Author: Lilithangel
Website: www.livejournal.com/users/lilithbint
Fandom: AtS
Characters: Spike, Angel, OC’s
Genre: slash
Rating: NC17
Summary: Post NFA, Spike finds a new family but his past is always there.
* * * * *
“So he’s your grandfather?” Ryan asked trying to make sense of Spike’s explanation.
“In vampire terms, yes, but it’s more complicated than that because Angelus mentored me in a Sire role because my dark princess wasn’t really capable,” Spike sighed and ran a hand through his hair, he hated explanations.
“But he’s family?”
“Yep.”
“And you’ve fucked?”
“What?” Spike stared at Ryan in shock. They were already at the café waiting for Angel and he’d been trying to explain everything to Ryan first. “Why would you think that?”
“The way you talk about him,” Ryan said, “something in your eyes.”
“It’s more complicated than sex,” Spike admitted, “he and Dru were my whole world when I was first turned, then he was gone and when we met up again so much had changed we couldn’t go back to that. It all went downhill from there really. There was a girl involved too.”
Ryan couldn’t hide his grin, “there’s always a girl. Makes me glad my species only has one sex unless needed.”
Spike laughed at Ryan’s words and that was when Angel arrived. He hung back in the doorway watching Spike and Ryan. They were relaxed together in a way Angel didn’t think he and Spike ever had been. The others in the café watched them indulgently and Angel felt even more like an intruder.
Spike saw Angel hovering in the door and beckoned him over.
“Angel, Ryan. Ryan, Angel.” Spike made the introductions. Angel slipped into the booth next to Ryan and nodded.
Ryan grinned, “So you’re Spike’s grandfather then?”
“No!” Angel looked at Spike accusingly and Spike laughed.
“You try and explain vampire families to someone,” Spike said and Angel sighed, remembering doing that very thing for Cordelia.
Vivian came over to the booth carrying two mugs and passed them to Spike and Angel.
“Vivian, this is Angel,” Spike made the introductions with a smile.
“Hello Angel, I am very pleased to meet you at last,” Vivian said, “William has told us next to nothing about you so it is nice to see who he wasn’t talking about,” she teased gently.
“How did Miriam do at practice today?” Spike asked her to spare Angel. Miriam’s school was doing a play and she had been picked as a fairy much to her delight. Spike had already promised to attend the performance.
“She did very well, they practiced so hard that she fell asleep over her dinner and Henri put her straight to bed,” Vivian said with an indulgent smile.
Angel sipped on the mug of blood Vivian had given him. It was pig blood and she hadn’t seemed bothered at all. He watched Spike interact with people in the café, jealous again of the blond’s ability to get on with people.
“Are you intending to visit long?” Vivian asked Angel.
“I’m not sure,” Angel replied, “I’ve been travelling for a long time, it’s hard to stop.”
Vivian nodded, “our city is full of travellers, you are welcome here.” She took the empty mugs with her and another waitress arrived with coffee and cakes to Angel’s bemusement.
Spike was called over to another booth to answer a question. Angel shifted uneasily under Ryan’s scrutiny not sure what Spike had really told him.
“So have you known Spike long?” Angel said.
“Since he arrived,” Ryan answered, “but we call him Will, who came up with Spike?”
“He did,” Angel said, “he didn’t like William back then.”
“You’ve known him a long time,” Ryan said.
“On and off,” Angel admitted. “Although sometimes I don’t think I know him at all.” He looked over to where Spike was laughing and beating out a tune on a tabletop.
“Did you try?” Ryan asked. “The few times he’s talked about his past and you he was pretty evasive but his eyes were so sad.”
“It’s complicated.”
“That’s what he said,” Ryan laughed. “It must be a vampire champion thing.”
“Does everyone know he’s a vampire?” Angel said with despair.
“Probably about a dozen or so, mainly at the school and Vivian, cause she knows everything. The ones at the school are mainly non-human so there was no hiding it really.”
“And nobody minds?”
“Why would we?” Ryan looked puzzled, “I cope with the weird human stuff so why would the vampire stuff bother me?”
Angel shrugged; he hadn’t ever really considered human stuff to be weird although most of Spike’s habits were.
“He dreams,” Ryan continued his face serious, “they’re pretty bad and he doesn’t like to talk about them. Except the one about shoes, that’s just weird.”
“Talking about me?” Spike said sliding in next to Ryan and putting an arm around his shoulders.
“No,” Ryan rolled his eyes, “hockey.”
“Funny guy,” Spike said with a grin. “Don’t start him off Peac… Angel, Ryan’s a big hockey fan.”
“Really?” Angel perked up.
“I’ve never been able to get Will interested in it,” Ryan said excitedly, “there’s a game tomorrow night, I’ve got tickets, don’t suppose you’d want to go?”
