TITLE: Body and Soul Trilogy - Reborn - Chapter 4
AUTHOR: Lysia
EMAIL: cricket818uk@w...
FEEDBACK: Is essential. I can't write without knowing I'm getting it
right and constructive criticism is noted and used.
RATING: 15, for violence and mild sexual situations (because that's
what people seem to want!).
WARNING: Angst, violence. Light S/A comfort-type romance.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of them, but I'll give them back to Joss
when I've finished with them.
SPOILERS: Set sometime after 'Forever'.
ARCHIVING: Here. Anywhere else, just ask.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Final part in the trilogy. Spike, now called Will by
Angel, has recovered from the restoration of his soul and prepares
for a second attack on the vampires who cursed him.

Chapter 4

"I don't want you to do this, Angel!" Will protested as his Sire
pulled his coat on and strode across the living room towards the
front door. "This is bloody stupid! It's dangerous, and pointless."

"It's not," Angel replied confidently, quickly downing a cup of blood
to recover his strength since letting Will drink from him. "I'll be
perfectly safe, and I can get a few leads over what their attack is
going to be."

"You're only doing this because of some grudge you've got against
Skull," Will accused him, clinging to his arm to try and stop him
from leaving.

"No," Angel replied. "I'm doing this because there's something about
him sending that mob after us that doesn't add up."

"Angel, that was ages ago!" Will whined, tugging at Angel's
sleeve. "We know what happened. Someone found them all dying and he
told them I was responsible,"

"But how did he know where we were?" Angel shot back.

"I don't know!" Will shrieked, desperate to make his Sire see
sense. "Who cares anyway? It's happened. You're being so trivial!"

"Maybe I am," Angel admitted with a shrug, gently plying Will's hand
form his arm, "but I still want to do it. Now I've been on dangerous
stealthy missions before. I know what I'm doing." He kissed Will on
the forehead. "I'll see you in a couple of hours," he promised before
turning and heading out through the courtyard.

