TITLE: Body and Soul Trilogy - Reborn - Chapter 7
AUTHOR: Lysia
EMAIL: cricket818uk@wadnitt.fsnet.co.uk
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 7

The rest of the night Will's dreams were of nothing but Angel: Angel
kissing him; Angel talking to him; Angel walking with  him through a
variety of pretty locations, and, for some reason, Angel selling him
sushi from the back of a ten-ton lorry. Will put that last one down
to the strangeness of the subconscious mind, and stirred thinking
about the other more pleasant dreams. Angel... lips... body... hmmm...

Will's first thought when he awoke and stretched out on the bed was
to wonder where his lover had gone, and the second was the depressing
realisation that none of it had happened. Disheartened, Will crawled
out of bed, wanting to get changed and find Angel as soon as
possible. He dumped his sleep shorts in the laundry scrabbled amongst
the discarded clothes on the chair trying to find his own, but when
he ended up grabbing one of Angel's shirts he froze, falling victim
to an attack of hopeless romanticism.

He sighed wistfully, Angel's name somehow managing to get into his
voice as the air whistled past his lips. Clutching the shirt to his
chest, he flopped back onto the bed before pressing the red silk
garment to his face and inhaling the sweet familiar smell of Angel.

His moment of daftness was interrupted by the door opening. Faint
light shone from the main room and Angel appeared in the doorway.
Will panicked, suddenly aware of his nakedness and not wanting to
bother Angel with temptation. Angel turned away immediately,
flustered, while Will wrapped a sheet around himself. They stared at
each other in awkward silence.

"Hey," Angel muttered, not knowing whether he should be more grateful
for Will's modesty or for the lovely view he had gotten as he had
walked in. "Thought you would be sleeping."

Will shrugged as he huddled over the side of the bed, clutching the
sheet and trying to banish any seductive comments from his
head. "Woke up early. Kept having weird dreams."

He looked up at Angel, squinting with tiredness. He could tell his
Sire had only just got out of bed himself. His satin pyjama trousers
were rumpled and his chest was bare, a sure indicator that Angel
really had expected Will to be asleep. The brunette vampire was
determined to keep temptation to a minimum and parading around half-
naked in front of his Childe was not helping.

But then, Will rolling around naked on his bed when Angel came into
the room didn't exactly help the situation either.

The uncomfortable silence descended once more, bringing with it an
atmosphere thick with sexual tension, until Angel headed over to the
pile of clothes on the chair. "I just came here to fetch my things so
I can get changed and go over to the Magic Shop," Angel explained
matter-of-factly, definitely not thinking about Will's dreams. Such
questions would only lead to... "What kind of dreams?" Damn.

Will bit his lip in an effort not to announce his night-time
fantasies to the world. He didn't want to lie to Angel, but he wasn't
sure what he was allowed to say any more. The restrictions on how
tempting he could be were beginning to grate on him. In the end, he
settled for an honest but brief answer: "You."

"Oh."

Angel's obviously fake tone of surprise amused Will, but he simply
smiled to himself and watched as Angel turned his back on him and
retrieved a clean shirt from his wardrobe. It wasn't that he really
NEEDED a clean one - it was just that he didn't have the guts to ask
Will to give up the one he was cuddling. He was just going to avoid
going near Will at all costs, get his clothes and then get out of
there. Will was curled up on the bed looking like something out or a
porn movie, the sheet he had wrapped around his waist now riding
dangerously low on such slim hips. Oh God, he was beautiful...

"So what happened?"

Okay, now he was convinced something had possessed him. He reminded
himself to look into exorcism while he was at the magic shop today.

Will squirmed in embarrassment - and he wasn't easily embarrassed. He
wanted no more than to share his thoughts with his beloved Sire and
perhaps inspire some ideas for real-life pastimes. "Stuff," he
replied awkwardly, lifting his gaze and seeing Angel facing him, an
enthralled look in his eyes and a slight smile on his face. "You and
me... doing... stuff." He chuckled softly to himself. "Okay, now I sound
like the Slayer or one of her little friends."

