Title: Carry On, Part Seven � Different Song
Author: Inca
Speak up at [email protected]
Rating PG
Angel/Spike
Disclaimer: They don't belong to me, I just like to play with them
Spoilers: Up to 5.22 �Not Fade Away�
Summary: Spike�s buggered off.
Authors notes: Robert Service delivered the title, which is also the title of his poem. I thought of it when I read the transcript for �Not Fade Away�.
Italics indicate something that�s happened in the past.
Angel�s direct thoughts indicated by a tab space.
For more stories by me, come to http://www.geocities.com/slasherphiles
~~~
It�s easy to cheer when victory�s near,
And wallow in fields that are gory.
It�s a different song when everything�s wrong,
Part Seven � Different Song
***
A blinding flash of lightning filled the room, and when it cleared three men in suits stood motionless before them.
Silence blanketed the room as each side measured the other. The three men all basically looked the same, three bland imitations of one another, but their faces�
Angel looked at Spike, noting that the blonde�s lips were curled back in a moue of disgust. The faces of the men were covered in scabbed sores and blisters, the skin hanging in flaps from the grey bone in some places. Dark junkie circles surrounded veined eyes, the whites yellow, and the iris� crimson red. Their teeth were cracked and sharp, their gums bled and their tongues were hidden under enormous leaking weals.
�Armani?� Angel question, referring to their matching suits.
�Angel.� On stated in a hiss, fixing his glassy dead eyes on the vampire.
�Yes?�
�You have made powerful enemies.�
�Enough of this crap.� Angel barked over him, tired and weary from the battle, from his losses, from living the way he had been over the last year.
�Are you the Senior Partners? Or just more lackeys?�
�We are the Wolf, the Ram and the Hart.� The cadavers hissed in unison. � We were the bane of mankind before the filth existed. We are older than time ��
�What is it with bad guys and the posturing?� Angel asked cutting them off, as he hefted his sword higher.
�We will rid ourselves of you.�
�Just thinking the same thing.�
The men attacked.
***
He opened his eyes.
The room was bright; the clock read 1:14. He turned his head to see Spike�s face. His eyes were closed but his mouth was open as he slept.
His teeth were shiny.
The indirect, but very bright, sunlight that filtered into the room picked up little things. Highlighted them. The sparse clear hair on Spike�s cheeks, his eyelashes, fine light freckles down the bridge of Spike�s nose. He had a little spot on his jaw. Angel smiled and felt squiggles of love jump in his belly. He ran his hand down Spike chest, feeling the smooth cool skin against his hand, the soft nipples.
He closed his eyes.
***
He opened his eyes.
The room was darker than before. He focused on the clock. 8:56. He rolled back with a smile, wanting to see if the artificial light from the street would reveal any new secrets of Spike�s body. The bed was empty.
He stood up, feeling a cold chill on his pleasantly aching body, pulled on some clothes and padded down the hall. He pushed open Spike�s door, but the room was empty.
And messy.
As usual.
He entered the kitchen and was surprised to see Gunn sitting at the table. One hand spooned a colourful nutrition-less cereal into his mouth, while the other flicked through a dusty book.
He turned his head as Angel walked in. He smiled.
�Hey Angel, hows things?�
�Good.� Angel answered, pulling a chair out for himself as he looked around for a wayward blonde vampire. Not finding one, he focused on Gunn�s food. �You�re eating cereal?�
�Yep. I am a true believer of the �Cereal�s an anytime food� thinking revolution.� He said with a flourish of his spoon. �People don�t eat enough cereal.�
�Shouldn�t you be eating dinner? Like a steak or something?� Angel asked.
�Ah, I went out and got something before. Only thing we have in the fridge is milk and blood. Don�t leave vamps house-sitting.�
Angel nodded.
�So, Dawg, hows the memories? Any more coming back.�
Angel shook his head as he leant back in the chair. He flicked impassively at the tabletop.
�Well, now heres the brooding, laconic vampire of yore that I remember.�
Angel looked up with a start. He smiled uncertainly. �Sorry, I�m a � little distracted.�
�Coo.� Gunn nodded, spooning in more cereal, bemused smile on his face.
They sat in almost silence for a few minutes, the only noises being Gunn�s spoon clinking against the glass, the soft crunch of the cereal and Angel�s fingers picking at the table.
�So, where�s Spike?� Angel asked, oh-so-casually.
�Spike�s not here.� Gunn said, bemused smile back in place. �You two have really gotten on haven�t you?�
�What?� Angel asked warily.
�Well its funny, you used to be at each others throats, and now � you get along. Never thought I�d see the day.�
Angel frowned. �We didn�t like each other?�
�No, which is why it�s so strange to see you talking all the time. Just having conversations and all. Weird.� He shrugged.
Angel nodded, not really understanding. �So when did you get here?�
�Five-ish. Saw Spike. He said you were sleeping and I shouldn�t wake you. He told me he ran you ragged last night.� a friendly grin covered his face.
Angel stared at him, horrified. �Huh?�
�With all the training?� Gunn prodded, a frown edging onto his face.
�Oh!� Angel, relieved, let out a high pitched nervous giggle.
Gunn snapped back in his seat, eyes wide. �And suddenly, I�m more scared than I�ve ever been by any monster.�
�So how did you investigating � investigation go?� Angel asked hurriedly, embarrassed and trying to change the subject.
�Good. Going good. Still not over. Got a lead. To Amsterdam.� Gunn rolled his eyes. �Take a long time to sniff out the guy we need though.�
Angel nodded sympathetically. �So when are you going?�
Gunn just looked at him and shook his head. �No, I�m not, Spike volunteered. He�s going. After I give him the specs that my snitch is ringing through.�
Spike�s leaving. Angel�s stomach lurched, all the happy feelings leaking out of him.
�He volunteered?� Angel felt crushed.
He wanted to get away from you that much. Practical Sensible whispered, making an insidious comeback.
�Yep. Unlike him too, hates to travel. Maybe because it�s the Dam. Lots of brothels there.� Gunn snorted. �I think his ex is there too. One of them anyhow.�
Angel stared at the tabletop.
�When�s he going?�
�Meeting him in� he looked at his watch. �Two hours. Give him the specs, then Bon Voyage.�
He nodded numbly as Gunn spooned the last of his cereal into his mouth.
�Is he coming back to get his things?� Angel asked, wanting to scream � And me?!
�Naw.� He dropped the spoon into the bowl and plucked a blue post it from the book, waving it around. �Got the addy right here. I�ll tell him you said bye, probably shouldn�t go. Demons still remember you, and word seems to have travelled that you don�t remember how to fight. Dangerous, yeah?�
He picked up his bowl and walked to the kitchen. Angel eyed the post it. Gunn shoved the bowl into the sink and ran water into it.
�Just you and me for a while, Angel. We can shoot the breeze or maybe another, cooler, expression.�
He turned around. The room was empty.
�Angel?