Subject: [SpikesSalvation] Phoenix Dreams- Chapter 15 Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 15:54:45 -0800 (PST) From: Jerusha Hancock Reply-To: SpikesSalvation@yahoogroups.com To: SpikesSalvation@yahoogroups.com Chapter 15 "Sod this!" William snarled angrily. "We're not getting anywhere at all." Angel and Emmie looked at one another, their eyebrows raised. They had been going over Slayer placements for the last hour, with William getting noticeably more irritable as time went on. "Will, we have to get this done. Look, maybe we should call Buffy in on this. She's had contact with most of the known Slayers—" "Forget it," he said, not at all appeased. "Just bloody well forget it. We're not getting anywhere and we're not going to. This is a waste of time." "Will, don't you think—" Emmie began hesitantly. "No, I don't," he interrupted rudely. "I'm out of here." They watched him go, and when the door slammed shut behind him, Angel turned and looked at the woman. "Do you have any idea what that was about?" She sighed. Hesitated. "He's been dreaming," she said softly. When the vampire's forehead creased in a puzzled frown, she continued. "Ty called me the other day at 2 in the morning. Will was moaning in his sleep, and he couldn't wake him up. I finally had to dig out the smelling salts to pull him out of it." "Do you know what he's been dreaming of?" Angel asked. "I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count," she said wryly. "I think he'd feel better if he would at least talk to her, but..." "But William won't even let Buffy within ten feet, and it's driving everyone nuts," he finished, rolling his eyes in exasperation. Buffy was miserable and hiding it badly, William was on edge, and no one was very happy, especially if they were in the same room with either of them. "Well, I think I will ask her to help with these assignments. Some of the girls don't have any desire to follow the traditional calling, but that doesn't mean they don't need to know what's going on." Emmie nodded. "Yeah. Look, I'd better go see to Will. Make sure he's calming down." She gave him a wistful look. "Are you sure we can't just lock them in a room together until they hash things out?" "Don't tempt me," he replied with a smile, his eyes following her admiringly until she was out of the room. That was a girl with some fine legs. Buffy came in about ten minutes later. "Hey, Angel. I thought William was meeting with you now." "He bailed," Angel said shortly. "I wanted to ask you to help me with some Slayer assignments. I just got word from Giles that there's a few new hot-spots that are going to need some watching." Buffy nodded. "Sure. I didn't have any plans for this afternoon." Whereas a few years ago that might have been said with a great deal of sarcasm, at this point she was perfectly serious. She really hadn't had any other plans. "Great." Angel hesitated briefly. "I was wondering if I could ask you a couple favors." Buffy's eyebrows went up. "From the look on your face, this could result in much badness," she commented. "No." His lips twitched at her distinctive phrasing. "I wanted you to start training Emmie. As the longest living Slayer on record, you could be invaluable to her. And while her job is fairly tame, if it ever gets dangerous—" "Hers isn't the only life on the line," Buffy said, understanding completely. As a bodyguard, Emmie had a duty to be in the best possible condition. "Done. What's favor number two?" "Well, that one's a little more awkward," he admitted. "There's a charity ball in two weeks that I need to attend. And I need a date." "And I'm it?" Her words were dripping with sarcasm. He met her eyes squarely. "Look, Buffy, we haven't always been friends, but I think we are now." Angel waited for her nod before continuing. "I know this could be awkward, but there isn't anyone else I'd be comfortable asking to go with me, and I'd like you to. As friends, I mean." Buffy nodded. It wasn't what she wanted. What she really wanted was apparently out of her grasp, namely that William would come to his frigging senses and get his memories back. It seemed she'd have to settle for Angel's friendship and accepting that her Spike was well and truly gone, never to return. She hadn't even realized until now that she'd harbored the tiniest grain of hope that he would come back. "All right," she said slowly. "It's been a while since I've been able to dance." "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 ---------------------------------