Will fell silent as Angel stroked his face with one finger, tracing
the contour of his cheek and under his chin, lifting his head up so
he couldn't break eye contact. He placed a soft kiss on Will's lips,
then one of his nose and one on his forehead. The blond vampire's
eyes closed and Angel took this moment to study his face. Will was
frozen in place, not daring to move in case he was to break this
spell and spoil everything. He felt Angel's eyes on him, heard
movement, and then felt cold breath against his ear as the sound of
Angel's husky whisper requested, "What kind of stuff? Tell me."

Angel sat beside his Childe and waited for the answer. The temptation
was too much. He needed something to sate this burning desire. If he
couldn't and daren't touch the pale and exquisite body of the vampire
who sat perched on the edge of the mattress beside him, then perhaps
he could at least share in Will's fantasies.

A pause. A flicker of a pink tongue darting out to moisten suddenly
dry lips.

/You said you loved me./

Will's voice trembled slightly when he spoke out loud. "We were in a
field under the sun, lying under a blossom tree."

/And you said you loved me./

Will's arm found its way around Angel's shoulders and the smaller
vampire snuggled into the crook of his arm, one hand resting on his
Sire's chest, toying with the long pendant around his neck. Angel
tensed slightly, doubting such closeness was a good idea, but let
Will stay there for a short while anyway.

"Go on," Angel urged, toying with a curl of Will's hair, wrapping it
around his finger.

Will chewed his lip. "There was... kissing and... holding and touching
and... you know... and..."

/And you said you loved me. Go on, say it you pillock./

"... And, for some reason, sushi."

/You wanker, what made you bring that one up?/

Angel chuckled loudly, the broad chest Will's head was resting on
shaking. Will raised his head and looked up at Angel, a grin
splitting his face. Yes, it was a weird dream. He wasn't sure why he
had mentioned it, but it seemed to amuse Angel.

Angel's laughter quietened and he quickly removed Will's hands from
his body, putting a little space between them and hoping he wouldn't
notice. Will, of course, noticed instantly but said nothing. He was
getting painfully used to this. Each time it hurt a little more than
the lost time; each rejection another barb tearing his heart to
pieces. If this soul was intended to condemn him to eternal misery
then it had certainly succeeded.

Will's face closed off as he fought control over his emotions.
Instinctively seeking comfort, he leaned over to Angel again and
wrapped his arms around the muscular torso, resting his head on the
larger man's broad shoulder. He fell onto the bed as Angel
practically catapulted himself out of the blond vampire's grasp,
standing and backing away.

They looked at each other, regretful brown eyes meeting questioning
blue. Will sat up and drew the sheets around his waist. He couldn't
understand Angel's jumpiness. He had only asked for a little comfort.

Silence descended again as Angel sought for an excuse to leave. "I
should go and get changed," he blurted out. He went to walk out, then
realised he must have dropped the shirt he had fetched from the
wardrobe. He looked around the bed for a moment, frantically filling
the silence with talk, just shop-talk on details Will already
knew. "We have to get to the Magic Box in time to see this doctor
who's checking on Skull."

"I know that, Angel," Will muttered, sitting back on the bed and
wrapping the sheet around himself. "Evil-fighting is all you bloody
go on about."

Angel paused in his search. "Well it's what I do," he explained,
brown eyes wide and innocent, seeking Will's forgiveness. "I have to
take an interest..."

"You mean you have to distract yourself from me," Will interrupted,
his voice a little colder than usual. "Cos heaven forbid you should
get too wrapped up in me to remember to be miserable."

Will rolled his eyes, bored and not afraid to show it. It was one of
Spike's qualities which he was not afraid to draw on. He watched
Angel resume in his search, fussing about the bed for a few more
seconds. Will looked away, getting comfortable and, in doing so,
locating his Sire's shirt under the covers. He tugged it out and sat
clutching it in his lap. Angel looked up and froze at the sight of
the dark red shirt in Will's hands.

