Seas Between Us (Broad Have Roared)

Author: enigmaticblue <enigmaticblue@yahoo.com>

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Do I have to say it? They aren't mine. If they were, I'd be nicer than Joss.

Archive: Anywhere that already has my stuff. Anywhere else just ask.

Summary: Set in an alternate Angel S5, wherein Andrew tells Buffy that Spike's alive after Damage and she does something about it, upsetting the power structure while she's at it.

A/N: This story takes place after Bring Out Your Dead, and may make a little more sense if you read that one first. The thing to notice is that Lindsey does not enter into this story. I didn't want to deal with the boy since I'm mostly ignoring canon. Just so you aren't terribly surprised.

Chapter 8: Revelations

"...Listening/you're always listening/I don't know what to say/Why don't you turn and run at break-neck speed/just to get away./And when you catch your breath/pray I said every word I meant...Broken down/we're all so broken down/bandages on our wings/I know I don't have to tell you/only broken hearts can sing./I'm hoping for a sign./Pray that I'm anything but fine." ~Over the Rhine, "Professional Daydreamer"

Gunn strode into Angel's office, looking confused when he found no one there except for the vampire. "Where's everybody else?"

"Fred's out with Buffy," Angel replied, hesitating before he added, "and Wesley is with Cordelia."

Gunn frowned. "Did something change with Cordy?"

"You could say that," Angel murmured. He turned to face his friend. "Cordelia woke up yesterday."

Eyes growing wide, he demanded, "Why didn't somebody call me?"

"Cordy wanted to talk to Wes," Angel said. "And she didn't want to stay here any longer."

Gunn smelled trouble. "You explained to her that we aren't evil, right?"

"I explained," Angel said wryly. "I just don't think Cordelia was buying it. If you want to go see her, she's at Wes' place today."

He wanted to see her, but there were files and contracts piled high on his desk. "I'll have to give Wes a call later," Gunn said. "What about you?"

Angel shook his head, not wanting to explain that seeing Cordelia was too painful at the moment. She never had pulled her punches, and the vampire wasn't sure he could handle her brand of honesty at the moment. Angel was still hanging onto the idea that he had done the right thing with everything in him. The thought that Cordy might be right, that he might have made a mistake, turned his stomach.

"What have you got for me?" Angel asked, neatly changing the subject.

Gunn stared at him, realizing with sudden clarity how much things had changed. When had they become so scattered, so caught up in inconsequentials? A year ago, Angel would have been at Cordelia's side, refusing to leave. Wolfram & Hart was changing them, and it might not be for the better.

Of course, if Gunn acknowledged that much, he would also have to concede that he'd somehow sold out. He wasn't quite ready to go there yet.

