Harmony

Rated- PG13

Summary- There are two vampires with a soul. The world is falling into chaos because of this anomaly. There is no way around it. One of them has to die. But which one?

Spoilers- This takes place after Buffy’s Chosen and Angel’s Destiny

Disclaimer- Joss Whedon owns all the characters from BTVS and ATS. I’m just borrowing. Although, I’m kinda reluctant to give back a certain bleach blonde

Sorry, no Lindsey. But my next fic might have some of him. The story will probably be called Resurrections. It is going to be about overcoming Wolfram and Hart, and the Shanshu prophecy. But there will also be lots of other fun stuff that happens too like . . . Oh, I don’t want to give stuff away. But let’s just say there is a ghost. And it isn’t Spike. The story won’t be angst, and will be more light-hearted.

Chapter 10

Cordelia perked up. She swung her legs over the side of the metal bed. On shaky legs, she made her way to the door.

“What’s started? Cordelia?” Angel asked.

She didn’t answer. Instead, ignoring his inquisition, she headed out into the hall. The sound of desperate shouting filled the air.

“Hullo, I have a girl ‘ere who needs help!”

The dark-haired vampire came up behind the seer. They watched as Spike entered the hall, carrying the small form of Buffy. After a few seconds, Dawn and Willow followed.

Angel took a step forward. “Buffy? What’s wrong with her?”

Spike shook his head. “Don’t know. She won’t wake up.” The blonde glanced around, distracted. “Is there anyone here?”

Footsteps approached. The next thing they knew Kate came into view. She rushed into action, instructing for Spike to follow her into an examining room.

Tears streamed down Dawn’s face as she saw her sister get taken away. Willow put a comforting arm around her. The teen leaned into the witch for support.

“She’s going to be all right. She’s Buffy,” Dawn said, trying to convince herself. “Slayers have super-healing powers.”

Willow glanced over. She gasped. “Cordy? I didn‘t know you were here.”

Cordelia’s eyes widened. “H-Hi, Willow.”

All attention fell on the newly awakened patient. She ran a hand through her hair. “Geez, staring much. Am I a mess or something?”

The comment filled Angel with relief. Now that was the Cordelia he knew.

“You look fine,” Willow stated. She looked over at Angel for an explanation.

“She just woke up,” he said. “From a coma.”

All of a sudden Fred and Gunn came running at them. They slowed, catching their breath.

“Angel, we’ve been searching for you. We’ve got a problem,” Gunn got out.

Everything was overwhelming Angel. He felt like he might pass out if things didn’t stop to give him a breather. Which was ridiculous for two reasons. One, vampires don’t faint. Two, vampires don’t breath.

“Cordelia!” Fred shrieked. She rammed into her friend, giving her a hug. Hesitantly, Cordelia reciprocated the act.

“Whoa, Cordy!” Gunn exclaimed, noticing the reanimated woman as well.

“Fred. . .” Cordy began. “Can I have some air?”

Fred backed up. “Oh-Sure. Sorry.”

Cordelia’s eyes swept over everyone. She swayed a little, which caused Angel to reach out and grab her.

“Are you okay?” Angel questioned.

Cordelia looked up at him. Her eyes swam with agony. “No.” She shook her head. “I can’t . . . There’s so many images.”

“Visions?”

She winced. “I can feel them. Everyone. The whole world is crumbling.”

Angel parted his lips.

“I think she’s on the right wavelength, Angel. Fred and I just watched the news.” Gunn pointed behind him. “It’s chaos out there. Natural disasters. . . But not so natural. Meteors. Mysterious illnesses.”

“Mysterious illness?” Willow muttered.

Gunn turned. “Yeah.”

“Oh, God, Buffy!”

Cordelia started to tremble. Angel swooped her up. “Come on, I’m going to take you somewhere you can rest,” he told her. Then he addressed the others. “I’ll be back.”

He took her to his office. It was refreshing to see it empty and silent. The couch awaited them, and he lay her gingerly down. She gazed up with glazed eyes.

“I don’t know what to do. They need me to do something,” she choked.

Stroking back her hair, he soothingly replied. “Are the powers sending you visions?”

She nodded. “It’s never been like this before. They came right before I woke up. I. . .” She paused to take in a deep breath. “I can’t even sort them out.”

He leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead. “It’ll be all right. Just rest.”

It seemed like she might protest, but after a moment she complied. She sighed, shutting her eyes and sinking into the cushions.

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

The examination was inconclusive. There was nothing found to indicate that the slayer should be sick. Spike staid by her side for hours, set on being there for her every second.

“Do you need something to eat?” Dawn asked the next morning.

“Thanks, platelet, but I’m fine. You go get yourself something tasty, though,” he said, brushing the offer aside.

“But . . .” She sighed. “All right.”

Dawn left, and Spike found himself alone with Buffy. He watched her, paying close attention to the rise and fall of her chest. There was a heart monitor hooked up, giving off steady beeping noises, but actually seeing air pass through her lungs was more reassuring.

Spike took Buffy’s hand. He rubbed his thumb across her soft skin.

“Okay, pet, I’m not gonna let you do this,” he firmly said. “The two of us agreed to have ourselves a go only last night. Wouldn’t be right for you to back out.”

Against his will Spike drifted off, still clinging to his slayer’s hand. Awhile later he was jarred awake by a twitch. His head jolted up.

“Spike?” The voice was groggy.

“Buffy?”

Her eyes fluttered half-way open. He laughed, bringing her hand up to kiss it.

“Hey there, cutie,” he voiced.

She gave him her best attempt at a smile.

“Should I get the doc?”

“No.”

Her words were so soft, as if she could hardly find the strength to get them out. If it wasn’t for his vampiric hearing he might not have been able to catch them.

“I think they should know you’re awake, luv,” Spike advised.

“No.” She squeezed his fingers. “I wanna spend time with just you.”

He relaxed in his seat.

“Buffy, how do you feel? The docs have no idea what is making you sick. If you know anything -”

She shook her head. “It feels like I’m being swallowed.”

Widening his blue eyes, he said, “What?”

She closed her eyes. “Yeah. Strange, huh?”

“Angel’s crew think you might be tied in with some apocalyptic happenings.”

She let out a sound that he detected as laughter. “Darn apocalypses.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll fix it. It’s what we white hats do. Then everything will be right as rain, and you’ll be good as new.”

“I really think the docs should be fetched.” He began to get up. She tugged him back.

“Spike!” Her eyes opened.

Spike froze. “Shhh. What is it, luv?”

“There’s something I need to say.”

“All ears, slayer.”

“I’ve figured it out.”

“Bout what?”

“You.”

He raised his left eyebrow. “Me?”

“Yeah. And me. Us.”

“Really? And what final conclusion did you come up with?”

“That I’m in love with you,” she murmured.

His lips rose. “That so? That’s mighty convenient considering I’m in love with you.”

She weakly smiled back. “Kiss me and then I’ll let you go get the doctor.”

Spike lowered his mouth down to hers. They touched with warmth, savoring the merging of their tongues. After a long while, they reluctantly separated.

“Be right back,” Spike told her.

He turned, prepared to exit the room. He wasn’t really surprised to find his grandsire standing in the open doorway.

“Why hullo there, peaches, enjoy the show?”

Angel scowled.

A smirk formed on Spike’s face. He pushed his way past the other vamp. It wasn’t difficult for him to find a doctor. When he brought the man back, however, Buffy had been pulled back into unconsciousness.

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

“Spike, can I have a moment?”

Spike looked over with red eyes. He nodded, not in the mood to banter. He ventured out into the hall. He leaned against the doorframe to Buffy’s room.

“Have on with it,” Spike said.

“Eve contacted the senior partners.”

“Really? What did the wankers have to say?”

There was a span of silence. “They think it has to do with the both of us,” Angel eventually said.

“Right,” Spike drolled. “I don’t know about you, mate, but I haven’t been going around giving myself a tickle by creating massive destruction.”

“They think it’s the soul issue,” Angel deadpanned.

Spike’s jaw twitched. He took a moment to glance at the motionless Buffy through the open door.

“You really think we did that to her?”

Angel ran a hand through his gelled locks. “I don’t know.”

“Is there a way to fix it?”

“The senior partners are working on it.”

Spike hit the back of his head against the wall. “Call them back up and tell them to bloody hurry it along, will ya.” His hands formed into fists. “Because if anything happens to my girl there’s going to be blood shed. More than any Armageddon could dish out.”

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