"Um... could I please...?"

Will held it out without a word. Angel took a few steps closer and
reached out his arm as far as he could, as if he was taking the
garment from the jaws of a dangerous creature and didn't want to get
too close. Will sighed and leaned forward. Still hesitant, Angel
moved closer and leaned over the bed, avoiding eye contact.

'Oh so you won't even look at me now,' Will thought angrily. Annoyed,
he flung the shirt at Angel. "Go on, piss off and get dressed!" he
snapped. "Stop fannying about in here and avoiding me like I'm bloody
contagious or something! If I'm such a threat to you then just stay
away! Just get out!"

Angel froze, wondering if Will's soul had just made a departure even
without any joy whatsoever. The look of pure fury on his Childe's
face was demonic, despite the human visage still being present. His
clear blue eyes swirled with dark rage. Blue veins were prominent in
the pale neck and white teeth had clamped down on one pale pink lip
hard enough to draw blood.

Desperate to calm his Childe, Angel held his hands up
reassuringly. "Don't take it as an insult, Will," he implored
gently. "You know it's not you. I just daren't..."

"You daren't do ANYTHING," Will hissed. No words could make him feel
better after all these rejections. "I'm not asking you to risk your
soul. All I want is for you to hold me, or kiss me. I never know what
response I'll get. Sometimes we can be close, and everything's so
still and so perfect it's like the curse doesn't exist, and then
sometimes it's like I'm poisonous or something! I can't take this! I
need you to be here for me all the time, not running away from me
every five minutes as if I'm going to jump you!"

Will's voice dropped a little, the rage subsiding and being replaced
by a melancholy desperation. "I know you're scared and I know this is
hard for both of us, but we can get through it. Just don't treat me
like a threat."

His appeal was greeted with neither the rational counter-argument he
had expected nor the peaceful affection he had hoped for. Instead,
Angel laughed. Will felt like his guts had been ripped out.

"You think this is hard, do you?" Angel chuckled humourlessly. "Is it
all too much for you? Well how about you try it for a hundred years
and then tell me how hard the past week has been. Then see if we can
spend every day and night with each other, never giving into
temptation and never being able to..."

The words caught in Angel's throat. He couldn't even bring himself to
say.

Will didn't let him flounder any longer. "That's not what I'm asking
for," he corrected his Sire quickly.

Angel looked at Will, dubious. "But it's what you want."

A brief silence descended as Will broke eye contact, staring at the
sheets. It was always so awkward when they were forced to acknowledge
the unfulfilled desire between them, as if it was easier to just
ignore it and pretend they were just friends then admit to the
loveless lives they had mapped out ahead of them. Will swallowed
nervously. "I've wanted a lot of things in my life, Angel," he
replied shakily. "Friends, talent, Cecily, Dru, even Buffy. And I've
learnt that in this world you don't always get what you want. I admit
that I want you.  I want to hold you and kiss you... and make love with
you. You know it and I know it... and I know I can learn to live
without it."

Angel flinched slightly at such an emotional confession. The poet in
Will was clearly breaking free here, and Angel couldn't help but
admit that it was adorable. But he couldn't let himself risk
temptation. He'd been there and seen what would happen and one way or
another if he tried to have the relationship he wanted with Will it
would happen all over again, and that terrified him. He kept a stern
frown as he looked up at Will and informed him, "I can't."

Will didn't move. "Get out then."

He was vaguely aware of Angel walking out in silence. He didn't take
his eyes off the sheet in front of him as he knew that if he dared to
think of anything else then he would never be able to stop crying.
Just... blankness: empty white space. That's what he needed. No point
in dwelling over it. It was only temporary anyway, he told himself.
They'd had problems with intimacy before. Angel would come around and
realise that there was no danger.