“Really?” Angel looked at Spike carefully, expecting something in retaliation. Spike was too busy grinning and rolling his eyes at Ryan’s enthusiasm and Angel was struck again by how much the other vampire had changed.
“Go,” Spike said with a smirk, “then I can have some quality time with the stereo.”
“Malcolm will string you up if you keep him awake again,” Ryan warned.
“Philistines the lot of you,” Spike groused. “Angel and I are going to take a walk about, you alright to get home?”
“Yes dad,” Ryan sighed.
“I’ll see you at home,” Spike said and he kissed Ryan quickly only to return for another longer one.
Angel shifted uncomfortably and stood gratefully when Spike let go of Ryan.
“You want me to pick you up tomorrow or will you come to the school?” Ryan asked Angel.
“Um, I’ll come to the school, what time?” Angel was surprised at his easy acceptance and a little disturbed that it came because of Spike.
They walked through the city in silence each content with dealing with their own thoughts. Spike was unsettled by Angel’s arrival, not sure how he was supposed to react to the strong silent routine. They had always dealt with each other through fists and insults and while he didn’t want it to be like that, he didn’t really know how to change it. Angel was having similar thoughts. He wasn’t that good at talking at the best of times and he was useless at talking with Spike. This new Spike, William, was even harder to figure out and Angel didn’t know if he had the right to stick around and complicate things.
“It’s not much of a city for demon trouble except during the annual poker tournament,” Spike said finally.
“It seems pretty quiet,” Angel said. “It’s nice.”
“You really think they’ve forgotten about you?” Spike asked.
“I fought my way out of L.A and they sent demons after me for a while,” Angel said, “but there’s been nothing for weeks now. I think they’ve realised I’m not a threat or even a nuisance anymore.”
“You’re still a champion,” Spike said looking at him sideways.
“Not much of one,” Angel replied morosely.
Spike huffed but didn’t say anymore as they encountered a small group of fledgling vampires. They took their confusion out on the group, falling into old patterns of fighting, back to back and moving as a single unit. It didn’t take long to take the group out and they were both grinning by the end.
“This is what we’re good at,” Spike said as they continued to patrol, “the big stuff we can’t fight that, but this we can do. Control the populations; look after the stupid and the innocent.”
“I just wanted to do more,” Angel said hopelessly.
“You always did,” Spike said with a snort. “It doesn’t work that way.”
“When did you get so smart?”
“You don’t have to sound so surprised. Always been smart, just lazy.”
Angel laughed in surprise at Spike’s words. “You did a good job of fooling me.”
“Not like that’s hard,” Spike said with a smirk. Angel shoved him and Spike shoved back. Before it could escalate they heard the sounds of fighting down the street.
As they rounded the corner Angel stopped to try and figure out what was going on. Spike took one look and ran in with a roar. Ryan and two others from the school were backed up against a wall by a group of men. Ryan was sporting a cut above his eye and was holding his side painfully, but not backing down to what Angel realised was a mob.
“Freaks!” One of the men said aiming a kick at Ryan only to find himself thrown aside by a very angry Spike. Angel hurried over, worried about what Spike would do.
“You boys should go home and sleep it off,” Spike said with dangerous calm.
“You another of the circus freaks?” one of the men asked with a malicious grin, “or are you a couple of queers?” he added looking at Angel.
“We’re a couple of something’s you don’t want to mess with,” Spike said.
Angel stepped up beside Spike and laid a hand on his arm. “We don’t want any trouble, but if you touch these kids again we’ll rip your intestines out through your throats.”
Spike looked at Angel in surprise, impressed by the threat. “Nice,” he said with a nod.
“You think so?” Angel said. “Not too over the top or anything?”
“Nope, just about what I’m planning to do. Don’t you normally tell me not to do these things?”
“People change,” Angel said with a shrug, “I’ve been travelling a lot and the one thing that’s still the same, some people are just assholes.”
The gang had been watching the exchange with some bemusement as Angel and Spike ignored them. Until with perfect synchronicity they turned and punched out the two closest and then spun to take on the next two.
With four down so quickly the others started to back away. Spike picked up one of the ones he had knocked down and threw them at the men. “Take your trash with you.”
“And remember next time you think you might pick on someone,” Angel said, “they might not be alone and sooner or later you will be.”
The men backed away trying to look nonchalant about it and failing. Spike ignored them to check on Ryan and the others while Angel watched the gang until they were gone.
“You alright pet?” Spike asked Ryan.
“Yeah,” Ryan said, “the bastards must have followed us from the club we went to. Cowards jumped us from behind.”
“Let’s get you back to the school and patched up,” Spike said. He noticed that one of the others was Erik, Ryan’s ex sling partner and he raised a questioning eyebrow at Ryan who blushed.
