Title: Don't Fear the Reaper 8/?

Author: Ajay

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: All characters in the BtVS and AtS verse
belong to Josh Whedon and others who are not me. I
just take them out for a walk sometimes. Okay, so I
forget to put Spike back on occasion but who wouldn't
forgive me that?

Warning: Ummm, don't wanna do this but, character
'death' and a little Buffy bashing.

Description: Post 'Fade Away' a wish is made, a wish
is granted and everyone will pay.

Feedback: Please. Little wet kitten eyes begging.

Many thanks to my amazing beta Ghostsforge who is so
good for my ego. But, GF has told me several times
that I don't need a beta so I'm going it alone.
whimper, moan, bitch

Archived at www.the-crypt.com and
www.geocities.com/Jess_Lair

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Angel's voice died away as the other man turned. He
felt his dead heart squeeze painfully. "Spike?"
He knew it was Spike, or more appropriately, William.
The dark, curly hair, the softened face which held no
hint of the cynic Spike had become and the blue, blue
eyes were all there. Every attribute possessed by
young William Winstead, each of the reasons Angelus
had originally become enamoured of the Victorian, were
once again standing before him.

The young man tilted his head in that oh-so-familiar
manner and opened his mouth to answer when voices
erupted from the now opened doorway.

"So, do you want to go out or should we. order. in?"
Fred's voice trailed off as the group took in the
tableau of the two men standing face to face.

It was NOT the way they had planned to have them meet.

Faith finally broke the tense silence. "Angel, Hey.
Good to be back." She nudged his arm before turning
to the other man. "Jaime! Whatcha doin' here, man?"

He gave her a quick hug. "I couldn't get off to go to
the airport so I thought I'd surprise you and wait
here to say hello." He smiled at the rest of the Fang
Gang. "So, ummmm, surprise?"

Cordy and Fred took the first steps in greeting the
young man by walking over to him to impart quick one
armed hugs on either side of him.

Wes paid particular attention to Angel throughout
these exchanges. The vampire had not taken his eyes
off of Jaime. Finally, the Englishman broke into his
rapt attention. "So, have you met our boss?"
The question was directed at Jaime but his tone of
voice was meant to draw Angel into the conversation.

Jaime smiled. "No, he actually arrived just before
you guys." He looked at the dark man. "He also
called me Spike when he saw me. Somebody's going to
have to show me a picture."

Wes prevaricated. "Yes, well, we'll work on that.
Meanwhile, Jaime I'd like you to meet the head of
Angel Investigations. Angel." He pointed to the
vampire. "Angel, this is our young friend, Jaime
Ross. He's soon to be a very famous author."

Jaime blushed at Wes' comments as he held out his hand
to shake with Angel. "No last name? That's cool,
man." He noted the cooler than normal temperature of
the other man's hand with passing interest. It was
the look in the chocolate colored eyes that caught his
attention. Those eyes were extremely sensual and at
the moment they were sending waves of heat through
Jaime's body. He drew in a ragged breath as he felt
his palm begin to sweat.

Fred broke the moment by repeating her earlier
question about food. "So, do we take Faith out for
her first meal as an official Angeleno or do we take
off our shoes and order in?"

"I think Faith should decide." Gunn finally
commented.

The Slayer looked around at the nodding group. "Can
you get a good steak delivered? I'm really in the
mood for one."

"You can get anything delivered in LA, including
excellent steaks. So, is everyone up for that or do
we have a smorgasbord?" Cordelia was in her element
organizing things for her group. As each of them gave
her their order Angel's concentration wandered again.

This time it by passed the beautiful young man he was
fascinated with to land on the newcomer to his inner
circle. Something about Faith's smell was different.
It was vaguely familiar but he couldn't place it. He
remembered that the last time he saw here she had also
carried a familiar scent. His eyes flew to Jaime.
Faith had slept with the young man. Had she known who
he was when she bedded him? Why would she do it,
then? His thoughts were once more interrupted by
Cordelia.

"Who's paying what?"

Angel and Jaime both reached for their wallets, each
produced a platinum credit card. Angel waved him off.
"My welcome home gift for Faith."

Jaime reluctantly nodded.

Angel turned his attention to the young woman.
"Faith, can I talk to you for a minute?"

She followed him into his office. She'd barely gotten
the door closed before his questions began. "Are you
going to tell him?"

"Huh? Tell who what?" She was confused to say the
least. Angel's intense stare began to unnerve her.

"I've been trying to figure out why you smelled off.
It finally hit me. You're in the very early stages of
pregnancy. Since I could smell Spike," he shook his
head, "Jaime on you the last time you were here I
assume he is the father."

Faith's jaw was hanging slack. "Angel, I don't know
what you're talking about. I am not pregnant. I had
just gotten my shot two days before I came here. I
had never missed one. Also, we used condoms each time
we...that night. So, it's impossible."

"Nothing is impossible, Faith. You knew he was Spike,
brought back some how, probably by an evil force.
Don't you think that they could arrange a pregnancy
despite any barriers or medical complications? Think
about it. Darla and I had a son. Two people who've
been dead for centuries!"

Faith sank down on his couch. "Fuck. Oh, God.
Angel, are you sure? I mean, maybe my hormones are
just whacked out?"

"The best way to find out is to go the doctor, right?"


