Chapter Twelve

Tell Me Something I Don’t Know

Throwing open the doors to the mansion Angel painstakingly made his way inside. His body throbbed with every step he took, feeling every punch and kick of the beating that his mate gave him. Considering that he felt like he just got his ass kicked by a horde of demons, he actually felt very optimistic. He felt only slightly guilty for pushing her so cruelly, but she had closed herself off so much and he had to get through her defenses.

He smirked to himself when he thought of how good she was at doing that, she always had been, except with him. They always had a deep connection and time apart and all the pain that was between them didn’t change that. He knew that he would win her over because he would not accept anything else.

He growled when he smelt him. He wasn’t ready to deal with his wayward grandchild. He had to be in peak physical form to give him the proper ass kicking that he deserved.

“Looks like someone got their ass kicked.” A mocking voice came from the corner.

Angel made his way to the couch and feel into it, groaning as his aching body landed. “Yup I sure did.” He rubbed his ribs. “Has she gotten stronger or am I just getting older?”

Spike snickered as he walked out of the shadows. “No she’s definitely gotten stronger.” He sat down in the chair and looked at what appeared to be a weary Angel. Trying to gauge exactly who was in control.

“So um what’s up with the whole demony soul thing?”

Angel leaned his head back on the couch and closed his eyes. “It’s a long story.”

“Yeah well I don’t have any where to go.” He wiped at the dried blood on his face. “Plus I’m not really in any condition to be going anywhere.” He felt his tender ribs. “Ow”

Angel looked up smirking at his discomfort. “She’s pretty fierce ah?” The pride he felt for his mate could be heard in his voice.

“Fierce isn’t the word. Vicious yes and I have to tell you, it warms a demon’s heart.” He smirked back at him. He was trying to start some sort of camaraderie with his Grandsire. The way Spike saw it was that he was better off to be on his good side. Because it was obvious that Angel was here to stay. And no matter how much bravado Spike put on in front of the others, he was still very much fearful when it came to Angelus. There was too much sick and twisted history between the two of them. It sort of pissed him off but it was a feeling that he was used to, and he had become very good at placating the older demon.

Angel hearing his mate and Spike’s heart spoken in the same sentence only reminded him of Dru’s words. His eyes hardened and turned red as he stared at Spike. The unthinkable thought that the bleach blond was in love with his mate turned his stomach. The image of him kissing her was only overridden by the image of him ripping Spike’s cock off and shoving it down his throat.

“I hope that it doesn’t warm it too much William.” The smirk on Spike’s face was gone instantly at the low deadly tone of Angel’s voice. He knew he had to tread softly or things would not go well for him.

“Look Angelus mate, about that kissing thing…” Angel softly growled. “It’s not what you think…we were under a spell that’s all.” He tried to sound flippant about it, but from the continued growls from the older vamp he didn’t think he was succeeding. “You know Red, she couldn’t muster up a good spell if her life depended on it.”

Angel’s eyes remained hard. ”What other excuses have you come up with Spike? Are you going to tell me next that this imaginary love you feel for her was also a product of one of Willow’s spells? Are you going to tell me that it was some deranged demon that made you tie her up in your crypt?”

Spike knew that honesty was the best direction to go at this point. There was no denying what Angel knew and lying would only make his punishment worse. If he were honest and upfront perhaps Angelus would take it easy on him.

He sat forward and looked him directly in the eye. “Alright, I won’t deny it I did fancy myself in love with her. But you can’t blame me mate, she’s beautiful and she’s untouchable. You know I’ve always been fickle when it came to women.”

“Spike when I sent you back here to watch over her that wasn’t part of the plan.” Angel sneered at him.

Spike nodded his head. After that whole incident with the Ring of Amara Spike was drowning his sorrows at a local demon bar in LA, where Angel had found him. He had strolled in sat down like nothing had happened and started to talk to him.

He told him that even though they had their differences Spike still owed him for all the times that he had saved his ass. Of course Spike didn’t want to admit it, but it was true. There were many times in the past when they ran around Europe killing everything they saw, that Angelus had saved him from something or another. He also brought up the fact that Spike was still his grandchilde and that he was obligated to do what Angel told him.

Spike had been bowled over when he pulled that card out of his hat. He didn’t think Angel abided by those things anymore but it turned out that when it came to his mate, he did. So Spike reluctantly agreed to go back to Sunnydale and keep an eye on her.

But thinking of vampire law and mates, Spike suddenly remembered Dru and what Angel had done to her. He forgot his intentions to placate and instead got angry. He stood up and faced Angel.

“Yeah well you killing Dru wasn’t part of the plan either!” he shouted.

Angel was up and in front of him quicker than Spike could get his last word out. He grabbed him by the neck, his features shifted to that of the demon and his cold red eyes stared daggers into Spike’s.

“Do not forget your place when you’re speaking to me boy! “ His voice shook with anger.

“She was my mate you bastard!” Spike spit out.

“She was my child! I had every right to punish her how I saw fit! Do not over step your bounds William. I will forgive you this trespass because I understand your grief but understand that it is me who is control here! As for Buffy…” he squeezed harder and lifted his arm picking Spike up of the ground. Spike latched on to his arm struggling with his hold. “She’s mine! Whatever petty feelings you think you have for her better disappear. Because I don’t share what’s mine!” He threw him back down on the chair.

Spike sat there staring into the hard eyes of Angelus, this was freaking him out. Angel had moved so quickly and he was so much stronger now that it was very disturbing. Note to self, don’t piss off Angel unless you want to deal with Angelus.

He pushed down his anger over Dru’s demise because technically the ponce was right. And if the demon was at the forefront Spike knew that he didn’t stand a chance. So it was time to choke down his pride and be submissive, ah just like old times.

