Title:    Transition (Story 2)
Series: A NEW LIFE
Author: MarieC
Email: mariecynthia2003@yahoo.com
Feedback: Please. Be gentle: this is my first fic
Archive: www.the-crypt.net
         http://home.att.net/~lubakmetyk/crypt.htm#marieC
Pairing: Spike/Angel
Spoilers: Spike is chipped; Angel is Spike's sire; No Fred or Connor;
Buffy did not die
Rating: R
Summary: Spike is bitten by a demon in Sunnydale and has turned into
a female vampire. Angel takes her to LA after she is raped.
Warning: Transgender fic, mentions of rape
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.  They belong to
Joss Whedon, ME, WB, UPN, etc.   
**Please read the fic "Changes" before this story**
Many thanks to Ghostsforge for beta help.

6/9

Angel slowly rose from his bed after a restless night of sleep and
walked towards the shower. He stood under scalding hot water for a
time allowing the heat to relax his tall, tense frame. He then
dressed in dark pants and a black cashmere sweater and proceeded
downstairs to eat breakfast with his Angel Investigations family.

As Angel arrived in the kitchen, he smiled at Gunn and Wes as they
prepared the morning meal. They talked of nothing in particular, but
Angel simply sat back and enjoyed the morning ritual. As he drank
some pig's blood, he replayed his conversation with Spike in his
mind. He wondered if Spike would even venture out of her room that
morning.

Spike struggled in the shower as she attempted to wash her shoulder
length honey blonde locks. She growled in frustration as the fruity
scented shampoo ran into her eyes obscuring her vision of the
directions on the plastic bottle. There was a time when Spike washed
Drusilla's hair, so she wondered how this task was so difficult to
perform. She cursed a few times and then she heard a faint knock on
the door. She stepped from the shower, wrapped herself in a large
towel, and walked to the door. She did not sense her Sire, so she
decided to open it.

"Having trouble with the hair?" Cordelia asked as she looked upon the
sopping wet Spike.

"It's bloody harder than it looks, pet!" Spike wiped water out of her
eyes and sighed.

"Here, let me help." Cordelia led Spike over to a chair. The brunette
rummaged through some of the bottles and accessories she purchased
the day before. She towel dried Spike's hair and then squeezed some
perfumed gel into her hands and rubbed it into the vampire's hair.
She combed through Spike's hair and managed to tame the wild locks.

"Ta da! Too bad you don't have a reflection, because you look good!"

Spike reached her hand up to touch her hair. "So," Cordelia
continued, "what do you want to wear?

As the three men sat at the table, Wesley spoke as he was sipping his
morning cup of Earl Grey. "I continued some research overnight,
Angel. There is very little information. If Mr. Giles' contact at the
Council fails, there may be someone I know who could offer some
assistance. The Council, as you know, will not willingly help a
Demon, especially a vampire."

"I am aware of that."

"So, did Spike do okay last night?" Gunn asked.

"She was better when I got upstairs, but then we had a fight."

"'Bout what, man?"

"It's long and complicated. Suffice it to say, it will take a long
time to repair the relationship." Angel spoke quietly.

"Sorry, Angel."

"It's okay." Angel answered while sipping his blood.

Cordelia and Spike descended the stairs en route to the kitchen.
Spike was nervous as she left the sanctuary of her room. She was
unsure how she felt seeing Angel at this time. Despite her
trepidation, she felt comforted by Cordelia's presence. Spike had
enjoyed the process of choosing clothes with Cordelia. She relished
the feeling of clean clothes. Cordelia had predicted her size well.
The undergarments felt slightly constricting; but, oddly, the lace
felt delicate against her skin. She chuckled to herself as she
realised she really was turning into a woman.

Cordelia walked into the kitchen ahead of Spike. Angel's eyes
immediately fell upon the blonde vampire. She looked beautiful in a
loose fitting white cotton long sleeved shirt and a pair of blue
jeans. Her hair, freshly washed, was damp and hung freely while
framing her face. Angel was speechless for a moment.

"Good morning." Wesley greeted the girls.

"Hey." Gunn followed.