She nodded. "Yeah, that's what I'll do. I mean, I
have to know."

"Spike has to know. It would be very important to
him."

She nodded again. As he went to open the door Faith
spoke. "Angel? If...if I am pregnant I want you to
know I'm not going to try to use it to trap him or
anything. I knew that we would only have that one
time."

"One time?" Angel asked with a raised brow.

Faith blushed. "One night. I knew I'd only have him
for one night." She leaned against him. "You have to
understand. There was always something about Spike."

"Yeah, I think everybody who's ever met him has
probably wanted to get him in bed. That includes
Giles and Willow, lesbian or not."

She chuckled. "I don't know about that but there's
always been a definite attraction for me." A sad
smile showed itself. "But, like I said, it could only
be the once. Jaime, or Spike at least, belongs to
Buffy to some extent." She looked the vampire in the
eyes. "But, he really belongs to you doesn't he? He
always has."

Angel returned the melancholy smile. "He doesn't know
that, now, does he? It took us so long to work
things out, then I destroyed it all without thinking.
I killed him. Twice. Why would he want to come back
to me? Even if he never remembers who he really is
why would he even consider letting me into his life?"

"Um. Maybe because the sexual tension between the two
of you was about to set the lobby on fire when we came
in?"

"You think?"

"Oh, yeah!"

Angel's smile would have warmed the coldest heart.
It faded. "I'm scared."

"Of course you are. Of what?"

He sighed. "How about him never remembering who he is
and not wanting a relationship with me? Or, he
remembers he's Spike but wants nothing to do with me
because of how I've treated him. I mean, he
overlooked everything before but that doesn't mean
he'll do it again. Or, what if Buffy does make her
way here? One word from her and he'd be at her side
in a second."

"What is it about her that has you both all wrapped
up? I mean, really. She can be the most selfish,
self centered person on earth, yet you and Spike,
Xander, Giles and nearly every other man who gets near
her thinks she can do no wrong?" Faith shook her
head, bewildered.

"I'm not. She doesn't..." Angel couldn't even come
up with a lie to feed the other Slayer.

"That's why I wanted to be her, you know? She had the
perfect life, the ideal mom, loving friends, a strong
male figure who would back her up no matter what.
You. Even when you all knew she was wrong you backed
her up. You all fed her ego." She turned away so
that he couldn't see the tears. "You even went
running off to apologize to her before the cell doors
were even locked behind me. 'I'm sorry, Buffy. I
didn't mean to try to help Faith. I wouldn't have if
you would've let me know ahead of time that it was you
she hurt.'"

Angel grabbed her by the arms. "It wasn't like that!"

"How was it, Angel? She told me that you were sorry
for taking my problems on instead of dropping
everything to be with her when she came here. Even
though she had Riley kowtowing at that point she had
to have you, too. And you fell right in line." She
angrily wiped away the tears. "Then when I get there
to help she has poor Spike in knots. Literally. Did
you know that? She kept him locked up in the
basement. But, I'm sure you encouraged that, didn't
you? Anything to keep Spike away from you're so
precious Miss Perfect. Did you know what she did to
him for the whole year before? She was so proud to
tell me how she had him dancing everytime she opened
her legs. How she could beat the hell out of him when
ever she felt like it and he would still come back for
more, because just like his sire, he was under her
spell. And, she got off on it. Then when her friends
found out and told how disgusted they were with her
she cut him off. He tried to tell her but she
wouldn't listen. Did she tell you about that?"

Angel shook his head. "Spike did. He didn't want any
secrets."

"He told you what he did to her? Almost did?"

Angel nodded his head. "But, he didn't tell me about
the rest."

Faith snorted. "Of course not. He didn't want Buffy
to look bad. Then again you'd be more likely to blame
it on Spike, anyway, wouldn't you?" She nodded
vigorously. "Yeah, you would."

Angel couldn't even think of what to say. Faith had
made some valid points. Shit.

"Do you know that I was downstairs with Spike, sharing
a cigarette when she walked in on us. She was livid.
She just couldn't stand the idea that some thing might
have happened between us. I got the hell out before
she could do anything about it." She bit at her nail.

"You know, I was excited for a second there about
being pregnant. I had this stupid idea that it would
be a good thing. A normal thing in my fucked up life.
But, now I don't know. I thought that Jaime would
probably be a supportive father but now, you see,
you've made me realize that I have so much more to
worry about than I thought. If Buf, when Buffy comes
back, she won't only take Spike with her she'll
convince him to take the baby, too. And, I can't
trust any of you to help stop her! This was a bad
idea. Coming to LA was wrong. So wrong." She was
trying to open the door, aiming to escape Angel's
office, Los Angeles and especially the specter of
Buffy.

Angel grabbed her and held her close, much as he did
when she broke down in that alley years before. He
knew the heartache of having your child taken away and
he realized that Faith's fear was more valid than he
would have admitted to himself before their revealing
conversation. He had changed his thoughts about Buffy
after what had happened to Spike. He had even refused
to have her come to LA. Of course, Faith didn't know
this but he would explain it as soon as she calmed
down. She didn't have to worry that he would support
Buffy in any of her attempts to seperate his new
family.

She wouldn't get her hands on this baby. And, if he
had to kill to prevent it, she wouldn't get Jaime
under her spell, either.


TBC