| Summer Series 2002: The Journey of the Fool Story the 19th ~ The Sun By Kuzibah |
| Disclaimer: Spike is not mine, more's the pity. Spoilers for �Grave� and season 3 of �Angel.� Also, I�d like to dedicate this particular chapter to LTG. Archive- Please email request. Feedback- Absolutely. ******************* ~ Los Angeles Spike unfolded the page he�d torn from the yellow pages in a phone booth and checked the address again. Yep, it was Angel Investigations, alright. In a hotel. In a huge, empty hotel. Spike shook his head. For all of Angel�s declarations of repentance, he was never one to wear sackcloth and ashes. Always living in style, he was. Spike tried the door, but found it locked. He pressed his face to the glass, and cupped his hands around it to block out the light from the street. He could see the front desk, one pool of dim light in a darkened lobby. Probably everyone was out saving some pathetic moron. Spike turned and leaned against the door. He sighed, then closed his eyes and rubbed them with his fingertips. �Spike?� Angel�s voice came to him and Spike opened his eyes. Angel advanced on him with a drawn stake. �What the hell are you doing here? I thought I told you�� �Angel, no!� Spike held up his hands in supplication. Angel stayed his hand where it was, raised and ready to plunge the sharpened wood into Spike�s breast. His other forearm was across Spike�s shoulders, pinning the smaller vampire to the door. They stood frozen like that for what seemed like several minutes, as the anger gave way to confusion on Angel�s face. Spike know what he was thinking. Why isn�t Spike struggling to get away? What is he doing? And then the old patterns re-emerged, and Angel�s gaze roved quickly over Spike�s body as he sniffed shallowly, checking for injury. Finding none, he wound his hand, one of those hands that had always seemed so large to Spike, into the fabric of Spike�s shirt and gave a shake. �What foolishness is this, boy?� Angel growled, more than a little of the old brogue coming out. No, that wasn�t right. �What kind of game do you think you�re playing, Spike?� Angel growled, and Spike stammered wordlessly, looking deep into Angel�s eyes and silently imploring, See what Rupert saw. Don�t make me say this again. And somehow, Angel did see. He put Spike down, letting go of his shirt, and again the anger became confusion. �How did it happen?� he asked, and when Spike tried to explain the unexplainable, Angel had shaken his head. �No,� he said. �It�s not important.� He brought Spike inside, up past the lobby to the rooms he lived it. These were vampire rooms, dim and cool and dry. There were overstuffed chairs and Spike sank into one gratefully. Angel brought him some blood to drink. It wasn�t human, but it was warmed perfectly, something Spike still didn�t have the knack for, but of course Angel had so much more practice, and it wasn�t too bad. �Tell me,� Angel said when Spike had finished, and Spike was taken back to days when he was newly made. It hadn�t all been bad with Angelus, then. Sometimes, when it was just the two of them, Spike had really gotten the sense that Angelus had wanted the fledgling vampire to learn and be strong, to be a powerful addition to their line. It was this sense that came to him now, and Spike knew he�d done the right thing coming to Los Angeles. �It hurts,� Spike said. �I can�t� I keep seeing them and hearing them scream, and I can�t make it stop. I�ve just been running, and trying to get back to Sunnyhell, because maybe I can do something there to help myself.� �I know,� Angel said. �I�ve been there. I understand.� Spike covered his face with his hands. �I�ve just made myself numb,� he said, �because I�m so afraid of feeling anything.� �I know,� Angel repeated. �But you were right to come here. I can help you.� ~:~:~:~:~ Spike looked up, blinking away the fantasy to see two humans approaching, a tall black man and a mousy white woman. �I�m sorry?� he said. �I said, can I help you?� the man repeated. Spike looked around, but the two were alone. �Is this Angel Investigations?� he asked uncertainly. �Yes, did you need help?� the woman said. �Is Angel with you?� Spike said, and the two humans exchanged looks. �Angel is in charge, here, isn�t he?� Spike clarified. �Big guy. Dark clothes. Doesn�t have much of a tan.� �He�s not here at the moment,� the woman said, and Spike could scent fear all over her, which confused him. �He�s out working on a case at the moment,� the man said. �He�ll probably be out all night. But we can help you. What do you need?� �I need to talk to Angel,� Spike said. �Can I wait for him?� �Well, he might be awhile,� the woman said, looking nervously at her companion. �It�s really important,� Spike said. The man sighed. �You should come in,� he said, unlocking the door. Spike followed them into the lobby, then through to a smaller office. �Please have a seat, Mr.