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Chapter 10

The mini-Slayers left in their rented van for the airport just after 5 pm. Buffy, Dawn, and Willow went with to see them off, so Angel had the hotel to himself again, since Spike had slipped out early by way of the sewers. He hummed in his office, organizing files. He’d spent the whole week getting Angel Investigations back up and running, calling old contacts, ordering new business cards, and buying ad space in the newspaper. All that he needed now were clients. Nina had even called, waking him up, and said she would like to see him when she got back. Yep, life was getting back to the simple, orderly way he liked it.
~+~
When they got back, Buffy searched out Spike by way of her Slayer senses. She found him in his room, watching something on television, by the sounds coming through the door. She knocked, giving him a courtesy here that his crypt door had never seen.

Spike had sensed her in the hallway, of course. He waited until she gathered up the courage to knock, then let her wait a couple moments more before shutting off the TV and getting up to open the door.

“Slayer,” he greeted her.

“Uh, hi…um, Dawn and I will be sticking around for a while still…she wants to see the colleges and stuff, so, um…” Buffy fidgeted and squirmed as she struggled with whatever she came to say. He would have laughed, if he thought it wouldn’t have sent her running. “Well, what I wanted to say is that, uh, we’ve known each other long enough, that…maybe we could try not being so awkward? For Dawn’s sake…at least…”

“Are you saying you want to be on friendly terms, Slayer?” Spike couldn’t resist teasing her a little.

“Friends! Yeah…that’s, uh, what I’m saying. I mean, we don’t need to avoid each other, right? It’d just be silly…”

“Right…silly. Well, alright, then. Have a good night, buddy. I’m just going to return to my movie.” He flashed her an overly friendly smile, patted her on the shoulder, and closed the door.

Buffy stood there staring at the door, unsure what had just happened. Did that mean he had accepted her peace offering? She was coming to realize that the Spike of now was a Spike she didn’t really know.
~+~
“Well?” Dawn asked, as soon as she saw Buffy again.

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know? You made nice, didn’t you?” she accused.

“Yes, Dawn. It’s just…he said okay, then closed the door on me to go back to his movie. I don’t know this version of Spike! He’s not like he was in Sunnydale…” She sat down on the bed in a huff, pouting.

“You can’t expect to be best friends overnight, Buffy.”

“It doesn’t seem to have been that hard for him and Charlotte,” she grumbled.

Dawn sighed, feeling not for the first time like she was the older sister, and sat down next to Buffy. “That’s because they don’t have any baggage in the way. You and Spike have tons of past coloring how you see each other now. Maybe you should take this chance to really get to know him now, if it means something to you.”

“What do you mean? I know Spike very well…” she started to insist.

“I don’t mean in the Biblical sense, Buffy! I mean as a person. Do you know what his favorite book is? Favorite song? Favorite movie? Mom knew. I know. Knowing the fastest way to make him scream your name is not relevant to being a good friend. Maybe you should approach this as if you’re strangers.”

Buffy could do nothing but hang her head in shame, acknowledging her sister’s truthful words. She knew very little about the man inside Spike, especially since he’d gotten his soul back. With a new Potential arriving every day, and his new natural reserved-ness, she hadn’t had the chance over that last year to get to know him all over again. Well, that wasn’t the whole truth, either, because she could have tried. Could have taken the time on many nights to get to really know him, but she put it off, thinking that there would be time after the battle, if she could just stay focused on keeping them all alive. And she hadn’t even done that very well.

It was one of the big reasons she had all but quit slaying once they got to Rome. Buffy felt a failure as a Slayer. She hadn’t even saved the world since her fateful dive off that tower, and then there were the deaths of people she knew – Tara, the Potentials, Xander’s eye, Amanda the new Slayer who’d been the only one to not complain she knew better than the rest, Anya, Spike… The last two apocalypses she’d been involved in had been stopped by a carpenter with no special skills other than the love for his friends, and a vampire with such a notorious reputation of evil, only to get his soul and sacrifice himself for the entire world. She’d been a true general at the end, she’d realized, making the big decisions, then sending in her soldiers to do all the work – Willow with the Slayer spell, and Spike with the amulet. Buffy never wanted to be in that position again. She never wanted to be responsible for who lived and who died, all for the sake of a ‘higher calling’. The others could make the hard decisions now. Others could face death night after night.

