Title: Splinter

Author: Mera

Feedback: Do I even need to say anything? Do I look like a nut? I'm not one to pass on FB... though I might be one to take it at gun point... lusciousspike@yahoo.com

Rating: 17 – close your eyes kids!

Pairing: Spike/ Angel (eventually), Spike/Raven(OC)

Summary: Spike decided to stay in L.A. and work with Angel and Co. in Wolfram and Hart now known as A.I and Co. However, Angel still has a bit of a grudge towards Spike, for obvious reasons. Spike gets hurt... Angel is responsible in away. How will that work out I wonder?

Notes: this is all happening in S5 AtS, Cordy woke up from her coma and Fred is Fred. W&H is now the Fang Gang's playground so... no Eve yay! You'll figure out the details when you read.

Disclaimer: the chars belong to Joss though I borrowed some... am going to keep them for sometime... give them tea and crumpets... maybe make them show me their sexy dance and if I ever get bored *snort* I'll return them.

Distribution: You want? Just ask, I swear I won't say no!

Where it is now? http://www.livejournal.com/users/lusciousspike/ where the fic is posted a lot sooner un-beta-ed.

The Crypt, Island Library, Soul Mates, TWWOM

Thanks: A big smooch goes out to falcons319 for giving me the name to the story! Not to mention the encouragement to finish it since she was the very first person to read it (even before me!*g* don't ask... lets just say she endured something I wrote off the top of my head without rereading it... she's SO brave! And told me she loved it, go figure!). Love you lots hon!

A somewhat response to Angela's Challenge later on: A vampire's claim on another vampire is not eternal, despite common beliefs. It lasts for about 500 years, but most vampires don't know that. Seeing most don't live that long and the ones who live that long, don't usually claim another. And since the claim is broken based on the claimer's age, as Angel wanders around with his soul and spends centuries in hell, the claim on Spike is going to be expired soon. One day, several master vampires – some even older than Angel - came into Wolfram & Hart. They'd heard about Spike's claim expiring and would like claim Spike.

Well the challenge helped me out when I got writers block. I used part of its plot not all coz I played with an element or two *blush* you'll see (hope that's ok Ang!)... but hey what's the fun in following roles anyways? ::hopes Angela doesn't throw sharp objects at her::

*Smoochies* for Farah my bestest for quickly reading over and pointing out the most obvious mistakes and big thanks to Sophie, Belinda, Shakatany, Michaella and Barbara (and those who offered their ruler) all whom have been so helpful in pointing out my *uhem* blooper-s *g*.

Italics & *& capitals = emphasize

~ = thoughts

*~*~*~*~*~*

"So, you kill vamps?"

"I do not murder my kind," Raven said monotonously.

Spike tilted his head and looked between Gunn and Raven.

Gunn swallowed at the intense look the vampire was giving him. He was more than taken aback when a smirk appeared on the elegant face and was startled when Spike laughed loudly before slinging his arm over Raven's shoulder.

Angel cut through between them, literally, making Gunn pull back as he passed. "Are you done making fun of my people?"

Gunn mouthed 'my people' incredulously to Wesley. The Englishman rolled his eyes, used to Angel's possessive streak towards them after many years of knowing him.

Raven raised an eyebrow. Spike snorted. "No."

"You're drunk," Angel stated, sniffing the scent of drink on them - the expensive kind, if his nose didn't betray him. However, he knew that it was a small amount that they had consumed. Not enough to intoxicate them. All he wanted was to validate their 'cheery' mood to something other than 'the intimate evening' he had witnessed last night. Not that it had bothered him or anything.

"Why did you two come anyway? Don't you have better things to do?" sneered Angel in an intimidating manner.

Spike stiffened. Gunn and Wesley held their breath waiting for a seemingly inevitable outburst. They didn't need to worry. In less than a beat, Raven held Spike back with twining his arm around the younger vampire's waist, almost resting his head on his leather clad shoulder.

"Ms. Chase thought it would do well for Spike to let off 'steam'. One wonders why she'd think that."

Gunn could have sworn that the gray eyes had flashed gold for a second there. He switched his gaze towards Angel but the vampire showed no reaction. The black man silently cursed the self-proclaimed Hollywood Queen for her need to meddle in everything. There was no need for Angel to know that *they* know about... that.

~ Fingers crossing that the big man thinks Cordy had a mind flash about it, or better yet, he has no thoughts about it. Damn, if we'd get a break. ~

Gunn would fight teeth and bone in a courtroom against anyone who would dare claim that the lawyer had inched away from Angel. He just wanted a better view of Raven as he continued speaking, draped like a lover all over Spike.

~ I've always wanted to ride camels and see the Pyramids. ~

"...and better 'Bleach-boy steams' on the 'head invading vision nasties' - sadly those words had come out of her mouth - than on 'blameless irreplaceable antiques'." He shot Spike an inquiring look.

Spike looked sheepish. "It was one time! And that Greek statue was asking for it, Aphrodite my arse."

