They’d taken a few minutes to tend to the injured before they regrouped to discuss tactics against Twilight, and Spike had slipped away as soon as he could, conscious of Buffy’s wondering eyes on him. He wouldn’t, couldn’t stand to have a reunion with her now, not with Angel’s scent so strong on her, so he’d shut himself back in his ship almost as soon as he’d left it.
Angel followed him in, and then it was Buffy and sex all around, and he inhaled involuntarily. “Had some fun?” he asked sarcastically.
Angel took Illyria’s seat with a heavy sigh. Illyria was crouched on the floor watching the tropical fish swim in the aquarium she’d insisted on bringing along, following the purple striped one with one cocked finger. “Buffy and I…we’re destined, you know.”
“Yeah. I know. Haven’t seen her in two years, m’not interested in seeing her now. This is about fighting your bloody Twilight.” It was heaven and hell all at once, being so close to the girl when she was at her best, glorious and fighting and sensual and fuc- Stop thinking about it!
It hurt. Yeah, she might not have known that he was alive- that remained a mystery that only a dying boy in the ruins outside could answer- but he’d spent a year of his life with Illyria, trying to fight Twilight as Angel targeted the slayer’s own, and when she’d finally been faced with the enemy, she’d fucked him instead. Buffy had always had a blind spot when it came to Angel, though. It hadn’t come as a surprise.
But it hurt.
“That’s not-” Angel stopped, calming himself visibly. When Spike was hurt, he pushed Angel’s buttons, but Angel didn’t seem to be going for that today. Bugger. “That’s not what I’m saying. Just… I’ve always been a firm believer in destiny. Shanshu, the PTB…Buffy. She was mine, because they ordained it.”
“Do you have a point here?” Spike demanded. “Because right now, I’ve got a war on my hands. One you chose the wrong side of.”
Angel was silent, watching Illyria circle the aquarium as the fish moved to the other side. “I’ve always known that Buffy and I would be together eventually. Our love was fated.”
Spike scowled at him. “So I’ve heard. You have a point here, or are you just pontificating for fun?”
Angel glanced at the door just as there was a slight knock. “Angel? …Spike?” It was his old lover, her voice tentative and soft. “Um…Andrew’s going to be fine. Giles asked me to get you.”
Angel reached for the door, turning to look back at Spike. “Turns out Buffy makes her own destiny,” he said quietly, pulling open the door to reveal the girl waiting for them.
He stared at her for a long moment, their eyes meeting for the first time since he’d been lost in the Hellmouth, taking in the shame and the fear and the wonder- and even some jealous dismay when she caught sight of Illyria- in her expression. “Yeah, she does,” he agreed. “But so do I.” Maybe they’d sit down and talk someday. Maybe they’d finally reunite and love again, when this was all over. But that was his decision to make, not the universe’s or Angel’s or even Buffy’s. And he had more important matters to worry about first.
Her brow was wrinkling with confusion as he swept past her in a whirl of black leather. “Come on, love,” he beckoned her. “We’ve got a Big Bad to take down.”