Dawn placed a gentle hand to her sister’s face, tilting it up so she could meet her eyes. “Hey, enough with the guilt trips. What matters is that you do better in the future based on what you’ve learned, okay? If there’s anyone in the world who would forgive you practically anything, Buffy, it’s Spike. How about we go raid the freezer for some ice cream?”

“Okay, Dawnie,” Buffy whispered gratefully.
~+~
Once Buffy was gone, Spike could relax his guard and start thinking about the olive branch the Slayer had extended. It seemed his feelings could be summed up as “cautious, but hopeful” on this new friends issue…but he couldn’t begin to imagine what she specifically thought being his friend entailed. Were they going to start ‘hanging out’ now? Doing things together? Was it even possible for them to be friends in the traditional sense? He’d wholeheartedly meant what he said to Buffy and Angel the night he came back to Sunnydale to get that spell, and he had been right in their case. He could admit that the two would always share some kind of bond over past history, but it was only enough to keep in touch in the sparest of terms. As far as he knew, the Slayer and his grandsire had never even laughed together once.

So, what did “friends” mean for Spike and Buffy?
~+~
Saturday night, Angel, Connor, and Spike went over to the memorial park where Gunn had been buried that morning. Spike even put on a nice shirt, something that surprised Angel, who still wasn’t used to the more respectful version of his grandchilde. Of course, with it being so late, they had to hop the fence.

“How do you know where they buried ‘im?” Spike asked.

“Gunn didn’t have any family left. I arranged for the service,” Angel replied. “Over there.”

They veered to the left towards a small hill with one tree at the top. A fresh plaque adorned the ground two plots over from the tree. Flowers still sat in front of the marker, as well as a Chinese tiger carved out of jade. Gwen’s been here, Angel noticed. The other two stood off to the side to give him some privacy, and he slipped the tiger into his pocket for safekeeping. Sadly, it would just be stolen, otherwise.

“We had our disagreements, Charles. Even when you couldn’t stand me, you hung in there because you believed we were doing the right thing, helping others, and I always respected that. You, Wes, Cordelia…Fred…well, it’s not the same world without you guys.”

Spike approached the elder vampire once he saw him stand again. “What say we go toast them all properly, hmm?”

“One tradition from home I’ll gladly keep. But Spike…somewhere decent.”

“Of course, Sire. It’s a special occasion.”

Angel clasped his son’s shoulder as they walked back towards the car. “You have your license, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Good. We’re going to need a designated driver.”
~+~
“It’s a shame you have to go, Wills.”

“Yeah, I know…but, I’ve got a lot of work piling up, not to mention the voice-mail messages. It seems one of the main library servers crashed at Headquarters, and Giles won’t call a tech. He insists I fix it, or supervise someone in person for the job.” Willow rolled her eyes and sighed. “It probably just needs a reboot, but he’s still afraid to touch it.”

“Ah, you know Giles – it will be 2020, and he’ll still avoid computers like the plague. Maybe if you tease him about being an old man set in his ways, he might come around,” Dawn suggested.

Willow chuckled. “Possibly. Ugh…flying over during the middle of the night is not something I’m looking forward to, but that was the soonest flight I could find that still gets me there on Monday, London time. What should we do tomorrow before I leave?”

“We could do a movie-fest! I’ve just discovered that there are all these movies that take forever to get to Europe, and they’ve had them here all along! Why did I ever leave the US in the first place?” Buffy exclaimed.

“It was part of your I-want-to-see-Europe-before-I’m-dead-by-30 plan,” Dawn replied.

“Oh, yeah…well, I’m thinking I might be over it, at least to live there. It wasn’t as much fun as I thought it would be.”

“Well, I’m choosing an American university, so if you want to be near me, you’re going to have to move back here, anyway.”

“What happened to possibly going to school in London?”

“Key word was possibly. After seeing everything again that I’d forgotten I liked so much, I want to come back,” Dawn replied.