Everything would be fine.

~~~~~~~~~~

Angel ditched his umbrella in the corner of the Magic Box, thankful
for the gloomy day that had allowed him to walk from his car to the
shop without having to huddle under a blanket.

Buffy, Anya and Giles looked up at the sound of the vampire's arrival.

"Sorry I'm late," he informed the group loitering around the empty
room. "I had some personal stuff I had to take care of."

"The doctor's already here," Anya told him chirpily. "I sold him a
herbal healing balm and made twenty bucks off him."

Angel stared blankly at her and made his way over to the training
room where they were keeping Skull. "Oh that's... nice of you."

"He's already seeing to our guest," Giles told Angel helpfully,
cringing at Anya's brutal sales technique. "Wesley is there too,
informing him of what's been happening."

Buffy led Angel through to the training room where Wesley was talking
to a small man with rapidly receding black hair and wire-framed
spectacles, who was prodding Skull's legs while the chained vampire
complained loudly about being treated like a medical experiment.

"Doctor Bloomstein," Angel announced in greeting, holding out a hand.

The Doctor looked up and smiled cheerfully. "Ah, Angel!" he
exclaimed, shaking Angel's hand with his own slightly blood-coated
one. "Lovely t' see you again." His voice was lively and
enthusiastic, and he had a thick Scottish accent.

"It's good of you to stop by, and at such short notice. We've been
having a lot of trouble with this guy here."

"Aye," Doctor Bloomstein mused, polishing his glasses, "I can see
why. Completely immune to pain, I hear. A very interesting case."

"What d'you mean 'case'?" Skull snapped. "I'm not something you're
going to find in a textbook!"

Doctor Bloomstein chuckled and resumed his scientific prodding and
poking of Skull's wounded legs. "No you're certainly no'," he agreed.

"I took the liberty of providing the Doctor with details of the
battles," Wesley told Buffy and Angel.

"Aye, and very useful they were too," the Doctor added. "This little
fella must have been quite the fighter." He looked up at Buffy. "I
take it you're the unlucky lassie he shot."

"Oh no, she was lucky," Skull spat. "Next time I'm not going to be
merciful and leave my weaker enemies alive."

Angel glared at the captive demon harshly. "Yeah, that's why we
survived. We weren't strong enough to worth the effort it would take
to kill us. And that's why you're currently chained to a wall."

Buffy nodded and frowned. "Yeah, that's me. Very unlucky, but I'll
feel a hell of a lot better if you tell me he's gonna be crippled for
life."

"Well," the Doctor replied scratching his head, "normally that
wouldn't be possible at all with a vampire's healing powers, but as I
said before this is no ordinary vampire."

Angel folded his arms across his chest and awaited the simpler
explanation. "So you're saying he's going to heal faster or slower
than most?"

"I'm saying that he's no' going to heal at all."

Skull stared. "What??!!"

Buffy grinned. "Really?"

The Doctor nodded and took another prod at Skull's legs. "Aye,
really. I think it's his inability to detect pain. The body just
isna' healing the wounds the way it should because it simply hasn't
noticed that there's a problem. I mean small wounds on, say, the
torso or the head would get enough blood to heal because that's where
the blood would be anyway, but with a vampire's poor circulation the
legs dinnae get enough blood to heal unless the brain can tell it
that it's needed there."

"And his brain isn't telling his body to heal itself because it can't
sense the pain," Buffy deduced hesitantly.

"Quite right, little miss," the doctor replied. "Even the superficial
flesh wounds around the broken bones haven't healed. It's like cuts
on dead flesh - there is no healing process at all."

Skull looked up at the Doctor, dazed. "So... you're saying I'm never
going to get better?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," the Doctor confirmed with a curt
nod as he stood up, removing his spectacles and slipping them into
his pocket.

Buffy tilted her head to one side and observed the vampire's
reaction. "Hmm, well I guess that's put a stop to his delusions of
invulnerability."

Skull raised his head from the floor, his ridged vampire face
showing, yellow eyes glowing. "I'll kill you," he hissed under his
