Title: Where We Belong

Authors: angelspike69 and anamcara420

Pairing: Angel/Spike

Rating: Adult. This story contains M/M sex. If that isn't your cup of tea then go away now and don't read any farther.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, Angel and Spike don't belong to us. If they did, they'd be following up all their fighting and snarking with each other with lots of manly shagging.

Spoilers: None, unless you haven't seen Angel the Series at all. This story goes totally AU after the screen darkened in "Not Fade Away" and Angel utter those immortal words: "Let's go to work."

Feedback: AngelSpike69 (marinersgal69@msn.com) and Anamcara420 (ldelrossi@excite.com)

Notes #1: Would like to extend our sincere thanks to Makd for her beta of the story. You are the best sweetie!!!!! Previous chapters can be found at http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=angelspike69&keyword=Where+We+Belong&filter=all.

Summary: Two young men awaken from comas, their pasts lost to them. They meet by chance and are drawn to each other. Images of their forgotten lives begin to assault their minds and reveal they are somehow deeply connected although they do not understand how that could be.

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As Wesley shimmered through the ether on his return to earth, he thought about Angel. He had admired the vampire and came to love him as a good friend. He shuddered as he remembered his betrayal, his horrific misinterpretation of the scroll of Aberjian – the father will kill the son fiasco that destroyed their friendship and left both the man and the vampire alone and embittered. Eventually they renewed their friendship, but it was never quite the same and he deeply regretted the loss. But now he could give Angel what he always wanted – humanity. He knew what Angel's answer would be. After all, what else could it be? Angel had been working toward that goal ever since Wesley had finally determined the translation of the portion of the scroll that said that the vampire with a soul would Shanshu – his final reward for all the good he'd done and for all the lives and souls he'd saved. He had given up so much, even the previous chance of humanity after the blood of the Mora demon made him mortal. Angel had believed that he still needed to atone for all the evil and brutality that he had perpetrated as Angelus. Wesley smiled. He would be the one to give him what he deserved for all of his sacrifices – his humanity – permanently.

Pulling himself out of his reverie, he thought about Spike – something he and no one else in the otherworld had counted on. To say he was surprised at finding them together would be putting it mildly. When Spike has burst into view on the first day at Wolfram and Hart, Angel had been furious. He had refused to help Fred in her efforts to recorporealize Spike, although he didn't order her to stop trying. The vampires snarked and baited each other constantly. They battled brutally out in the desert over the fake cup of torment that Lindsey at arranged and Spike had defeated the older vampire. Wes reflected. But, when Fred was in danger, it was Spike that Angel took with him to the Deeper Well.

Wes figured that Spike was the wildcard in all this. He was familiar with the blonde vampire's history as the human William and also as a vicious vampire who learned at the feet of the scourge of Europe, Angelus. Like Angel's past, the younger vampire's had been bloody and violent. But this version of the human William was puzzling. He appeared to be a blending of both the sensitive poet, William and Spike, the badass vampire. Spike's protectiveness of Angel also surprised him. He had always considered Angel the protector.

As he arrived at the hotel and became semi-solid, he saw Angel standing next to the window, staring out into the darkness. Wesley glanced across the room. The human William was casually sitting in a nearby chair; leg slung over one arm, playing with his nails. He looked as bored and disinterested as Spike had in their meetings at Wolfram and Hart.

As neither man took notice of his appearance, he cleared his throat to get their attention. Angel slowly turned from the window, a sad smile on his face. He looked at Wesley, and then briefly glanced at Spike, who turned his head as if he felt Angel's eyes upon him. The younger vampire smiled sweetly as he stood and walked toward Angel. He stopped and looked up at the older man. The two shared a silent, intimate glance and then Spike took his place by the side of the taller man.

"Hello, Wes." Angel greeted his old friend.

"Percy." Spike greeted in kind, but with a slight sneer that was hard to miss. It was obvious that he was still indignant at what they had learned yesterday.

