'm calling. I need to know if you've seen..."

"Stop bothering me, Doyle. It's over. Okay. What we had, is just past so you can just move on with your life and forget about whatever you wanted to ask..."

"No..Damnit. That's not what I'm calling about. Migsy...I need ta..."

Abruptly, the phone went dead, and Doyle stared in disbelief. He realized that he was trembling, and he had to take a deep breath before placing the receiver back down with a shaky clatter of plastic against more plastic.

The half demon shuddered and then shook his head, with a hand to his brow in concentration. "That went well, didn't it?" He took another deep breath, and then looked up as Cordelia tromped in, giving him another start. She didn't look happy, but then again, when did she ever look happy around him anyway? Still, Doyle needed to see what she knew, if anything. For now, his other problem would have to wait. "Hey, Princess. You haven't seen mister broody boss man this morning, have you?"

Cordelia Chase huffed, as she folded her arms over her chest, glaring at her co-worker.."Why does it always have to be about Angel? Doesn't anyone feel *my* pain?" She rolled her eyes up in exasperation and brought her purse up to show, pointing at the middle. "Look at this. A 200 dollar designer purse, and it has a stain on it. A bright *orange* stain! I'll never get it to match any of my outfits now!"

Cordelia set the thing down behind her on the desk, taking a seat as well. "It's bad enough that I get blood on my shoes every time we go out, but this is getting to be too much. Do you know who designed this bag?" The brunette stopped, making a face and looking around. Her eyes went from the coffee maker to the clock and then to Doyle, the mental gears turning behind her just squinting eyes before she finally asked, with the sound of realization. "Hey. Where *is* Angel anyway?"

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

Angel moaned, finding it difficult to breath. He clenched his jaws tight, but that did nothing for the pain, or the buzzing in his head. "Leave me alone." The human whispered, barely doing more than mouthing the syllables. If Spike heard him, things would only go worse.

"Hey! No fair whispering to yourself. That's bad manners" The blond vampire, sauntered around to stand in Angels direct line of vision. Spike moved closer, to run his hand over the humans bare back as he sat on the bed beside Angel. "You should be happy, anyway. At least your not tied to the table any more. Of course, the bad new is, I'm going to rape, torture and kill you...and maybe not in that order."

Angel turned his head, looking away, but unable to do more than that in his new tied down position. He tugged at his restraints, growling under his breath. "You still talk too much." The human flinched as he felt a sharp slap to his bared ass, but he didn't make any sounds.

"You have spirit, I'll give you that." Spike stood up, slipping out of his duster and letting it slide to the floor. "I like that in a person that's tied down hand and foot..and not to mention, naked, to my very own bed. It gives off an air of..." The vampire took out a cigarette and lit it, the smoke drifting out and accenting his musings. "...quiet desperation?" Spike grinned, taking his shirt off as well before taking another drag from the cigarette he was holding. "Yeah...I like that."

Angel growled, once again straining, but then he was pushed down by the weight of the vampire straddling across his lower back.

Spike ran his hands over Angels shoulders, almost kneading the skin with outspread fingers. He leaned down to place soft lips on the outline of the griffin, before letting his tongue flicker out to taste it. "I always wondered what you would have been like as a human, and how it would have been, if I had found you first." His canines brushed the flesh, and a line of blood welled up just off to the side of the "A." Spike latched onto the crimson flow, sucking on it gently as he whispered with a burgeoning need. "And now...it's looks like that's possible, doesn't it?" Once more, Spikes fangs broke the skin, slipping under the flesh and bringing up more of the warm treat. He swallowed eagerly, delighting in the moan that came from his prisoner.

Angel tensed, knowing that he was helpless, and having no idea of what he could do. He closed his eyes, as he felt the sharp canines cut into his skin...and for the first time since he was very little, Angel began to pray. Not so that Spike could hear, but soft pleading murmurs in his mind, as his mouth set firmly to keep all of it within. This couldn't happen. He had to get away, but how could he do it? Angel twitched under the weight of his childe, cool fangs still pressed inside as he slowly bled. God, Angel wished he could pass out again.

*****