breath. He lunged forward, not fast enough to catch the humans as
they stepped back out of his reach. "I'll kill all of you! Do you
hear me?! You're all dead!!!"

The four of them walked out as Skull's vicious rant became frustrated
sobbing. Giles and Anya were busy in the shop with a customer, and
the doctor lowered his voice. "Look, I'll be in town for a while. If
you want me to keep an eye on him to make sure then I can do that."

Angel spoke up to thank him for calling, but was distracted before
the words could leave his mouth.

Will closed the door tentatively behind him and shrugged his blanket
off his shoulders. His eyes met with Angel's briefly, then he looked
down at the floor, shuffling his feet as he made his way into the
shop.

Angel forced his attention back to the Doctor. "Well thanks again. If
you have any further information then Buffy and Giles will be around.
I have a few things I have to take care of."

He slunk off, loitering a few steps away and watching Will adjust his
hair and rub at the few burns on his skin.

"As do I," Wesley agreed courteously. "I need to report to the
Watcher's Council later today with a report of the week's events.
Interesting how I'm considered completely useless to them until I
come across something none of them have ever seen before." He frowned
disapprovingly at the thought of his former employers and searched
his pockets for a pen and piece of paper, writing the Angel
Investigations number on it in neat cursive and handing it to the
Doctor. "Do keep us up to date on Skull's progress, and thank you so
much for your time."

The Doctor issued Wesley with a polite parting greeting in a language
he didn't understand, before grinning, a forked tongue flickering
between two rows of pristine white teeth. Wesley blinked before
turning very slowly and heading for the door, his look of surprise
not fading one bit.

"So," the Doctor continued, turning back to face Buffy. "As the
resident Slayer o' this area what d' ye propose t' do wit' our wee
guest. I mean, I cannae see that he's much of a threat but if you
want him disposed of..."

Buffy was barely listening. Her attention was focussed on Angel as he
made his slow and cautious way across the room to where Will was
lingering near the door. Something was clearly wrong. "Hang on a
minute," she mumbled to the Doctor, staring intently at the two
vampires. No,  something was blatantly very wrong.

Unaware of his audience, Angel headed over to Will, tense and
hesitant. The blond vampire looked up, a hopeful look in his blue
eyes. "Angel?"

Angel frowned. "How did you get here?" he asked, his tone flat and
emotionless.

Will's brow creased in confusion. Why was Angel being so cold with
him? "I walked. I had a blanket."

Angel sighed wearily. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that could
be? If the clouds lifted you could have been fried. If you wanted to
come you should have taken the car with me I know it's not far but a
blanket is not enough..."

"Oh why should you care?" Will spat under his breath. "If I'm dead
then at least it removes the threat to your precious soul."

The older vampire's cold expression became one of anger as he bore
down upon his Childe. How could Will be so nanve? "Let's not forget
yours," he whispered angrily. "Or maybe you don't care. Do you want
to become a killer again? Do you...?"

Will cut his Sire off with a violent shove that shook but did not
fell the larger man. Angry tears welled in his eyes. "How can you say
that?!!" He landed a quick but relatively light punch across Angel's
face, desperate to snap him out of this stubborn and cruel mood. What
was wrong with him? What was happening?

The brief scuffle was brought to an end by Anya's shrill voice. "Um...
people! No fighting in the public area of the shop! You'll scare the
customers away."

Will and Angel broke apart, the demonic anger still heavy in the air.
Silence descended.

Angel sniffed and wiped a spot of blood from his lip with the back of
his hand. "Buffy will tell you what's going on with Skull," he
informed Will in a flat tone. "You don't need me here any more. I'm
going home." His eyes were narrowed with anger and frustration. Why
couldn't Will see things his way? Why couldn't he see the danger?

Will's response was a slight nod as he kept his eyes on the floor. He
couldn't bear to see Angel look at him like that. He had done nothing
wrong - why did Angel hate him so? He felt giddy, his senses warped
