Title: And Flights of Angels Sequel to: Requiem for a Childe Author: Janet Lynn (janet324@comcast.net) Rating: NC-17 Pairing: S/A Previous parts at: http://www.geocities.com/stricken_girl/FortheFaithfulEntrance.htm Thoughts indicated by <> Hey, I have an LJ now. If you want to check me out and leave me a cute message or friend me if you want, I'm at http://www.livejournal.com/users/strickens_girl/ p.s. Feedback makes me write faster. Chapter Nineteen It had been three days since Fred's service. Everyone was a little upset that they couldn't have a proper funeral, but the girl's parents had been notified of her passing since they were the next of kin, they came to collect the body straight away. Her friends decided they needed to do something to celebrate her life so Angel had decided to throw a traditional Irish wake, LA style. Once the party wound down and Xander went upstairs to his room, he barricaded the door and refused to come out. Wesley, Gunn, even Angel had tried to make Xander open the door, but he refused even when they tempted him with chocolate and Twinkies. The boy sat in his room and talked out loud to Spike. He didn't know for sure whether or not the former vampire was there but he continued to talk. He talked about how he and Fred met, when they fell in love, everything. Almost more than Spike wanted to hear. The angel sat on top of the boy's tall dresser and watched him, afraid to leave in case he did something rash. Occasionally he would teleport out to talk to Angel, but other than that, he kept watch over the grieving man. Spike was growing concerned. Xander was acting strangely, even by Xander's standards. The boy was surviving on the barest amount of sleep possible and he hadn't eaten. Spike knew what he needed, but he couldn't give it to him. But he knew someone who could. *********** "No." Angel said as he paced around his suite. He hated staying in the hotel when he had his own apartment, but he wanted to stay close to Xander since Fred's passing. The boy had been acting strange and Spike was concerned about him. But Spike wanted him to do the unthinkable. "I'm telling you, it'll work," Spike said from his spot on the bed. "I don't care if you think it'll work or not, I'm not fucking Harris." "Such language. When you were Angelus, you were itching to take the boy." "Exactly," Angel said as he flung himself down on the bed next to his lover. "When I was Angelus, Spike. I can't just do this, not now." "But it's what he needs," Spike whined, throwing himself on top of the brooding dark vampire. He pulled himself up so he was flush with his sire and looked him in the eye. Very seriously, he asked, "You want to help him, don't you?" "Of course I want to help him, Spike," Angel said with a heavy sigh. "I wouldn't want anyone to suffer the way Xander has had to suffer, but I really don't think this is the solution." "Trust me, luv. I know what I'm talking about." Angel felt a wave of possessiveness and jealousy rise up in him. He knew about the incident in the cemetery between Spike and Xander after Joyce's funeral, but he thought that was all that was between them. Apparently he was wrong. As the emotions flicked over Angel's face, Spike watched hesitantly. His newly restored relationship with the vampire was still shaky and he was afraid that reveling too much might drive a wedge between them. But he knew he couldn't lie to Angel. His sire deserved to know the truth. "You know about me and the whelp after Joyce's death, right?" the blonde asked even though he already knew the answer. Once Angel nodded, Spike continued. "Well, that wasn't the only time the boy came to me." He looked up to see what the dark man thought. Angel's face held no clue as to what he might be feeling so the blonde whispered, "It wasn't like we had some illicit affair or anything, but the boy needed something.something that I could apparently give him. It was just a bit of cold comfort, but it helped him heal. Helped us both really, if you want to know the truth." "When?" Angel asked. Spike couldn't tell if his lover's voice was strained from jealousy or confusion. Either way, he sighed softly. "First, after Buffy died." He looked into the soft brown eyes before continuing. "We were both so lost. He found me, sitting on her grave, pissed out of my mind and talking to her like she was sitting next to me. I would have stayed there all night and met the dawn if it hadn't been for the stubborn bastard. He picked me up and dragged me back to my crypt." Shaking his head at the memories, the blonde raked his fingers though his hair. The last few days had brought back certain thoughts that although not entirely unpleasant, were unwanted. He wanted to help Xander, but without his ability to touch him, he couldn't help