"Just a few things," he replied, squelching the twinge of anxiety. "There are a couple of meetings you probably ought to be aware of, too."

~~~~~

Wesley ran a hand over his face, rising from the couch. He'd sat quietly through most of Cordelia's story, but now he was feeling restless. It was unthinkable, and yet it explained so much. Now that he knew someone had altered his memories, he could recognize the holes for what they were.

It also explained certain things that Angel had said, the inexplicable distance between them that had dissipated gradually over the last month or two.

It made all too much sense, even though he wished it didn't.

"I betrayed him."

"You were doing what you thought best, Wesley," Cordelia replied gently. "And I'm not sure you had a choice."

He turned to look at her. "I don't understand."

She winced at his flat tone. "I'm not sure if any of us had a choice in this," Cordelia replied. "The thing that hijacked my body had been planning on world domination for a really long time."

Wesley wasn't buying it. "I don't think I can dismiss my actions quite so easily. The fact remains that I had a choice, and I decided to kidnap Angel's son."

"To save him!" Cordelia'd had plenty of time to think about this. She was certain of Wesley's motives, and that they had been pure. She was equally certain that she didn't need him moping about something he didn't actually remember and couldn't change. "You didn't do it out of malice, Wes."

"Nevertheless, it seems that I have betrayed a friend, and that he has in turn wiped those memories." He shook his head. "It's more than a little disconcerting."

"We have to get him out of there," Cordelia insisted. "That place isn't good for any of you."

"And what about Angel's son?" Wesley asked. "If Angel has indeed signed a contract, we do not know what breaking it would do to him."

Cordelia sighed. "I don't know, Wes. I just know that I get very bad vibes from that place. There isn't anything good there."

"I agree." Wesley might have gone on, but there was a perfunctory knock on the door before Spike ambled in.

"Fred said you wanted me to meet you here," Spike said in greeting. "H'lo, Cordelia."

"Spike." She raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

He smirked. "Fighting the good fight. What else?"

"Spike has a soul now, Cordelia," Wesley explained.

Cordy didn't look convinced. "Like Angel?"

Spike nearly growled at her. "Bloody well not like Angel," he shot back. "Do you see me sittin' in some fancy office with a soddin' secretary? No, 'm out riskin' my neck to—"

Wesley decided it might be prudent to interrupt Spike's rant. "You did manage to kill the Fraickes, then?"

"Ruined my coat," Spike said, sprawling down on the couch. He looked like he was about to start pouting.

Wesley had wondered, since he'd never seen the vampire without it. "And Buffy?"

"Out shopping with Fred," the vampire replied. "Said she'd meet up with us later if you had anything good to kill. Oh, and we're supposed to see about getting me some place to stay on a more permanent basis."

Cordelia's eyebrows went up. She caught the subtext even without Wesley's explanation. "You and Buffy are a couple now?"

"What of it?" Spike asked defiantly.

Cordy pursed her lips, realizing that they were probably perfect for each other. "Nothing." She turned to Wesley. "What about the Hyperion?"

"It's still in Angel's possession, as far as I know," the ex-Watcher replied. "In fact, I had suggested that Spike use it as a base of operations."

"You were thinking about leaving the law firm?" Cordy asked, unable to disguise the relief in her voice. If Wesley was willing to leave, it would be one less person she'd have to convince.

Wesley sighed. "I was, although I hadn't planned on making any moves in that direction so soon. What you've told me changes all of that, however. I don't like the fact that Angel has altered all our memories without our knowledge or consent. What he did for Connor—that I understand, but he needn't have..."

When Wesley trailed off, Spike looked between Wesley and Cordelia with some interest. "What's the Great Poof done now?"

"It's a long story," Wesley replied. "One we can explain while we go over to the Hyperion."

~~~~~

Buffy was discovering that she really enjoyed spending time with Fred. They had giggled their way through lunch, sharing stories about the men in their lives. The Slayer was well aware that Spike probably wouldn't be too happy at some of the stories she'd shared, nor would Wesley.

But, really, she had to have something to repay Fred for some of the really embarrassing stories about Angel.

After lunch, they had gone shopping, and their conversation had turned serious. "So Spike almost got sucked into hell?" Buffy asked quietly.

"It was close." Fred's eyes were distant. "Once Pavayne was taken care of he was safe, but—Spike gave up his chance at being corporeal to save my life."

"That sounds like Spike," Buffy said with a shaky smile. "He said you guys still don't know what happened to turn him solid again."

Fred shook her head. "It probably has something to do with the law firm. Maybe they decided that they didn't really want him. After all, they gave the amulet to Angel."

"Why is Angel at Wolfram and Hart?" Buffy asked. "From what you've told me, he wouldn't have any reason for taking their offer, and he wasn't going to right up until the last minute."

Fred shrugged. "That's what Wesley and I were trying to figure out last night. Their offers to the rest of us were very up front. No one knows what Angel wanted."

Buffy sighed. "Well, I suppose I should do some digging then. Giles was really concerned when he heard that Angel was working for them, or with them, or whatever."

"Wesley and I are talking about leaving." The words were quiet, and Buffy almost missed the other woman's admission. The Slayer had the sense that it took a lot for Fred to even consider leaving Angel's side. From Fred's stories, Buffy got some sense of what the vampire had done for her.

Buffy wasn't quite sure what to say, but she wanted to be supportive. "Maybe it's for the best," she encouraged. "If it's not a good place..."