by the horrible feeling inside him. They shouldn't be arguing like
this. Their disputes never lasted more than a few minutes.

Perhaps Angel just needed a few hours to calm down, then everything
would be fine again.

The door crashed closed, piercing the silence, and Will eventually
looked up. Giles was attempting to distract a confused customer, Anya
was dusting shelves, the look on her face making no attempt to hide
her relief that Angel had left the building, and a man he didn't
recognise was sitting at the table. Buffy was standing beside him,
arms folded awkwardly across her chest, her sympathetic gaze fixed on
Will.

He took a deep breath and headed over to her, hoping she hadn't over-
heard any of their quiet but none too peaceful argument.

"Everything okay?" she asked him, resting a gentle hand on his arm.

"It was nothing," Will replied flatly.

Buffy sighed wearily and tightened her grip on his arm. "Excuse us a
minute," she apologised to the Doctor, leading Will through to the
small changing room beside the training room. she lowered her voice
and looked plaintively up at the miserable vampire. "Spike,
something's wrong. Please tell me."

Will shifted awkwardly and stuffed his hands in his pockets. How
could he share his worries without telling the truth? Buffy would be
devastated. "Angel and I have been... at odds since the battle. He just
needs some space. We'll be fine."

Buffy studied Will's expression - his bowed head and thin frown. The
worry was so obvious but he felt he couldn't talk to her. Gently she
laid a hand on his arm.

"Spike, it's okay. I know."

Will nodded, trying to stop himself from crying. "Of course you do.
You've spent your whole life fighting, so it goes without saying
that..."

"No," she corrected him, holding her hand up to stop him. "I mean I
know about you and Angel."

Will froze, his jaw hanging open mid-babble. Shocked, he slumped onto
a chair conveniently behind him and buried his head in his hands.
Buffy must hate him for this. He hadn't intended to hurt her. "I'm so
sorry," he blurted out. "I didn't want you to find out. I knew you'd
be hurt or angry and I never intended..."

Buffy's hand on his shoulder startled him, but when he looked up her
warm and content expression soothed his worries. "Hey, it's okay. I
never said I had a problem with it."

Will relaxed slightly, a smile twitching at the corners of his
lips. "You don't mind?" he asked hesitantly. "I mean, I'd understand
if you'd be a bit cranky about it."

"I'm fine," Buffy assured him.

And she was surprised to find that she really was. Despite her horror
when she had first found out, she was happy for the two vampires now.
Seeing them argue like that had hurt, and somehow she knew that they
were so good for each other she couldn't possibly object.

Will was beaming now, his joy at Buffy being so kind about this
almost making him forget about the argument with Angel. "How did you
know anyway?" he asked curiously as Buffy sat beside him.

"I walked in when you were kissing," she explained, a slightly guilty
tone to her voice, not liking the way she had accidentally intruded
like that. "I admit, I was kinda freaked at first, but I'm glad for
you now. I think you guys would be really good for each other."

A frown appeared on Will's face and he looked down, twiddling his
thumbs. "Try telling him that. He thinks it's too much of a risk.
Thinks he hasn't got the willpower to cope with being around me."

"What?!"

The shocked outburst from Buffy made Will snap out of his glum mood
instantly. He stared at her with wide eyes, silently demanding an
explanation.

"Angel has more willpower than anyone I know," she continued. "He
just assumes that if he feels tempted to do something then it means
he's going to do it. He doesn't give himself enough credit. Besides,
do you have any idea how rare perfect happiness is? For all we know
simply being aware of the risk of losing his soul could mean that
it'll never happen. Just that tiny little bit of worry could keep it
safe."

Will pondered the idea, a glimmer of hope lifting his spirits. "So
you're saying there might be a loophole in the curse? We could get
around it?"

Buffy smiled and shrugged. "I'm saying it's worth looking into." Her
face suddenly fell. "Oh God I can't believe I'm helping my former
admirer get laid with my ex. This is just too freaky." She shook her