"Just be careful!" Will shouted after him, wishing his Sire wouldn't
do things like this. He watched until Angel had disappeared from
sight, then trudged over to the sofa. He sat down, twiddling his
fingers. He couldn't sleep while Angel was gone on such a hazardous
mission. Why did he have to do this? He was going to get himself
killed!

~~~~~~~~~~

Angel snuck up the drive to the large house where Skull and his
minions were hiding. As Angel had suspected, they hadn't moved from
their base. The Sunnydale police were not going to try and persuade a
gang of vampires to move out.

As Angel passed a window he peered through to the main hall. About
fifty or so vampires were gathered there. It appeared they had
managed to build up their army again, but at least the first attack
had stalled them. They must be planning something big to require as
many vampires as that. Either that or they were just plain cowards.

From what Angel could hear they were discussing battle plans. Angel
stopped and listened as a female vampire - Myst, as far as Angel
could tell from her voice - read out instructions.

"We want the main entrance heavily guarded, but not too much. Enough
to stop the police getting in but not the Slayer's gang. They need to
be there."

"Is the Slayer dead?"

"No, but the poison has weakened her. She should be easy pickings.
Don't kill her though - turn her. And any other good fighters on
their side. Let the Watchers go - you've all been issued with
photographs of the enemies so you should recognise them. Any others
you can just kill."

Angel stayed and listened to the plans a little more, gleaning what
useful information he could. Then he continued around the side of the
house, clutching a stake and watching carefully for anyone lurking in
the shadows. He could sense the older vampires of the Order. His skin
tingled as he moved closer to his estranged demon family. It was
similar to what he felt when he was near Will, only weaker and
lacking that emotional bond he always associated with his dearest
Childe.

He came to a halt and glanced up to find light shining from a window
up on the first floor. Pocketing his stake, his climbed the nearby
drainpipe skilfully and silently, reaching the top and slipping
through an open window without a sound.

He found himself in a bedroom, illuminated only by a lamp on a
dressing table.

Christia sat at the dressing table in a nightdress and dressing gown,
both made of white silk, rather inappropriate for a demon. She was
facing a mirror that did not show her reflection as she brushed her
short black hair.

Angel watched her for a moment, wondering who she was before he was
turned and why William had taken such a fancy to her.

"I know you're there, you know."

Her words startled him, but he didn't make a sound. She turned and
smiled at him.

"Who are you, stranger?"

Angel thought for a moment. "Let's just say I'm family and I've come
visiting."

"That much I knew," Christia replied, placing her hairbrush on the
table. "I could feel your presence nearby, and knew then that you
wouldn't show in the mirror." She glanced almost wistfully at the
looking glass. "Of course, neither do I. I still like to sit in front
of it though. Old habits die hard, know what I mean?"

Angel frowned. He didn't have time for this. She seemed almost as
batty as Dru. "I want to talk to Skull," he demanded.

Christia glared up at him. "Well he don't like visitors!" she
snapped, sulking. "Piss off!"

With a weary sigh, Angel took the stake from his pocket and aimed it
at Christia's chest. She instinctively tried to knock his arm away,
but he grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

"Call for Skull now," he instructed her. "Sound calm as if everything
is normal, or Skull's Unholy Trinity is reduced to one."

Christia scowled at him for a moment, then decided to comply.

"Skull, darling! Can I talk to you?!"

A moment later Skull emerged into the room. His eyes widened in
horror as he saw his lover being threatened by a strange man.

"What the bloody hell?!" he hissed.

"Call for help and she's dust!" Angel told him flatly.

Skull fell silent and nodded. "Alright mate, now let her go."

Angel lowered the stake a little but kept a firm grip on
Christia. "Good," he announced. "Now we're going to have a nice civil
conversation - just the three of us - and then I'm going to leave.
Provided you do what I say, no-one will end up as a pile of dust.
Comprehend?

Skull nodded and closed the door, sitting down on the bed and folding
his arms. "Fine. I like a little chat occasionally. What's going on?"

Angel took a deep breath. "The night you were turned to tattled on
your Sire to a crowd who then went after him at home, driving him and
his companions out of the city. Now from what I know, you were dead
by the time William left the station. So how exactly did you guide
that mob to the house?"

Skull laughed, as if Angel had told a joke. In fact, that memory just
made him hysterical. "It was more coincidence than planning," he
explained once he had recovered. "I woke up before sunset, turned the
others as quickly as I could by giving them as much of my blood as
possible and then set off to look for William. When we found him he
was pissed as a bloody newt, and we followed him home. We thought..."

He paused, hissing angrily and gritting his teeth as if the memory
upset him. "We thought we were invited too, him being my Sire, but
when we couldn't get in we knew he'd deserted us. We hid in a shady
alley to protect ourselves from the sun. Someone found us and thought
we were wounded, so they took us in to the hospital. I don't know