“Well, it’s your college fund, Dawnie. Between Dad and Giles, you really can go anywhere.”

“Yep. So, I wonder where the guys went? They were kinda dressed up.”
~+~
“Don’t tell me you’re slowing down already, Angelus! We haven’t even gotten to toasting Wesley, yet.”

“Don’t call me that, Spike. We’re not the same.” Angel tipped back the shot Spike slid to him.

“What do you think, boy? Ever met your old man’s alter ego?”

“Yeah. There are some similarities, but he’s right – they’re not the same. Not anymore, at least,” Connor replied, trying to appease both of them.

“Huh…interesting. If Nina comes back, you gonna look into locking down that soul?” Spike asked.

“The curse was put on me for a reason…”

“Oh, bollocks! It’s a stupid curse, and anybody can see it. What possible sense does it make to give the cursed object an out when you want everlasting vengeance, hmm? Lock down the soul, and do the right things because they’re the right things, not because you feel guilty. The reward, Angel, is in knowing you did something good to help people. It’s not about the bloody brass ring or toy surprise,” he ranted. “You’ve got a nice bird who actually likes you, for some reason, so bloody take advantage of it, and don’t let her go.”

“I don’t even know if she’s coming back for good. She was sort of upset with me when she left. Besides, William, you don’t even follow your own advice, so why should I?” Angel woefully retorted.

“You guys are really crappy drunks. Have either of you ever been to a frat party?” Connor complained.

“Hey, you’re underage. What are you doing at a frat party?” Angel scolded.

“I was invited. Doesn’t mean I got drunk,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “It’s part of college, Dad. Lots of fun, though. The chicks were hot.”

“See, Peaches? The boy’s doing just fine. It’s you we have to worry about. Everybody knows about the quarter-millennium crisis,” Spike sniggered.

“He calls me the broody drunk? Well, he’s the obnoxious drunk,” Angel said sullenly.

“Okay! Time to get you old guys back home. We leave now, and I might be able to salvage something out of this evening. Come on, let’s go.” Connor pulled one, then the other, out of their seats. Angel tossed a wad of bills on the table for the tab.

The two vampires shuffled out, the boy urging them on towards the door.

“Your son’s a real party pooper, Peaches,” Spike complained.

“It’s okay. I still have a bottle in my apartment.”

Connor shook his head as they piled back into the Belvedere.
~+~
When the vampires got back to the Hyperion, they were both a bit more “three sheets to the wind”, courtesy of Spike sneaking a bottle from the bar as they left. Once they were indoors, Connor made a hasty retreat.

“Oh, my god – are you two drunk?” Buffy exclaimed.

They straightened up, putting on their most sober faces. “No!”

“You so are! I can smell you from here! Which is totally disgusting, by the way. Whatever possessed you to down the whole bar?!”

“You’d think she was our mum,” Spike murmured to Angel, who sniggered in response.

“Mother wasn’t as mean as she gets,” he whispered back.

Spike rubbed his nose, remembering. “I’d believe it mate. To kind mothers,” he toasted, and took another drink from the bottle. He passed it to Angel, who only got a couple drips.

“You finished it!” he pouted.

“I nicked it! Go get yer own, if you want more.”

“I’ll do that!” Angel turned towards the stairs, and gulped. Ah, well…nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Buffy just looked on, mouth gaping. They were actually being nice to each other? “Is that all it takes for you two to be nice to each other? Getting drunk?!”

“Pish off, Slayer! It’s nuthin’ you’d understand.” Spike caught up with Angel, and the two helped each other up the stairs.

I would, too, understand! I’m all kinds of understanding, the Slayer pouted. She huffed, continuing her trek to the kitchen and muttering about master vampires who always thought they knew better.
~+~
An hour later, Buffy decided to take her first action of friendship, and bring a mug of blood up to Spike. She warmed one up for Angel, too, just in case she found both of them in the same room. She tried Spike’s room first.

“Spike? Are you in there?”

When she didn’t get an answer, she shrugged, and continued up to the third story to Angel’s room. She knocked before sticking her head in the room.

“Hey…everybody decent?” she asked.