“They’re already gone…Sire.” He almost cringed at the use of that term. But he knew that Angelus would respond agreeably to it.

After a few seconds of Angel staring death at Spike his features shifted back to his human form and his body relaxed. The bloodlust that had filled him dissipated and the demon receded to the background. He was once again able to think clearly.

He almost had to shake his head to clear it but he didn’t want to show any signs of weakness in front of the younger demon. He was not yet used to his new state of being and it was strange to be in the background while the demon took control. He felt every emotion as if it was his own. It was as if he and the demon had come to terms with this shared sense of power, one giving it up for the other at the drop of a dime and then just as easily returning it. It was that transition that was bizarre. He supposed that eventually he would get used to it, but for the time being it was making him a little daft.

“I hope so. Because I really don’t want to have to kill you, I’m going to need you to stick around for awhile to help out with this Hell Goddess and watch over Dawn while I…fix things.”

Spike watched as in a flash of an eye the demon was gone and the soul was returned. He couldn’t imagine what that must feel like.

“That’s what I’ve been doing.”

Angel sat back down on the couch and stretched his legs out, settling back he listened to Spike.

“She’s been running around half cocked scaring the hell out of everyone; especially her mum and the bit. The Watcher he had them stay at my crypt because he was afraid of what she would do.”

There was fire in his eyes when he spoke next. “I have to tell you when I heard what she did to Dawn I almost killed her myself.”

Angel looked directly into his eyes. “Spike I know that you’ve gotten close to Dawn and I’m glad you’re looking out for her. But I’m warning you now…you touch one hair on her golden head and I’ll rip you apart limb from limb very slowly. Do we understand each other?”

Spike took his threat seriously. He knew that even though the soul was still there it would be the demon that would punish him for any infraction toward his mate and he knew what kind of torture the demon could do, hell he had even helped on several occasions. “We do.”

Angel straightened up and walked towards his bedroom. “Good. I’m going to get some sleep. Stay on the couch if you want.” He slammed the door not waiting for Spike’s answer.

***

Giles knocked once on the door of the crypt and then opened it. He stepped inside and saw Joyce and Dawn sitting on the chair watching TV. Joyce immediately stood up when she saw him and ran over to him. Grabbing his arms she asked him frantically, “Rupert what’s going?”

Giles looked at Dawn’s eager face and steered Joyce toward the door. “Joyce perhaps we should go outside and I’ll explain everything.”

Dawn rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah you don’t want the little girl to hear anything bad.” She sarcastically said.

“Dawn” Joyce admonished her. “Stay here I’ll be right back.”

Once they were outside, they closed the door and walked over to a bench and sat down. Giles wasn’t sure where to begin but he respected Joyce and she needed to know what was going on.

“Joyce we have a situation in Sunnydale that is not good. And I’m afraid that it concerns your family.”

“Okay, a situation as in a slayer situation?”

“Um yes it does concern Buffy but I’m afraid that it also concerns Dawn.”

“Dawn?” she narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you mean Rupert?”

He took a deep breath and started to tell her. He told her about Glory and the key. And he told her about the monks and what they did. And when he finally told her that Dawn was that key he waited for her outburst.

“Really Rupert who are you trying to kid? You’re telling me that my daughter isn’t really my daughter that she’s some kind of mystical key needed to open a hell portal and that my memories aren’t real?” She was laughing at him.

Giles looked at her gravely serious. “Joyce this is no joke. Glory is here and she is looking for Dawn. Although she doesn’t know that yet, and I plan on keeping it that way.”

Joyce stood up and walked a little bit ahead she was thinking that she really must have done something bad in a previous life to be stuck with all the things that she was stuck with. First her eldest daughter turns out to be a vampire slayer and now her baby wasn’t her baby. She didn’t know what to think.

Giles felt bad for her, for all that she’d been through and had to go through now. “I’m sorry Joyce I wish it wasn’t true, I wish I could tell you it was a joke but it’s not and you need to come to terms with this and fast.”

“You know Rupert I laugh but deep down, you’re going to think me crazy, but I always felt something was off with Dawn. But I just always chalked it up to being a worrywart. But now hearing this it kind of makes sense.”

She turned around and fixed him with a stern stare. “But it doesn’t change my feelings for her. I love her she is my daughter just as Buffy is and I will do everything in my power to make sure that she’s safe.”

Giles smiled at her reassuringly, he walked over to her and hugged her. When their embrace ended they stood there in the circle of each other’s arms staring deeply into each other’s eyes. They both wanted to say more but they were both unconformable with their feelings.

They smiled at each other and took a step away. Giles cleared his throat he still had more to tell her. “There is something else that you need to know.”

Joyce sighed and sat back down. She took a deep breath and massaged her temple, preparing herself for whatever else he had to say. “Well don’t hold back now Rupert.”

“It’s about Angel.”

He proceeded to tell her that he was in town and everything that Wesley told him about the curse and Angel’s souled status.

He also told her about his reservations about Buffy’s mental state and why he had them stay at Spike’s. Joyce wanted to deny that her eldest daughter was falling apart but she had seen it with her own eyes and she couldn’t. She agreed that she would stay here with Dawn until Buffy was better.

She had her own uncertainties about where that help was coming from but she could no longer deny that he was a part of her daughter. And that if anyone were going to be able to save her it would be him. She always knew that he loved her. She always trusted him to care for her it was just the evil half that she had been worried about, and now that wasn’t an issue anymore.

Plus she had to admit that her eldest daughter would never have the normal live that she wanted for her. She might as well have some happiness in her hectic crazy world and if Angel made her happy then he was all right in Joyce’s book. So she put aside her worry and her fears and she put her daughter’s lives in the hands of a man that she once feared.

Chapter Thirteen