Disclaimer: Didn't create the characters, but i treat most of them better than Joss...so don't complain...I'm not making any money out of this so please don't sue me.

Beta'd by AtheneHahn, with special thanks to Maryperk for her advice and help.

by Jackofspikes

Chapter 36

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"That woman is bloody lethal," Spike shook his head in stunned disbelief.

"What happened?" Xander asked, curious as to what could get the blonde vampire so agitated.

"She managed to spend more money in two hours than I've spent in my entire existence."

Xander laughed. "I'm sensing surprise and find myself asking why?"

"Laugh it up, dough boy. I'm planning on teachin' Anya all about internet shopping and showing her all the sex toy sites." Spike shot back at his unsympathetic friend with a smirk.

"Thought you'd given up being evil?" the construction worker grumbled playfully. The two shared a chuckle as they walked through the mall.

"So, what are we here for?" Xander asked as they walked.

"TV, stereo, and all the other good things that I wouldn't let Mighty Mouse buy," Spike grinned.

"You actually said 'no' to Buffy?" Xander was clearly amazed.

"Well no, but I did distract her," Spike replied, hopeful that his friend wouldn't be disappointed in him.

Xander took one look at the worried vampire and insightfully recognised that his pal was insecure. "How did you manage that?" he asked, grinning. He could so do ego boosting. "She's usually got a one track mind when it comes to shopping."

"I kissed her," Spike said softly, smiling in remembrance.

"A kiss? One single kiss stopped the shopinator from pursuing her chosen occupation?"

"Well, it was a bloody good kiss," Spike assured the astounded brunette.

~~~~~~~

As Xander followed Spike through the door of the new house, he had to set the box he was carrying down before he could close the door. When he turned back to pick the box up it wasn't where he thought he had put it. In fact, it was several feet away. Shaking his head and thinking that he had been mistaken; the carpenter picked up the box and carried it into the living room.

When he reached the living room, Spike was nowhere to be seen. "Spike?"

"Here, mate," Spike answered as he came back into the room from the kitchen. "Thought Buffy was here, was sure I heard her in the kitchen," he apologetically informed Xander, still distracted by his mistake.

~~~~~~~

"So what are Xander and Spike doing while we're celebrating girl's night at the Bronze?" Willow grinned at Buffy and Anya.

"Apparently, Spike feels that buying a TV and stereo is a male bonding experience," Buffy snickered as she answered. "He was so cute; he actually thought kissing me would take my mind off shopping!"

"Oh yes, some men are foolish like that. They should know that taking a girl's mind off commerce requires sex at least," Anya offered her own particular brand of wisdom.

"This is why I date a woman," Willow joked, coincidentally covering Buffy's coughing fit.

Anya looked delighted at Willow's input. Finally, somebody was opening up to the possibilities of conversation relating to sexuality. "I always wondered about that," the ex demon eagerly informed the redhead.

Tara considered the woman she only slightly knew, it was clear to her that Anya was starved for attention. Tara made the decision then and there that she would help this lovely woman to fit in.

"Anya, w-what was it like when you grew up?" Tara hesitantly asked.

~~~~~~~

"Cordelia?" Joyce was shocked to see the ex-cheerleader again after so short a time. She really hoped this didn't mean that the supercilious idiot was around, too.

Peering around the beautiful brunette, Joyce saw Wesley and a black man that she didn't know, but no sign of the hated vampire.

"He's not here," Cordelia smiled in understanding. It was easy for Cordelia to see who Mrs Summers was looking for. Her dislike for the brooding vampire had never been hidden.

"Good," Joyce said, relieved. "Are you looking for Buffy?"

"Actually, Mrs Summers, we were really looking for Penny first," Wesley hesitantly informed her.

Joyce smiled then looked across the street. "Well, her light's on," she said as she pointed them in the right direction.

After thanking her, the ex-AI team purposefully strode towards the woman they hoped could help them.

~~~~~~~

When Angel marched back into Carita's, he was angry enough to rip the head off a fyarl demon. He'd forgotten that the only way he could gain access to the Oracles was if a representative for the powers actually opened the portal for him. It seemed that being a champion wasn't enough for the siblings. Now he had to talk Lorne into opening the gateway for him. He was not a happy camper.

Lorne saw Angel coming. He'd been thinking about the knowledge he'd gained all day. He realised fatalistically that this vampire would not listen to anything that didn't agree with what he believed and that there was nothing that the green demon could say or do that would change that. It looked like there was no stopping of at least one part of what the broody one's reading showed.

Sighing deeply, Lorne forestalled the vampire by speaking first, "If you'll wait just a minute so I can get the bar covered, I'll take you to the portal."

When Lorne rejoined Angel he silently handed him a snow globe.

"What's this for?" Angel snapped, thinking that the empath demon had more than a few screws loose.

"A gift for the Oracles," Lorne reminded the vampire of something else he had forgotten.

"Oh, right, let's go." Angel rose abruptly and marched in the direction of the exit, not even checking to see if Lorne was following. He was a man er vampire on a mission.

Lorne followed more sedately. He knew that there was nothing he could do to stop Angel from facing the new destiny that his arrogance had forged, but he still had to try.

As they walked along together Lorne wracked his brain for any ideas he could come up with on how to broach the subject. Waves of anger were coming off the vampire and Lorne was no longer under the protection of the sanctuary spell at Carita's. Maybe saying something wasn't the thing to do? Maybe Angel needed to face the truth and the only ones that could make that happen were the Powers? Maybe the vampire had to learn his lessons the hard way?

Angel said nothing as he walked next to the green Pylean. He was being slowly consumed by his rage. He was angry at all the disloyal bastards that had worked for him. Well, maybe not Cordelia; he had always known that the vacuous ex-cheerleader would only ever put herself first. Working for him hadn't stopped her from being a shallow bitch.

Then there was the ex watcher; the pompous, overeducated momma's boy who couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag, Angel was beginning to understand why the council fired him in the first place. He reminded the brooding vampire of William when Dru had first brought him home. Useless moron!

Gunn was a huge disappointment. Angel had carefully nurtured that friendship. Hell, he'd taken the boy out of the ghetto. You'd think that alone would gain him a little loyalty, but no, no loyalty for the champion. Buffy managed to get help from two humans that were of less use combined than any one of his team, but at least they were loyal. He deserved that sort of unswerving faith.

Lorne stopped walking. "Are you absolutely sure about this, big guy?"

"Just do it," Angel growled out. He was pissed and he didn't care who knew it.

Lorne placed some herbs in the urn at the altar. "We beseech access to the knowing ones."

Placing a match to the contents of the urn, Lorne watched at the flame burnt high. The entry arch began to glow and fill with light and Angel stepped through to the realm of the Oracles. Lorne seriously doubted that the representatives for the Powers That Be were going to be impressed with a lower being that had allowed his ego to convince himself that he was something more than what he actually was. They were still pissed at him from the last time.