why, but I told them who was responsible and sent a group after
William. I told them they were dealing with demons."

Angel felt his hands clench into fists. "You sent a mob after us!" he
growled. "You were already one of us, and you send a mob after your
own Sire? Why, you spiteful bastard?!"

"I was bloody pissed off!" Skull yelled back. "I never thought. I
afterwards I hated myself and looked for him everywhere. I assumed he
was going to meet us later, I needed to find him so badly. You
wouldn't understand."

Angel felt a very brief twinge of sympathy and understanding, but it
vanished at Skull's next words.

"Of course now I wish they'd just killed the bastard."

Angel roared and lunged at Skull, his fists cracking against his
jaw. "How dare you?!" he snapped, smacking Skull across the head a
few more times. "How dare you set him up like that? I thought it was
his fault! Do you know how much I hurt him because of that?! What
gives you the right to send a gang to attack him?! I ought to kill
you for that!"

Skull slapped Angel's arms away casually and clicked his dislocated
jaw back into place. "You know the poncy poet then?"

"He said he was family," Christia explained, moving from her seat and
joining her lover, glaring at Angel.

Skull shrugged. "Hmm, thought so. Sorry mate, I don't go in for
reunions much. Not one for meeting the ancestors. Daddy issues, I'm
sure you understand." He gave Angel a pointed glare. "So, who are
you?"

Angel couldn't stop the hint of pride in his voice as he
replied, "I'm William's Sire."

A sneer crossed Skull's face and Christia laughed out loud. "What on
earth possessed you to turn that snivelling git?" Skull spluttered.

"You don't even know him now," Angel protested, not pleased at Skull
talking about his Childe that way. "He's brave, honest - everything I
would want in a Childe."

Skull shrugged. "If I was his Sire I'd be too ashamed to admit to it.
He's just pathetic."

Angel bore down on his Grandchilde, a furious glint in his eyes as
his vampire face was forced over his human features. "Don't talk
about my boy like that," he snarled, pressing the point of his stake
against Skull's chest. "After what you've done to him you shouldn't
even dare mention him!"

"Alright, back off!" Christia snapped, rushing to Skull's aid and
trying to drag Angel away, but the souled vampire was too fast and in
a swift movement he was holding Skull by the neck and aiming the
stake at Christia's throat.

Skull looked a little startled, freezing for a moment. "Wow," he
muttered, his voice wavering a little. "You're good. Don't suppose
you'd be interested in joining the Order, would you? We are all
family after all."

Angel glared at Skull in utter distaste and lowered the stake,
shoving Christia back to her place beside him. "Sorry. I don't work
with psychopaths. I prefer to kill them."

Once more Skull looked a little uneasy. Angel knew both Skull and
Christia stood no chance against him. The typical bullies, they were
helpless without their gang. It occurred to him to kill them now, but
the thunder of approaching feet urged him to leave as soon as he
could.

"Better piss off if you don't wanna get chopped into little pieces by
my mates," Skull suggested with a cocky grin, his fears forgotten at
the arrival of his army.

Angel panicked. He still needed one more thing...

He knocked Christia out of the way with a swift backhand and grabbed
Skull by the collar, pinning him against the door

"This big attack of your tomorrow that you want us to go to," Angel
asked. "How do we know where to go?"

There was a sharp bang on the door. "Skull? Are you in there? I
sensed an intruder. Is everything alright?" It was Myst's voice. Of
course the vampire witch had noticed his presence.

Angel knew he had to hurry. "Tell me!" he hissed at Skull, smashing
the captured vampire's head against the door.

"Just watch TV and wait for the newsflash," Skull told Angel,
sounding a little weary. "It'll be there, I promise. Don't think I'm
telling you details though. You can't kill me - they'll dust you
before you can get out of the room."

"I already know some details," Angel shot back with a smile. "I
passed by your little lecture downstairs."

Skull's face fell in horror and disappointment. "Bugger!"

Knowing he had to leave now, Angel gave Skull a strong shove,
breaking the door and sending him and several other vampires in the
hallway toppling into a heap. With the army distracted, Angel turned
and ran for the window, knocking Christia out the way as she ran to
stop him. He crashed through the glass and landed a little awkwardly
on the gravel below, rolling skilfully and leaping to his feet to
sprint through the surrounding woodland and out of sight.

Skull and Myst disentangled themselves from the other vampires and
stared out of the broken window.

"Who was that?" Myst asked, curious.

"William's Sire," Skull sneered. He didn't like that bloke one bit.

"We should try and find him," one of the Childer suggested. "Myst,
could you locate him with magic?"

Myst shook her head. "I don't want to waste magic, and he's off my
immediate range."

"Already?" Christia exclaimed. "He's a fast runner. Must be strong."

"We should send out a search party," another Childe
volunteered. "We'll kill him and send his ashes to William in a box."

The laughter and cheers indicated that the gang liked that idea.
Skull had taught them the art of hatred well.

"No," Skull replied thoughtfully. "Leave him. I want him at the
battle too, along with the others."

Myst nodded and beckoned to the group to leave and return to the hall
to their briefing. "As you wish, Sire."

