Title: And Flights of Angels Sequel to: Requiem for a Childe Author: Janet Lynn (janet324@comcast.net) Rating: NC-17 Pairing: S/A Website: http://www.geocities.com/janet324@prodigy.net/FortheFaithful.html Thoughts indicated by <> Can I say wow? Thanks to everyone for the wonderful feedback. It makes me feel great to know so many people are reading and liking my work. It also helps me write faster, I swear. Enjoy! Chapter Two After staring at each other for what seemed like hours, Spike was brought back to the situation by a tiny giggling voice. "Wil said a bad word" the young girl sing-songed as she giggled at the blonde. Spike scowled at Angel for a moment and then turned around to face the child in the bed. "Katie" he said in a quiet, gentle voice. "I need to talk to the big man for just a minute, ok? Why don't you give your mummy some kisses while I go out in the hall?" "Sure, Wil" the girl answered quickly, as she leaned down and began to rain tiny kisses down on her mother's hair. Spike stood up quickly, grabbed Angel by the arm and dragged him out into the hallway. Once he was sure they were out of the little girl's earshot, he began to rant. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doin'? You scared the poor bint and almost ruined things for me." Angel simply stood and watched the blonde as he raged at him. He still couldn't believe that he was really there. Suddenly thrown from his stupor, Angel launched himself at the smaller man, enveloping him in a crushing hug. "Spike" he whispered through the tears that came streaming down his face. Angel hadn't been that happy in months. Completely caught off guard, Spike allowed the hug for a moment. He hadn't been touched for so long. All too quickly, however, he remembered that this was Angel and Angel hated him. Spike worked his hands up to the muscled chest, and with a burst of willpower, he pushed the taller man away from him. Angel was shocked to find himself forced away from the blonde, but would not be denied. He made his way across the distance and grabbed the man by the shoulders. Quickly, he checked out the blonde with his hands and nose. Not finding any marks or injuries on his boy, he looked back up into Spike's eyes and asked, "How? They said you were dust?" Spike looked into Angel's sad chocolate eyes and sighed. Seeing emotion in the eyes that always held such contempt for him was tearing out his heart. "Can't do this right now, Angel" he said after swallowing the lump that had taken up residence in his throat. "I'm working. We'll do this later." Angel thought. "What are you doing, Spike?" he asked, the suspicion evident in his voice. Spike smirked at the dark vampire. "Shoulda' known you'd never trust me. Look, mate, I'm here for a reason. A good reason and you can't be here. I'll come and see you tomorrow, alright? What time do you show up in that pretty little office of yours? Ten...eleven o'clock?" Angel was surprised that Spike knew about his office, much less the hours he kept. He was sure no one had mentioned it to him before...the incident. "Ten, normally" Angel replied after a moment. "Right then" Spike answered quickly. He grabbed Angel by the arm again and ushered him toward the elevator at the end of the hall. "Consider it an appointment. I'll show up at ten and we'll have a chat. Now, you go and I'll see you tomorrow." Angel sighed as Spike pushed the button and the elevator doors opened. He had so many questions, too many things left unsaid that he wanted out of the way now, but Spike was obviously not going to allow that to happen tonight. He stepped in and watched as the blonde walked back up the hall to the room they had just left. Spike turned back to the elevator to make sure Angel left. As the door slid closed, Angel lifted his hand and gave his childe a small wave goodbye. Spike stood for an extra minute, just to make sure the elevator was indeed going down. He didn't trust Angel and he needed to know he was leaving. Seeing the buttons lighting up, indicating that the occupant was indeed going down, Spike turned and walked back into the small hospital room and to his young charge. Angel waited until the elevator had moved down half a floor before pushing the stop button. Knowing his childe like he did, Angel was sure that Spike would be watching just to make sure he left. But the dark vampire was much too curious to simply wait until the next day to find out what was happening with Spike. Once the elevator stopped, Angel pried open the doors and pulled himself up to the upper floor, sliding out onto the floor of the pediatric wing. Finding the room his childe was still in, Angel peeked around the doorframe to make sure he hadn't been spotted. He noted that both Spike and Katie had returned to their previous positions and were talking quietly. Angel slipped in through the door undetected and hid in the many shadows of the room making sure he had an unobstructed view of the bed. "Are you ready, luv?" Spike asked the little girl. "I guess" she answered quietly. "Are you sure Baxter and Mema will be there?" "I told you, Niblet" the blonde said softly. "I don't know for sure. I can't see that far." "I hope so" Katie said brightly. "I miss my Mema." "And I'm sure she misses you too" Spike said quietly. Angel thought he could hear tears in the man's voice. Spike sighed and stood up next to the bed. "It's time, luv." He put out his hand and the young girl looked up at him with large brown eyes. Trustingly, she reached out and took his hand. Angel gasped as he watched the girl slip out of the bed and stand next to Spike. But when he looked, he could easily see that the girl also still lay in the bed. As soon as she touched Spike's hand, the monitors in the room began to sound alarms and the young girl's mother woke up. She began to panic as the bells and whistles continued to go off around her. A moment later two nurses ran into the room and began to work on the child still lying in the bed. Angel was stunned to notice that no one even seemed to see the girl and the blonde man standing in the corner, watching with sad eyes. The girl's mother began to scream her child's name, trying to get her to wake up. Angel's heart broke at the sound. He remembered calling Conner's name with the same amount of terror. A doctor soon joined the crowd and began assessing the child. Soon all the monitors began to ring a single tone. No more chiming alarms to show the body's distress. "I'm sorry" the doctor said to the mother who was now clutching her daughter's body to her breast and weeping for her loss. Angel turned to see Spike and Katie watching the scene. The small girl tugged on the hand holding hers and Spike looked down. He nodded to her silently and they both turned to the blank wall behind them. Slowly, they began to walk towards it. Angel's mouth was agape as he watched them pass through it effortlessly. He slid from the room undetected and ran to the adjoining room only to find it completely empty. Searching for the pair in vain, Angel sighed and walked to the elevator he had been in previously. Hitting the down button, he sighed and tried to process all the information he had. Now all he had to do was wait for Spike to show up tomorrow at ten. It was going to be a long night. tbc...