“What is it, Buffy?” Angel asked. He closed the photo album he’d been showing Spike as she pushed open the door with her hip.

“I brought blood. Thought you two could use some liquid refreshment other than vodka.” She sat the mugs on the table and smiled at the vampires. “Whatcha guys doing?”

“Oh, uh…” Spike started.

“Talking,” Angel filled in, shrugging.

“Okay…” They were acting weird. Maybe it was just the alcohol. “Well, I guess I’ll let you get back to that, then…”

“Okay.” “Thanks for stopping by.”

“Alright, you two are acting really weird. What’s up?” she demanded to know.

“Geeze, Slayer! Can’t a couple o’ blokes mourn their mates in peace?!”

“But…! But, all you two ever do is fight! You actually expect me to believe you’re just drinking buddies, now?”

“Yes,” they said in unison.

“Fine! Pardon me for caring.” Buffy turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door for good measure.

The vampires exchanged a guilty look, before Angel brought the album out again.

“And this was Connor’s first hockey jersey…”
~+~
Charlotte awoke in the morning knowing she’d had another nightmare. Every night since she’d been bitten, it had been the same dream. The strangest part was that she had the feeling it wasn’t her own, or more specifically, not from her own imagination. The dream passed in flashes – a wagon camp, people screaming and running around, children hiding or calling for their parents, and always the glimpses of monstrous faces. She was hiding, trying to cast some kind of spell, only to be interrupted as a vampire viciously attacked, ripping out her throat. Charlotte always awoke the instant before she would be dead in the dream. Instinct told her this gruesome event had been real.

She felt juvenile for not wanting to sleep alone, but it had always been a guard against troubled sleep. From her mother’s arms, to a bed full of stuffed animals, to the two live-in boyfriends she’d had, Charlotte had always taken comfort from sharing a bed. This new one felt unfamiliar and too big.

Not wanting to dwell on it any longer, she got up and started getting ready to drive down to her mother’s for Sunday brunch. It was tradition, and now that she was re-settled, her mother wouldn’t be letting her beg off another weekend. Charlotte laid out a gypsy skirt, cami, and sheer blouse, then went to shower.
~+~
“You haven’t been sleeping well,” Corinne Taylor said, upon seeing her daughter.

“Mom…”

“I can always tell these things, you know. You can’t hide from your mother. So, what’s the trouble? Is the new place not working out?”

“It’s fine, Mom. Better than I could have expected. I’m fine. I just stayed up too late watching TV last night.”

Her mother looked dubious, but let it go. “Have you filed a claim on your renter’s insurance yet?”

“Yes, Mother. I did it right after finding out they were condemning the building. These things take time, you know.”

“I never liked the look of that building. If you’re going to live some place old, make sure it’s been well maintained. What about your new apartment? I do wish you’d find a school to work at down here. This whole mess just adds to the feeling that L.A. isn’t safe. The movie stars don’t even live there.”

“I like my school, Mom. I have some good kids, and they’re serious about music. I’m helping. And my new place is fine. Very cozy. There’s a security gate, and everything.”

“Well, good. How about your personal life? Have you met any interesting people lately?” her mother asked next.

Boy, have I. “A few. There were some nice girls at the hotel I stayed at before finding the apartment.”

“I was hoping you’d mention a nice, single man.”

“I know you were, but I’m not looking for a relationship right now. I’m just getting my career started.”

“Charlotte, that’s all well and good, but you only have so much time to catch a man before it starts getting harder to produce children…”

Here we go again. Charlotte tuned out the patented lecture her mother gave her every time they saw each other, and sipped her drink. Why does the restaurant kitchen have to be so slow today?

A well-timed phone call on her cell saved Charlotte from having to make an excuse once she finished eating.

“Hello? Oh, hey, Willow…yeah, I can come by. It’ll be a couple hours, I need to drive back up…okay, see you soon. Bye.”

“A friend?”

“Yep. She’s flying out tonight, so if I want to say goodbye, I need to head over there this afternoon. Thanks for brunch, Mom. Give my love to the cats.”

A quick hug for her mother, and Charlotte was racing out of the restaurant, thanking the heavens for Willow and her timing.





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