~~~~~~~~~~

Angel arrived home a little bruised and battered. He knew it had been
a stupid risk, but the suspicion that Skull had deliberately sent a
mob after Will out of sheer bitterness was too much to bear. Angelus
had beaten his Childe half to death for that supposed mistake, and
Angel couldn't forgive himself for that. All the time it was Skull's
fault, not Will's. It would appear that their enemy had a vengeful
streak right from his turning. He was glad Will had never had to
train him. God knows what sort of evil creature he would have turned
out to be.

Will was sitting on the sofa in the living room waiting for him. He
had got dressing in a pair of blue jeans and a fitted fawn-coloured
sweater he knew Angel liked and was wringing his hands as he watched
the front door for his Sire's return. When Angel did walk in he
looked up, his face brightening immediately. Soon Angel had his arms
full of ecstatic vampire and had to stagger to the sofa and collapse.

"You're alright!" Will squealed with delight, squeezing his Sire and
quickly manoeuvring off his lap when he realised he was crushing
him. "Why the hell did you have to do that?" he asked, showering
Angel's face with kisses. "That was so stupid!"

"I'm okay," Angel assured him, taking his hands and cuddling closer,
allowing his Childe to nuzzle his neck. "I'm fine, and I've got
information about the battle tomorrow that he's so insistent we go
to."

"Yeah, well that's not why you really paid him a visit," Will
muttered, playing absently with Angel's hand, stroking his fingers,
entwining them with his own.

Angel sighed and ran his spare hand through his hair, mussing it
slightly - the way Will likes it. "When Skull sent that mob after
us," he explained, angered by the memory of that snobby git telling
him so gleefully of his betrayal of his Sire and insulting him, "he
was already turned. That wasn't a dying victim pleading for justice
like we always assumed - that was just a vengeful vampire who wanted
you to die, and I don't stand for any demon hurting my Childe."

"You had to go and see him about that?!" Will exclaimed, horrified
that Angel had risked his life over a matter so trivial.

"I had to hear it from him personally to settle my worries," Angel
explained patiently to his Childe. "And then I had to beat him up a
bit."

Will scowled at Angel and got to his feet. "Yeah, because it's so
worthwhile to beat up the demon who feels no pain."

Angel leapt up and hurried after Will as he made his way to the
kitchen. "I had to do something!" he insisted. "You remember what I
did after that attack?

Will turned and looked at his Sire. Angel's heart melted. His
expression was so earnest, so honest. "I forgive you," Will replied.
He gave Angel a kiss and carried on into the kitchen.

"Maybe you do," Angel continued, following Will as he fetched a
packet of blood from the fridge, tore it open and dumped the contents
in a cup. "But I don't. I hurt you - a lot - and it was Skull's
fault. He made me think you were responsible and I punished you and
you didn't deserve it."

Will sighed wearily as he slammed the cup in the microwave and tapped
in the time. The microwave began to hum steadily, creating a
background soundtrack as Will turned and glared at Angel.

"Stop blaming yourself," he instructed his Sire firmly. "We didn't
know he set us up, and it wasn't you who punished me. It was Angelus.
You're the experienced veteran souled vampire - you're supposed to be
the expert at redemption who can teach me how to put the past behind
me. How can you help me if you're like this?"

Angel practically deflated at those words, slumping onto a chair and
leaning on the table. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I guess I'm just over-
protective of you. The thought of anyone hurting you makes me sick to
my stomach, and the thought of ME hurting you makes me... arrgh!" He
shook his head as images of the vicious beating he had given his
Childe once they had escaped to Yorkshire began plaguing his mind.

He was distracted from his turmoil as he felt Will cradle his head
against his chest. He sighed a long relaxing sigh and leaned against
the lean but muscular body, wrapping his arms around the slender
waist. Will chuckled, and Angel didn't so much hear it as feel the
vibrations of his chest. He looked up.

"What's so funny?"

Will smirked at him. "I've messed up your hair."

Angel pouted at him and cuddled up to him again, relishing the
opportunity to be the comforted one, not the comforter. Sirely
responsibilities were starting to weigh heavy on him and it was nice
to know that Will was emotionally healthy enough to offer him help as
well. Soon he would be independent again.

His proud feelings for his beloved Childe surfaced and he was so
enraptured he didn't even pull away as Will began showering light
kisses on his lips. He just sat there, enjoying this sweet moment of
closeness. What was wrong with this? Nothing was going to happen.