�� The woman trailed off. �It�s William,� Spike said, in case they had heard of him. Spike didn�t want to alarm them, but if they told Angel about him, Angel would know. �Are you a friend of Angel�s?� the woman said. Spike hesitated, trying to gauge the two humans. �More like family,� he said at last. That got their attention. Spike saw with a predator�s eye as they tensed while trying to stay casual, and unconsciously twitched their hands towards their weapons. �It�s all right,� he said. �I won�t hurt you. I�ve a soul, same as he does.� The humans exchanged looks again, and the woman said something softly that sounded like �shanshu.� Off the man�s confused look she elaborated, �if he can fulfill the prophecy, it means Angel could be�� They turned back to Spike. �The truth is,� the man said, �we don�t know where Angel is. He�s been missing for weeks.� Spike blinked rapidly. He hadn�t considered this. �Do you think he�s�� �We don�t think so,� the man said. �But� we have to consider it after such a long time.� Spike felt a howl start in the bottom of his chest, so he opened his mouth and let it out. Then he stood, lifted the chair he was sitting on above his head, and smashed it against the floor. He had to lift it and slam it down several times before it had broken apart completely. He stumbled backwards and collapsed onto the carpet, hot tears burning in his eyes. He shuddered and took several breaths to steady himself before looking up. The two humans were staring at him from the furthest corner of the room, stakes at the ready in their hands. Spike gave a small, rueful laugh and shook his head. �I�m sorry,� he said. �It�s only� he was the last one who could help me. I�m kind of new at this.� The woman found her nerve first. She lowered her stake and took a step towards him. �What do you need?� she said. Spike shook his head again, defeated. �I�m so tired,� he said. �I�ve been trying so hard to hold it all together. I thought if I could just get to California it would be okay, and� I just need to sleep.� The woman put her stake down on the corner of the desk and moved closer to the vampire. �Fred, don�t,� the man warned, and Spike tried to reconcile this little girl with the name �Fred.� �It�s alright, Charles,� she said, crouching down beside Spike. �You haven�t had it long, have you?� she said, and Spike shook his head. �And you won�t hurt us, will you?� �I would never hurt you,� Spike promised. �The sun will be rising soon,� she told him. You can stay here until tomorrow night, if you want.� After a moment, Spike nodded. ~:~:~:~:~ On the second floor, it was more obvious the hotel had seen better days. The wallpaper and carpeting were faded and worn, and there was the acrid smell of a recent fire. Fred showed him to a room, and Spike could tell it was Angel�s, with its clean lines and muted colors. �I don�t think he�d mind,� Fred told him. She left him alone, and he heard tumblers turn as she locked the door. Then he heard a terse, whispered argument in the hallway. �How do we know he�s telling the truth?� Charles said. �He�s a vampire. He could be dangerous.� �There will be three locked doors between him and us,� Fred said, �but I don�t think he�ll hurt us. And I know Angel would want us to help him.� They moved down the hall, and their voices faded. �A hundred years ago, Angel was in the same situation. He�s so confused, can�t you see? And if I help him, it�s like helping Angel�� When they were gone, Spike let the tears come, tears he�d held for weeks. He sat on the bed and hugged a pillow to his face, trying to find some sign of the one he had counted on to give him some direction, but too much time had passed, and the scent was gone. ~:~:~:~:~ �Why did I come here? I don�t know, I just had to. Do you know why?� Angel, at least the Angel in Spike�s mind, laughed quietly. �You know, for one who�s so ready to follow the instincts for violence, you almost never listen to what else your nature tells you.� �My nature� is evil, Angelus. I have to suppress it.� �I used to think that, too,� Angel said. �But you can�t stop being what you are. You can only find a different way.� �Then why am I here?� �Because we are connected, blood to blood. Why did I risk everything for Darla? Why does Dru always find you? Because the demon�s instinct is for family, a clan to protect it. Inside, you want to belong.� �And the soul..?� �Can only fight that for so long. Because the human in you wants to belong, too.� �You�re very philosophical for a figment of my imagination.� Angel pulled the bedclothes up around Spike. �Go to sleep,� he said, and Spike did. Go on to the next part - Judgment Main Menu ~ Return to Summer Series 2002 Menu |