"I don't know if it is or not," she replied, her Texas drawl growing thicker under the weight of her emotions. "We thought we could do some good there."

"Maybe you did," Buffy replied. "And maybe now it's time to leave." She frowned at the shirt she was holding. "Do you think Spike would wear this?"

Fred cast a critical eye on the navy blue pullover. "Probably," she finally decided.

"Good." Buffy smiled. "I figure it's probably better to introduce color into his wardrobe gradually."

The other woman nodded. "He does like red."

Buffy's eyes brightened. "Red! That's a good idea." She glanced over at Fred, putting a sympathetic hand on her arm. "Look, I don't mean to be nosy or anything, but—if you're thinking about putting the moves on Wesley, don't wait. You never know how much time you're going to have."

Fred thought that was pretty good advice, especially coming from a woman who had already died twice.

~~~~~

Spike couldn't say he was surprised that at what Angel had done, but wiping his friends' memories was a bit low, even for him. "So what are you gonna do about it?" he asked Wesley.

"I don't know," the other man confessed. "I could confront him, but what good would that do?"

"Seems to me you need to find out the details of his contract," Spike suggested. "Might want to talk to Charlie-boy about that."

Cordelia frowned. It was a good suggestion, and coming from Spike, that surprised her. Wesley had explained about Gunn's upgrades, so that would make him the logical resource. "Can Gunn be trusted?"

Wesley grimaced at the question. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "I would say yes, but he seems to enjoy working for Wolfram and Hart quite a bit."

"He likes being special," Spike contradicted him softly. "Workin' there—he's got a set of skills you need an' nobody else has. Offer him the chance to use those in a better way, an' I think he'll come around."

"How do you know all of that?" Cordy demanded, a little disturbed at Spike's insight.

Spike lifted an eyebrow. "I spent months as a ghost, Cheerleader," he replied in a hard tone. "Couldn't do much but watch an' learn. Learned a lot more than most give me credit for."

"I'm sure neither of us have any doubt that you're a quick study, Spike," Wesley said, quick to play peacemaker. He knew Cordelia was on edge, upset about Angel's deception, and she had a tendency to be sharp when that happened. Spike had a tendency to bite back.

Wesley bit back a smile. He had a feeling that they would be more than an even match for each other.

Spike let out a low whistle as he followed Wesley and Cordelia inside the hotel. "This isn't too bad. Bit pompous, but that shouldn't surprise me with Angel."

"It was a good place to be," Cordy said softly, walking over to the front desk and running her hand along the counter. The memories were coming at her fast and furious, and she had to blink back tears. Everything had changed so much and so quickly—it felt wrong.

"Cordelia." Wesley's voice was gentle. "We'll get this sorted."

She shook her head, unwilling to talk about it. Cordy supposed it was just bad luck on her part. Fall in love with a guy and he either dies or turns evil. Or you get your body hijacked, and you turn evil. She'd never had great luck with men.

"Angel's a git, pet," Spike said quietly. "But he's not a complete idiot. If we can get through to him, figure out a way to fix this thing with his kid, he'll come around. He'd be a fool not to."

Spike's eyes were kind. When had Spike become so nice? Cordelia wondered absently. And Wesley—he was really nice too.

Spike and Wesley caught her as she collapsed. "What just happened?" Spike asked.

"I don't know," Wesley replied quickly, striving to keep the panic at bay as he felt for a pulse. Finding it strong and steady under his fingertips, he gave a sigh of relief. "I really don't know."

"Better call Fred," Spike suggested. "She'll at least know what we're goin' to do about this. You think we ought to get her to a hospital?"

Wesley shook his head. "Too many questions. It would be better just to set her up in a room upstairs. You and Buffy might as well move over here, too. If Cordelia's not well, I'd rather not leave her here alone."

Spike nodded. "Say the word, mate. You know I'll help."

Wesley smiled briefly, watching as the vampire easily caught Cordelia up in his arms. "I know, Spike. Thank you."

Wesley took a deep breath and then dialed Fred's number. Things were getting rather complicated.