Spike grinned, knowing exactly what club Ryan had planned to visit and pleased that Erik had gone with him. The relationship between the two had improved since Spike’s conversation with the other boy and looked like maybe there might be a future there. Spike was not foolish enough to imagine forever after with Ryan. Their relationship was one of healing and growing and Spike was grateful for the peace he had found in Ryan’s arms. Now though he had a small sliver of hope for something else.
There was a noise behind them and Spike turned, expecting to see the gang had returned with some borrowed courage. Instead there were two sword wielding Kaliff demons. “Shit,” Spike said, standing in front of Ryan.
“Not normal for here?” Angel asked him.
“Definitely not normal,” Spike said. “You three get the hell out of here as soon as you can,” he said to the others, “Angel and I will take care of this.”
“Be careful,” Ryan said.
“I’ll look after him,” Angel said to Spike’s surprise, and even more surprised he didn’t feel the need to throw back a sarcastic comment.
“Evening gents,” Spike said to the demons, “after anything in particular?”
“Your tongue as a trophy vampire,” one of them rasped.
“Still using it,” Spike replied, shaking his own demon free.
“Should’ve brought a sword,” Angel complained as he and Spike launched themselves at the demons.
It was a brutal fight thanks to the leather hides of the Kaliff demons and Spike’s distraction until Ryan and the others got away. When they were safely away Spike threw himself onto the back of one of the demons as Angel managed to disarm the other.
Spike drove his demon to the ground holding onto the horns to get a good twist on to break its neck. Angel decapitated his opponent with its own sword, grunting with satisfaction. Both were bleeding from several sword cuts and their faces were grazed and bruised.
Angel proceeded to search the pockets of both assailants and swore when he found wanted posters of him and Spike.
“Fuck,” Spike echoed, “so much for them forgetting about us. I really like it here too. They’re never going to let us rest are they?”
“I don’t think so,” Angel said sadly.
“Right, I just need a few hours to get my gear together and make my farewells,” Spike said.
“You’d really just leave?” Angel said in shock, “they’re really interested in me. I’m sure if I left they’d leave you alone.”
“Can’t take that risk,” Spike said, “promised Luc and Marie I wouldn’t bring trouble to the school. Always keep my promises. You don’t mind a travelling companion? We could just split up, probably best actually.”
Angel grabbed Spike and kissed him silent. “I’ve only just found you again, we’re not splitting up,” he said pulling back from the kiss.
Spike stared at him in a daze. “Okay,” he said finally quickly turning around and heading for the school.
“Fuck,” Angel said under his breath and followed.
It was a quick and silent trip back and Spike went directly to Luc’s apartment to tell his family goodbye.
Luc and Marie listened to Spike and Luc nodded his understanding. “Can you stay a few nights at least?” he asked.
“There are people who will wish to say goodbye, especially Miriam and her family,” Marie added.
“I don’t want to risk anyone,” Spike said with a grimace. He knew Miriam would be disappointed in him leaving and that did hurt a lot.
“One night wouldn’t do any harm,” Angel said, “those Kaliff were opportunistic mercenaries. It’s quite possible nobody else has recognised us yet.”
“Is it worth risking their lives?” Spike said.
“They are our lives to risk,” Luc said, “the school is safe.”
“One night,” Spike conceded knowing Luc was right. “I need to check on Ryan,” he said standing up.
“Angel, you are welcome to our guest room,” Marie said.
Angel hesitated and then nodded. He walked with Spike to the door, “I’m sorry,” he said helplessly.
“They had a picture of me too,” Spike said, “was only a matter of time. They’re never going to let us rest until we’re dust and maybe not even then,” he added bitterly.
As Marie showed Angel where to clean up Luc picked up a phone and started making calls.
* * * * *
Angel spent the remainder of the night staring up at the ceiling wondering what possessed him to kiss Spike. Spike had found a new life in Montreal and Angel had ruined that, he didn’t know why Spike hadn’t just staked him.
He didn’t know what he felt for the other vampire, but he knew he needed Spike and that was a strange feeling. He had accepted that need as he trekked across the country looking for Spike, refusing to stop even if he didn’t look that closely at his motives.
* * * * *
Ryan was shaken but okay and he and Spike sat up for hours talking.
“Erik can learn your part in our routine,” Spike said as he felt dawn approaching, “you’re strong enough to take mine.”
Ryan leaned in and kissed Spike, “I wish you didn’t have to go,” he said.
“Wish I didn’t either,” Spike said, “but keeping you guys safe is more important than anything.”
“You’ll stay with Angel though?”
“Would you mind?” Spike looked at Ryan carefully.
“Why would I mind?” Ryan rolled his eyes. “There’s something between you two, every time you look at each other.”
“Dunno what,” Spike said, “but yeah, there’s something.”