him like he had in the past. Hopefully, he could convince his sire to take his place. "Did you fuck him?" Angel asked suddenly. Spike's head shot up at the question. The tone of voice scared him more than he cared to admit. "No," he confessed. "The boy stayed all day, but we didn't." He made a vague gesture with his hands, hoping Angel would understand. When the brunette didn't question him, he went on. "Just a bit of a snog, mutual blowjobs, nothing major." Standing and pacing, the angel avoided his lover's eyes. "I went to sleep and when I woke, he was gone. He never talked about it, so I didn't either. Nothing happened again until after the wedding that wasn't." He looked at Angel to assure himself that the vampire knew what he was talking about. Satisfied that the brunette knew what he was talking about, Spike said, "He showed up at the crypt, soaking wet and shivering like one of those damn rat dogs everyone has anymore. Still dressed in that tux and looking downright miserable. He stayed for a full week, trying to get over whatever demons he was running from." Spike took a deep breath before continuing. "And before you ask, yes I did fuck him that time. Quite a lot, actually. It's funny. The demon bint always said he was a Viking in the sack. She wasn't lying." The blonde had made his way over to the window and was staring out at the LA skyline, waiting for the rejection he was sure would come. Suddenly, he felt a pair of strong arms circle his waist and pull him tight against a strong, muscular chest. Lips were pressed into his hair and Spike sighed softly. "Thank you for telling me, Will," Angel whispered into the soft blonde locks. "It's odd, but I really think you helped Xander when he needed it. Do you really think this is what he needs? I don't want to do more damage." The blonde turned around in the band of muscles around him and looked up into the concerned brown eyes. "I think the boy just needs a bit of comfort. That's all it really was. He needs to know that he is alive and he needs someone who's dead to show it to him." He reached up to stroke a tender fingertip over his sire's strong jaw line. "I'll be right there with you, luv. Tell you all the right buttons to push. I'll push your buttons as well. Could be interesting, a little threesome as it were." Angel thought it over for a few moments. He knew something needed to be done to help Xander. The boy was showing no signs of leaving his room and Spike was sure this was going to work. And if his lover was there with him, it wouldn't really be cheating would it? He turned questioning eyes to the blonde. "What about my soul?" "Do you really think it will be pure happiness, luv?" the angel asked. "It'll be like a way for the both of you to say goodbye to Fred. A moment of perfect misery." Angel nodded his head. He couldn't believe he was going to agree to this and that Xander wouldn't threaten to stake him as soon as the words came out of Spike's mouth. "I'll go get him," Spike whispered before leaning up to kiss the taller man quickly before teleporting out of the room. *********** Xander sat in his room, still chatting to the angel who had just returned to his room. Spike sat on top of the tall dresser and smiled down at the weary brunette. "Hi Xander," he said quietly, trying not to startle the boy. "Hi Spike," Xander replied quietly. "What do you want?" "Angel wants you. I can't be there for you, not like you need, but he's waiting for you," the blonde said quickly before disappearing once again. Xander puzzled over the cryptic answer for a moment before standing and removing the items he had used to barricade himself in his room. He opened the door and left the room he had been hold up in for several days. Once he reached the vampire's suite, he quietly knocked on the door. His heart was hammering in his chest so hard he thought it might break out any minute. He wiped his sweaty palms on his pant legs and waited. The boy practically jumped out of his skin when he heard the quiet voice just on the other side of the door say, "Come in Xander." Opening the door and stepping through, Xander was surprised to see the front room almost completely shrouded in darkness and a soft glow coming from the sleeping area. "Angel," he called out when he didn't see the vampire right away. "In here," Angel called. Slowly, the brunette made his way into the bedroom and gasped when he saw the multiple candles lighting the intimate space. "Angel?" he asked, looking around the room in confusion. "What is this?" Angel looked over the boy's shoulder and smiled at his blonde lover as he closed the distance between them. He took the human boy's face in his hands and before placing a gentle kiss on his soft lips, whispered, "Just a bit of cold comfort." Tbc...