Angel simply smiled as he looked at Spike. The gaze she received
caused her to look to the floor. "Would you like some blood?" Angel
asked nervously as he finally found his voice.

"Sure." Spike replied. The two women sat in the remaining seats.

"Cordy?"

"Just some coffee."

"Do you have any Weetabix?"

"Wheat-a-what?" Gunn was curious.

"Weetabix, Charles." Wesley explained. "It is a cereal of sorts.
There is some in the cupboard." He kindly smiled at Spike.

"I guess it's nice to have a fellow Englishman, um, I mean English-
person in the hotel." Spike shyly spoke.

"Indeed."

Spike doctored his warm human blood with the cereal, a sight rather
disturbing to the others. No one spoke of it. They wanted her to feel
comfortable around them.

The three humans left the kitchen soon after breakfast. They could
sense some tension between Spike and Angel. The two vampires sat on
opposite ends of the table avoiding each other's gaze.

"Spike," Angel broke the silence, "maybe I was wrong to bring you
here. You're right. I can be selfish. But, I meant it when I said I
missed you. I always have. I just did not acknowledge it to myself. I
don't deserve a second chance, but I was hoping to get one." Angel
paused, fearful of facing angry, disapproving blue eyes. "And it's
not about being lonely. Friends who care about me surround me. But as
much as I cherish them, they don't understand everything that I am.
The Demon. The man. The hunger. The desire. I miss what we had. I
know we can't recapture the past; after all, it was not always
pleasant for you. I was hoping we could start anew."

Angel looked up at Spike. She sat watching Angel intently, with her
face devoid of emotion.

"Saying I'm sorry can't erase everything." Angel stood and slowly
walked towards the blonde vampire. He sat in the chair next to her
but did not touch her. "I do love you and I always have. I guess I
have a poor way of showing it. I loved you even more after my soul.
But, I was a fool. I didn't think you would want me. So I stayed
away. I felt remorse for taking your life and for the way I treated
you. No matter what, I could have never killed you, even back in
Sunnydale. I don't know..." Angel shook his head.

Spike sat in her chair; head slightly tilted gazing into Angel's
eyes. Her voice trembled as she spoke, "I-I don't know how to believe
you." She lowered her head as one solitary tear fell from her right
eye. "I need time...to figure things out. I'm not sure if..."

"It's okay. We have time." Angel said with a small smile. "I won't
push you. And if you want to go back to Sunnydale, I will take you."

Spike pushed back her chair and stood. She wiped her face and turned
to leave the room. As she entered the lobby, Cordelia stopped her.

"And where are you going, Blondie?"

"Upstairs."

"To do what?"

"Sleep." Spike continued walking.

"Come on, Spike. You are not going to sleep. Why don't you stay here
and help me...AAAAAAH!" Cordelia screamed as she clutched her head and
fell to the floor. Gunn and Wesley immediately rushed to her side
while Angel ran from the kitchen.

Spike looked on in shock. "W-What's wrong with her?" The stunned
vampire started to panic.

As Wesley held Cordelia, Angel walked over to his frightened
Childe. "Cordy is a seer. She is my connection to the Powers That Be."

"Who are they?"

"They send her visions of people that need to be saved." Angel
explained.

Spike looked at Cordelia with concern as the brunette lay on the cold
floor dazed. "Is she okay?" Spike's voice trembled.

"It takes her time to recover from the headaches, but she will be
fine." Angel noticed Spike walk over and kneel next to Cordelia. She
placed her hand on the brunette's shoulder to offer comfort. Angel
smiled and thought how extraordinary his Childe was.

"I'm okay, guys, really." Cordelia moaned as Wesley and Gunn helped
her up and led her to the couch. "There's a nasty looking Demon who
appears to be down by the docks...killing some of the workers...it's
really tall with brown scales and horns...EEK!"

"We'll start researching immediately." Wesley said as he and Gunn
headed towards the bookshelf. Angel went to the kitchen and brought
back some aspirin and water for Cordelia.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Angel was worried.

"I'll be fine." She answered after swallowing two aspirin. "Have fun
slaying the Demon later. Spike, will you help me upstairs?"

"Sure." Spike looked at Angel for a moment and then helped Cordelia
up from the couch and began the journey to her room.

*