“Good.” Ryan nodded. “You shouldn’t be alone.”
As Ryan was getting ready to leave for class there was a knock on the door. Ryan let Angel in.
“I’m sorry about what happened,” Angel said awkwardly.
“Stealing my lover away?” Ryan said. He grinned at Angel’s expression. “He was yours before I met him; I’m returning him safe and sound and no worse for wear.”
“He wasn’t…” Angel protested and then stopped at Ryan’s expression.
“I gotta go,” Ryan said, “Spike, you’ve got a visitor,” he yelled at the bedroom, “see you after class. Sorry we won’t get to see the hockey match,” he said to Angel as he left.
Angel stood awkwardly in the small living area until Spike wandered out in only a pair of low slung jeans.
“Peckish?” Spike asked him, opening the fridge.
“I could eat,” Angel said, desperately trying to ignore the way Spike’s jeans clung.
Spike warmed up some blood and crumbled some cereal into a bowl. Angel accepted the proffered blood and tried not to watch as Spike poured his over the cereal and dug in.
“Where are we heading?” Spike asked him as he washed up.
“I’m not sure,” Angel said, grabbing a tea towel. “Have you got any preferences?”
“What the hell have you done with the real Angel?” Spike demanded.
“What?” Angel looked confused.
“You being nice, beating up those humans, kissing me,” Spike said, “you don’t do those sorts of things…”
Angel sighed and rested his hip against the bench. “So much has happened, so many have died. I’m tired of fighting with you Spike,” he admitted.
“And the kiss, what the hell was that about?”
“You were babbling, and I wanted to.”
“So you’re going to kiss me every time I babble?”
Angel smiled, “maybe…”
“Could be a lot of kissing then,” Spike said with his own smile.
“You don’t mind?”
“So long as I get to do the same thing if you brood too much.”
“What about Ryan?” Angel asked worriedly.
“He doesn’t mind sharing,” Spike teased. “Seriously, he’s good. There might be something brewing between him and Erik which will be much better for them both. He’s going to mope all noble-like once I leave and let Erik comfort him.”
“I’m sorry,” Angel said again, “you’ve got a real life here and a family. You shouldn’t have to leave.”
“Shit happens,” Spike said.
The rest of the day was punctuated with visitors coming to say goodbye to Spike leaving Spike uncharacteristically silent by the time night fell. They made their way to the café where Luc had arranged a farewell party at Vivian’s insistence.
* * * * *
A small figure launched herself at Spike as soon as they walked into the room.
“Do you have to go Uncle Will?” Miriam said into his shoulder.
“Yeah I do,” Spike said regretfully.
“You will miss my show.”
“Your dad will just have to record it and send me a copy,” Spike said.
“Who will protect me from the monsters?” she sobbed.
“You won’t have to worry about the monsters I promise,” Spike said, “they know if they touch you I will find them and make them sorry.” She nodded tearfully. “I’ll send you lots of postcards and you can send me emails anytime you want.”
It took some more care but finally Miriam stopped crying and let Spike say goodbye to everyone.
It was a good party and everyone had a good time. Luc made a speech and everyone laughed and cried. Spike made a speech and everyone laughed including Angel.
Finally it was time to go and Luc let them slip away quietly, following them out the back to make his own farewells.
“Vampire!” A voice made them all turn. Two more Kaliff demons stood in the alleyway flanking a robed figure.
“Fuck,” Spike said, stepping in front of Luc. “Get back inside, Luc.”
“Shit, magic user,” Angel said running forward.
“No!” Luc called out but before anyone could move a ball of light burst out of the magician’s clawed hand blinding everyone.
When Luc blinked away the spots in his eyes the Kaliff demons and the robed figure were gone.
On the ground were two small piles of dust and Luc dropped to his knees. “No,” he whispered, “not like this…”
Two weeks later
It was a small memorial stone with two simple names engraved in it and the word Champions etched above. The Watchers Council representative stared at it in solemn shock and returned to his hotel to make his final report on the demise of the two vampire champions.
Over the last two weeks scores of organisations had descended on Montreal to find out what had happened and the grieving Luc had told them the story. Nobody knew who the robed figure had been and nobody claimed the bounty but the Vampire Champions were gone.
In the subdued café the new fry cook learned his trade. Luckily he had always enjoyed cooking even if he had not enjoyed eating. He and his partner were trying out for the circus in a couple of weeks and he was pretty sure they would get in.
They were hoping to join one of the travelling troupes and see a bit of the world. It was a strange nocturnal life, the circus, but they were really looking forward to it. They were partners in every sense of the word even though it still startled them both, but all the grief was worth it for a chance at happy ever after.
William sat in the audience of the school play watching his fairy dance, surrounded by his family and finally happy.
END
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