head, determined not to get into thinking about how weird her life
was. "Look, give him some space for now, then go home this evening
and tell him to just hang on in there and we'll work on it. There is
nothing to be scared of."

A huge grin had now plastered itself across Will's face and was not
showing any sign of fading as he gave Buffy a huge cuddle. "Thanks,
Buffy," he gushed ecstatically. "You have no idea how much this means
to me."

"That's fine," she replied casually, delighted she had managed to
cheer him up a little.

Will was already on his feet and heading through the shop towards the
door.

"Um... Spike?" she called after him. "There's some business stuff we
have to sort out first."

Will paused and glanced at the Doctor, who grinned and waved
cheerily.

"Oh, right. Of course. Sorry."

Buffy sat down at the table and Will took a seat beside her, trying
to keep his mind on the task in hand. Buffy was going to find a
solution!! No, work first, then snuggling. "Right," he muttered,
stern and work-minded as he clasped his hands on the table in front
of him. "Tell me what's going on."

Buffy smiled and patted him on the back, pleased with her efforts to
help the newly-souled vampire. She knew he had enough pain to deal
with. He didn't need her jealousy making him feel worse, and helping
him was making her feel a lot better than moping over Angel or hating
the both of them ever could. "Right, well this is Doctor Bloomstein
who's been examining Skull's wounds. Doctor, this is Spike."

Will nodded politely. "Nice to meet you, Doc."

"Oh, and Buffy?" Will added quiety. "Call me Will from now on. I
don't really think I'm Spike any more, and the name doesn't hold
pleasant memories for me."

Buffy nodded. This really was a different vampire to the one who had
stalked her for months. It was so lovely to see him trying to put the
past behind him like this. She smiled. "That's fine." Then. after a
moment's thought, she frowned and pouted at him. "You do realise I'm
gonna be hanging out with two Wills now! You couldn't have chosen a
name that would cause less confusion?"

Will chuckled at her fake indignation and gave her a mischievous
grin. "I'm still a vampire. I'm allowed to be a little bit bad
sometimes."

Buffy giggled to herself and Will prodded her to shut her up and then
went back to looking all serious and business-like. He gestured to
the Doctor to carry on. "You were saying?"

"Well," Doctor Bloomstein explained, "it would appear that our wee
friend Mr Skull isna' going to be walking anywhere any time soon.
Now, as a Doctor I would be interested in studying him as a
scientific specimen, but with you being his Sire I really would leave
his fate up to you."

Will felt a chill go up his spine. Evil though his Childe was, he was
still his Childe - his blood. He couldn't let him be chained up in a
lab like an animal - stopped from taking over the world: yes, but
experimented on: no. Will had been there, done that and got the chip
and the scars and it wasn't pretty.

"I'd prefer it if you didn't," he replied quietly, his throat
tightening at the memories of the joys of demon experimentation.

"That's a no on the experiments front," Buffy concluded with a shrug.
She didn't quite understand Will's aversion to sending Skull to a
lab, but it was his choice and if he did have this vampire blood bond
with the demon then it did make them family, in a twisted demonic way.

"I see," the Doctor nodded. "In that case  he's really in your hands."

"He's harmless," Will said flatly. "Surely if he's no threat to the
community then there's no problem in just leaving him to..."

"I never said he was no threat," the Doctor corrected him. "I said he
cannae walk, but he is still a vampire with connections in the demon
world, and, if I may say so sir, quite a grudge against you and your
companions. I think it would be best to kill him, if not for mercy's
sake then for safety's."

Buffy nodded in agreement. "I think so too. The safest thing for us
and the rest of Sunnydale would be to kill him. We got this far and
at least he can't fight back. It's probably what he wants."

Will stared at the wood grain and began tracing patterns in the
grooves, scratching at the varnish. They were going to kill Skull. He
had a horrible feeling in his veins and he didn't like it one bit. "I
see," he muttered, swallowing. "You want to kill him..."

To be continued... in about two minutes.