"Angel...Spike...Have you both made your decisions?" The apparition asked almost smugly since he was certain of their answer.

"We have." Angel responded and Spike nodded in agreement next to him.

"Good. Shall we begin?" Wesley started to speak in a language that neither man recognized.

"Hey there...just a bloody minute!" Spike interrupted. "What the soddin' hell are you doing?"

Wesley looked at the two men confused. "What am I doing? You know perfectly well what I'm doing. I'm sending you back to New York, to the life you built for yourself there, and Angel is going back to his life in San Francisco. I thought I made it clear yesterday when I explained everything to you. Do we need to go over it again?"

"No." Both men said in unison.

"You're making assumptions there, Percy. Don't you think that it would be polite to ask us for our decision instead of just presupposing you know what the hell is going on? You might be surprised."

Wesley's eyes widened. "But I thought it was quite obvious what your decisions would be...you both want to remain human. I mean after all that you two have fought for, all that you have given to the Powers, it's the least that you deserve."

"Oh Percy, you are far from right!" Spike moved to advance on the spirit, but Angel grabbed his arm to hold him back.

"Oh...Oh... I see. Well, it's a good thing you stopped me. Once the spell is cast, there is no turning back."

"Okay then. That's better." Spike glanced at Angel, who smiled down at him and ran his fingers across the back of Spike's hand.

Unnerved, Wesley swallowed and grimaced. "So, let me make sure that I have this straight." He stared at the blonde vampire, and spoke, an edge of anger tingeing his words. "Spike, are you saying that you wish to become a souled vampire again?"

"Of course. What did you think that I'd actually want to be human again? Been there, done that, and sold the bleedin' movie rights!"

The former watcher looked at his old friend, a worried frown creasing his brow. "Angel, you of course, still wish to return to San Francisco?"

"Uh, Wes?"

"Yes, what is it Angel?" Wesley answered impatiently. "My time is limited. We need to get this taken care of now."

Angel focused on the man who had been his right hand for years; the man he had sent to his death and he answered quietly. "I too wish to remain a souled vampire. I don't want to be human."

Wesley gaped. He was surprised and at the moment, speechless – not by Spike's request, but by Angel's.

"B...but...what about..." Wesley stammered. He didn't understand what was going on and he certainly didn't approve of their decision. "You...you can't be serious Angel. This is what you wanted for as long as I knew you in Los Angeles. How can you throw away this gift?" He peered at Angel, dismayed and frightened at his friend's apparent insanity.

"I know Wes, I know. But I've thought a lot about it. I haven't been human for a long time, if you discount these last two years."

"You seemed to be doing fine Angel. You had a job you loved and a normal life. You were becoming more and more successful with your art. I don't understand why you would want to go back to being what you were before." He moved his eyes to the blonde standing next to Angel and could not keep the anger out of his voice. "I'm surprised at your decision also, Spike. I assumed you'd want to take the next plane to Rome."

Angel visibly tensed and glared at the former watcher. Spike hissed and stepped toward Wesley again. Angel put a hand on his arm.

Wishing he could sit down, Wesley continued, "Angel, I think we need to talk....alone."

Angel clasped Spike's arm a bit tighter. He spoke in a calm, soft, dangerous voice. "No Wes, we can discuss it with Spike here as it affects him too. And if you think I'm being swayed by Spike, I'm not. This is solely my decision. In fact, I tried to dissuade him from turning back." He looked down at the shorter man and his mouth twitched. "But you know Spike...he was adamant."

Wesley stared at Angel and then looked at Spike. "I just don't understand your thought process on this, Angel. I thought you didn't like being a vampire and wanted to lead a normal life."

"I did at one time, but not any more. Wes, I've been a vampire a lot longer than I was a human, even counting these last two years. Besides, if being human means being alone, without Spike, then it's not a reward to me at all. It's more like a punishment."

