Subject: [SpikesSalvation] Phoenix Dreams- Chapter 11 Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 19:59:45 -0800 (PST) From: Jerusha Hancock Reply-To: SpikesSalvation@yahoogroups.com To: SpikesSalvation@yahoogroups.com Part 2: Empires of Love "you don't remember me but i remember you/ i lie awake and try so hard not to think of you/ but who can decide what they dream?/ and dream i do.../ i believe in you/ i'll give up everything just to find you/ i have to be with you to live to breathe/ you're taking over me/have you forgotten all i know/ and all we had?/ you saw me mourning my love for you/ and touched my hand/ i knew you loved me then" ~Evanescence, "Taking Over Me" Chapter 11 William grinned as he moved through the fight easily, gracefully. He was already up to five kills, which was surely better than Angel would do on this night. Which meant that the vampire would be the one buying the drinks. He got two more vampires, one right from underneath Angel's nose, and his grin broadened as the vampire realized what he'd done. "Seven," he said smugly, and laughed as Gunn clapped him on the shoulder. "My man, Will! Way to go. My count's six." The black man looked over at Wes, waiting for his numbers. "Also six," Wes said, perfectly content. "Angel?" "Four," he mumbled sourly. William had started the contest, which pissed him off. It was fun enough on the nights he wasn't on the tail end, but William typically managed at least one more kill. Beating him by three meant William would be insufferable for the next few days. "I guess we know who's buying the drinks," Gunn said with a grin. He'd yet to come in last and was enjoying the friendly rivalry. Angel was the only truly sore loser. Angel finally managed a sick grin. "I'm going to have to take a rain check," he said, trying to sound regretful. "I've got work to do." The other three men looked at each other and then shrugged. "Fine, mate," William said. "Next time you can buy two rounds." The nest of vampires they had just cleared out had been a nasty one, and they'd been alerted to it by one of Ty's visions. Typically, none of them handled the day-to-day things, the little battles. But they had all worked very hard to keep Ty's gift a secret, and so it was the core group that handled what the Powers sent their way and no one else. Fred might join them, but she was usually content to stay in the research and development labs, working up new gadgets to send with them. Emmie almost always wanted to come, but tonight she'd stayed with Ty, who'd been sick and hadn't wanted anyone else to stay with him. "I think I'll head home then," Gunn said, with a wave to William and Wes. "I'll see you guys at the office tomorrow." "You want a drink?" William offered. "I should send Emmie home, and we still need to finish that chess game." Wes nodded. "Yes, that would be nice I think. I could use some time to unwind." Emmie stood to greet them when they came in. "So, who won tonight?" "I did," William replied, grinning broadly. She smiled back. "Good for you. Next time you should let me go beat Angel and you can stay home with the kid." But there were no hard feelings in her voice. One thing every member of the group understood was that Ty's protection was just as important as any other job, even if it did look a lot like babysitting. "How is he?" William asked, and for the first time that evening he allowed his deep concern to show. Emmie shrugged. "He ate mac and cheese for dinner, played a few video games, and was back to his normal self by bed time. Ty's a resilient kid, Will. You shouldn't worry so much." "That's like telling the sun not to rise," Wes commented, and William gave him a rueful smile. "He's my life." William smiled at the Slayer. "Go on home. I'll make sure Ty gets to school tomorrow and meet you at the office." "Where I will continue my training." Emmie rolled her eyes at Wes, her unofficial Watcher, who merely lifted an eyebrow in return, long since used to the peculiarities of Slayers. Fifteen minutes later, both men were enjoying a Guiness and a different sort of battle in their long-running chess game. "So when are you planning on asking Fred out, mate?" William finally asked into the silence. Wes gave him a dirty look. "What makes you think I was even considering it?" "Maybe the moon eyes you keep using on her?" he asked with amusement. "Anyone can tell you have a yen for her, Wes." The Watcher shook his head. "It doesn't work that way, William. There's too much history there." William rolled his eyes. "Please. And she's not looking at you like that all the time? Whatever soddin' history is there is just that: history. I'm tellin' you, if you don't ask her out soon, someone else will jump on the chance and you'll be left in the cold." Wesley looked acutely uncomfortable. "I don't think—" "And that's your problem," William interrupted. "You're thinkin' about it. You need to just do it. Love isn't about brains, it's about blood, feelin'." When the other man still appeared uncertain, he continued. "Here's what you're gonna do, Watcher. 'm takin' Ty and Emmie to Lorne's new show on Friday night. You ask Fred if she wants to come along with our group, we'll make it an early evening, and you two'll be alone. Rest is up to you." "Wait a minute," Wes replied with a frown. "You're taking a seven-year-old to a lounge?" "Boy's a part of this whether I like it or not," William said softly. "If I can't give him the ideal of a normal life, I want him to feel this is as normal as possible. It'll be better that way." He smiled wryly. "Besides, can't pretend everythin's normal when his favorite uncle's a vampire an' his dad's an ex-vamp, now can I?" Wes nodded. "You're doing a good job with him, William. He's an incredible boy, considering what he has to go through on a regular basis." "Which reminds me," William said, moving one of his knights, "when did you teach my son how to magically unlock things?" Wes winced. "When did you find out?" "Yesterday, from Emmie." William grinned at Wes's obvious discomfort. "She forgot her keys and he unlocked the door for her. Is there anything else you taught him?" Wes sighed. William's dislike and distrust for magic was legendary, and he wasn't surprised that the man was angry with him, but he'd had very good reasons for what he'd done. "Other than how to unlock a door? I also taught him a spell that will produce light. I didn't want to go behind your back, but I didn't think I'd get your permission either. And both spells will certainly come in handy if he gets into a tight spot." William's face darkened. "He's not going to get into a tight spot." "Emmie can't be with him all the time, Will," the Watcher pointed out gently. "I pray that it will never happen, but it's entirely possible that something could, and in either situation being able to perform a few simple spells may allow him to save his own life." When William was silent, Wesley continued. "I taught him what I did for the same reason you're taking him to Lorne's on Friday. To prepare him for what his life will be. Like it or not, he didn't have much of a choice, and neither did you, but he has a real chance. Just think, Will, who his teachers are, what he can learn by the time he's of an age to use what he knows. He'll be a real force for good." "You're right, of course," William said. "But it galls me to see him already having to think about his own defense, to know his life will be in danger constantly. He's my son, Wes, mine to protect." "He's all of ours to protect," Wesley corrected him gently. "There isn't any one of us who wouldn't lay down our lives for him. You know that." William did know that. What's more, he also knew the background on it, knew that there had been another little boy that they had not been able to protect. And he knew that Wesley had once betrayed Angel because of his protective instincts. He often wondered if they didn't all know about Connor somewhere deep inside themselves, where instinct and feeling lived, if not memory. If, perhaps, Ty was a symbolic replacement for Angel's lost son. In a way, William supposed, there was no way he would not be. "I know that," he replied, thinking that there was an empire of love that existed only for his son. It was a comforting thought. "But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed." 2 Cor 4:7-9 ---------------------------------