When Will did eventually pull away Angel finally managed to open his
eyes, finding himself looking directly at his Childe. Will's eyes
were clear blue, his pupils slightly dilated and a shy smile playing
across those delectably kissable lips. Angel just gazed at him and he
gazed right back.

The microwave stopped with a loud 'ping'.

Angel managed a slight grin. "Your um... dinner's ready."

Will glanced over at the microwave for a moment, then back at Angel
considering his options. "It'll be too hot anyway," he decided and
set about kissing Angel again.

Angel didn't object at first - this was sweet and tender and exactly
what he missed so much - but gradually he realised that this was not
as innocent as it had started. Will shifted onto his lap, cupping the
back of his neck to hold his Sire against him as he deepened the
kiss, slipping his tongue between soft lips.

Will sighed wistfully, exploring his Sire's mouth, grateful that for
once the poof wasn't being all paranoid about what this could lead
to. He snuggled closer, pressing his body against Angel's, desperate
for closeness and contact. He wanted to be held, embraced, squeezed
against his Sire until they just merged together.

That was what scared Angel. In sudden panic at how dangerously far
this was going, Angel tried to protest, but it was difficult to talk
due to the incredibly passionate - not to mention irresistible -
vampire who was currently sucking on his tongue. Instead he broke the
kiss himself, but when Will then took the initiative to start
trailing kisses down his neck, lathing the tender bite mark. Angel
was caught somewhere between protesting and begging for more.

In his fear, he went for the protesting, but when he tried to speak
the only thing he could utter was a soft moan. This didn't help the
situation. As soon as Will heard that and realised the effect he had
on his Sire he couldn't resist. He hadn't felt desired for a long
time. His hand slipped under Angel's shirt and he found himself
massaging tense muscles, kneading smooth alabaster skin.

That was just too much though. Knowing this had to stop now, Angel
stood up and shoved Will off his lap. The younger vampire smashed
against the kitchen units, his eyes wide with shock. Angel couldn't
tell whether it was shock at what they had done or at how forceful
Angel had been in his rejection.

Angel cringed, realising he had been unnecessarily violent. "Sorry,"
he muttered.

Will shook himself a little, his gaze falling on his hand, which was
smeared with blood. "You're bleeding," he informed Angel, realising
the blood must have come from Angel's chest.

"I jumped out of a window," Angel explained flatly.

Will nodded in understanding, wiped the blood on his jeans. "I'll get
a first aid kit."

Angel watched him leave. It seemed so normal now. They would kiss,
then Angel would decide it had gone too far and life would continue
as if nothing had happened. Will always accepted the necessary
parting well, though, to that was good, in a way.

Will disinfected Angel's wounds in silence, trying desperately to
ignore how smooth Angel's chest looked when he removed his shirt to
inspect for further damage. He wanted to worship every inch of
delicious flesh on his Sire's body. He wanted to be wrapped in those
strong arms for eternity.

"You understand why I had to stop you," Angel announced, breaking the
silence. It wasn't a question. It was a statement. "We couldn't let
anything happen, you know that, and I'm sorry if..."

"I don't want to talk about it," Will interrupted, his voice monotone
as he fought his emotions. "We've got to focus on the fight."

Angel nodded. "Right. But we've got to sort this out straight after.
We can't go on like this."

His hands lingered as he began tying and bandage around Angel's ribs,
covering the worst of the gashes. His fingers were shaking. What did
Angel mean by 'sort this out'? Sort them out? As in stop, or find
some solution to the curse, or maybe lessen their desire for each
other?

That was certainly a problem. Will simply couldn't take his eyes off
Angel's smooth bare chest. His skin felt so wonderfully soft as Will
brushed his shaking fingers over it, trying to dress his wounds.

Angel must have noticed, for he removed Will's hands from the
bandage, snapping him back to reality. "I can do this from here. You
should go and sort out some weapons for the fight. We need to get
over to the magic shop soon and let them know what I learnt at
Skull's place."

Will nodded and got up, fetching the now cold blood from the
microwave and slamming it down on the table. "That's for you. You
might need it to heal."

With that, he left to collect weapons as his Sire had instructed, but
also so his Sire would not see the pained look on his face at yet
another rejection.

~TBC~