"But you aren't alone Angel. What about Patrick? Torah? Besides you can make new friends."

Oh come on Wes, knowing what I do now...I don't think so. Besides I don't want new friends and I'm confident that Patrick and Torah will accept me no matter what I am. I want Spike in my life. Who knows me better?"

Not sure what to say to Angel, Wesley addressed Spike. "And you...care to explain why you want to go back to being a souled vampire? Like Angel, you deserve to be human for all you've given to the cause."

"It's pretty much the same reasons as Angel. Besides, I can still write whether I'm human or a vampire considering the genre that I write and Angel can still paint. Might even give us both an interesting edge to our work."

"I just can't believe this."

Spike smirked at the befuddled former watcher, and channeled his inner badass vampire. "Yeah Percy, I'd say that there are some other soddin' powers besides the almighty Powers that Be working some mojo. How else can you explain Angel and I meeting up again? But you better tell your bosses that when we go back to being vampires, they better not think that either of us will be at their beck and call anymore." He looked at Angel, hoping for his agreement on this. They never discussed this, but he felt he had to get it out there on the table.

Angel voiced his opinion immediately. "I'm with Spike on this one. I will not be a pawn any longer in the fight between the Powers That Be and whoever the other entities are. I've spent too much time being their puppet and a puppet for Wolfram Hart, and all of them are too anxious to keep secrets; too apt to refuse an offer support if I need it. I'm not saying that I won't help, but it will be on my terms. I pick the battles."

"You got that right. We'll fight, but we'll also have a life of our own." Spike added.

"Is that going to be a problem, Wes?" Angel asked.

Wesley looked wistfully at the two men before him. He felt a twinge of jealousy at the closeness of their relationship. "No...no I don't think it will be. I think the Powers will accept any help that you choose to offer. I have to say that I'm not surprised by that caveat. You are heroes after all."

"Well, it looks like we have things settled. Is it a deal Wesley? Do you need to check with them first before we go any further with this? But you and they have to keep in mind that if Spike and I found each other once, you have to know that we will again. Will you promise, as an old friend, that you'll honor our decision?" Angel asked quietly.

Wesley smiled. "I am a man of my word Angel, you know that. You gave me the opportunity to become a champion in my own way; to assist you in the good fight. I would never betray..." The man paused and looked worriedly at the larger man.

Angel smiled encouragingly. "You did what you believed was right at the time."

"Thank you Angel." Wesley answered gratefully. He sighed. "I think Spike may be right Angel. I don't know how this happened in the first place, but it would be a good assumption that some other higher beings are at work here. I just need to ask one more time. Are you both sure of your decision?"

Both men nodded and Wesley accepted their final decision. He again spoke the ancient language. As he chanted, the air grew heavy with the scent of lilies. There was a sudden flash, and the two men sank into unconsciousness. When they woke, they had their full memories – their previous lives as vampires and their more recent lives as human Liam and William. Their bodies were cold and their hearts were no longer beating, but they felt warm, safe and loved.

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

Flashbulbs pierced the sky as the limo drove into view. Shouts of Mr. Tennyson...William Tennyson...over here... assaulted them. The door opened and Spike, in his persona of William Tennyson, the author, exited the vehicle and smiled at the fans lined up to greet him. He turned and reached a pale hand into the car. Angel, as Liam McKenna, the highly successful painter climbed out of the back of the car. The two men stood and smiled, their hands clasped tightly together as the excited fans clamored for their attention.

Spike squeezed Angel's hand as he turned to smile and wink at the man who had so enriched his life. Angel returned the smile, glowing with pride at Spike's success. They strolled past the gauntlet along the red carpet hand-in-hand, nodding and waving to fans that had come to see the opening night of the new movie, Restless Soul. The fans and Spike's publisher were already clamoring for the next installment in the life of Angel, the vampire with a soul. So caught up were both vampires in the attention, neither noticed the petite blonde with green eyes staring at them.

** THE END **