"Greek Gods and Goddesses cannot hold a torch to you. The Goddess of Love and Beauty herself would be in awe of you. But taking your anger on works of art, Will?" Raven chastened him.

~ He called him Will. Intimate much? ~

Gunn bit his lip, holding back a whimper at evil pictures that invaded his head uninvited. The night was still young. It wouldn't bode well for him to anger a bunch of – God help him – lovesick vampires. He made a mental note to stop spending so much time around Cordelia and Lorne; his thoughts were beginning to sound like those two.

Spike opened his mouth to reply.

Angel waved his hand interrupting him. "William had always disregarded finer things."

~ What's with throwing the dude's name around like that?! ~

There was only so much a human could take... or more precisely Gunn could.

Gunn rolled his eyes and muttered something about getting a room, a pissing match for 'urine-less' vamps, and poor evil demons that were waiting for someone to kill them as he walked towards their desired destination. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed that he was the only one moving.

The vampires were locked in what seemed to be an eternal staring match.

~ Hrafen seems pissed. No way would Spike tell him about... that. Could the new vamp in town smell...? ~ Gunn cut that thought short when he realized where it was heading. He was horrified that he had actually crossed the line to think that. He turned his irate gaze at Wesley who seemed completely at home with merely standing there observing the vampires.

Gunn didn't know what to do to break the intense silence and it seemed – as he shot a glance at Wesley's itching-to-write hand - he was alone in this.

He needed to say something that was the furthest from the inner conversation that they were all having. Of which he was not a participant!

"Spike, man, that's some mean leather you got there."

That seemed to do it. Gunn had never been more proud of himself.

Everyone's attention, as those words left Gunn's lips, seemed to be drawn to Spike's new attire. Or, to be more accurate, to the addition that had taken place of his old duster.

Angel narrowed his eyes. He had noticed that new detail the second he had stepped out of his new car to find Raven and Spike waiting for them leaning against the wall, too close to each other in his opinion. He could practically smell the aroma of new fine leather from where he stood. On the other hand, it was a whole lot better than their mixed scent. A testament of last night's continued activity that he had not stuck around to witness. Something, he might add, they had not even placed a minute effort into to covering up.

Spike grinned at Gunn, sparing a pumped up Raven a roll-eyed glance. "Yeah, Ray here thought it was time for a change, I guess." His gaze swerved to Angel, his lips puckering up defiantly.

"I need to kill something." Angel turned on his heels and strode away.

Wesley spared Gunn a 'what did you do' look before following.

"What?!" Gunn swung his arms narrowly missing chopping off Spike and Raven's heads off with the axe he was holding. The only result to his action was the two vampires letting a bit of air between them, to which, again, Gunn would defend that was not his intent with the 'spontaneous' action.

******

Right on time, the demons of Cordelia's pain free visions showed up with their still alive victims. With calculated moves, they had split into four groups. Angel had charged from the front whilst Spike and Raven attacked from the sides, leaving Wesley and Gunn to untie the prisoners and send them running to safety.

>From then on, it was chaos. There were four very large, really smelly yellow demons. The humans took one while the vampires surrounded the remaining three, one each.

The act itself moved quickly from then on. They were all after the quick kill, although no one commented on how both Angel and Spike served clear injuring blows rather than killing ones. Nonetheless, soon four bodies of equally fierce smell lay on the purple bloodied ground.

"Is it me or do the demons we have to kill get more disgusting with every time," Gunn stated, pleased beyond words with his attire for tonight's mission. He never did like them.

They were walking away from the bodies while Angel was busy on the phone calling for Clean Up – a renovated section of W&H he was delighted to keep onboard when A.I. & Co. took over. Finishing up with the CU, he called Cordelia to let her know that the mission was completed with success and no injuries.

"...Yeah, Cordy, we got them all," he spoke in bored tones into the too small mouth piece. He barely restrained himself from bringing it closer to his mouth, but knew that Spike would make a jibe at him if he did. And he really would be well beyond rage if Raven took a crack.

The demon died too fast in his opinion. And no one thought enough to leave him one to...

"Icky demons being foot rugs are always a good thing in my book..." Oh, she was still talking. "--especially if they're after one of my buds."

"Huh?" He really should start to *stop* tuning Cordelia out.

"Angel, this is important!" She seemed upset. "You guys finished a lot sooner than I expected. So how did Spike react to you saving his butt?"

"Cordelia, what in the world are you...?"

"Ugh, you told me you got it, remember?!" Yep, really should start listening to her. "The fifth yellow demon, the one that tried to get the jump on Spike, what else?!"

"The what who...?"

Ear to phone, Angel turned mid-step 180 degrees, noting for the first time that he had been ahead of the others.

His eyes widened and mouth opened in warning as he watched a demon twice as large as his deceased companions appear out of nowhere, already lunging talons-first in the direction of Spike's back. Cell still in his grasp, Angel began to run, knowing that he would be too late but not giving in to the outcome without a lot of fight if he had anything to say about it.

Everything moved in slow motion. Spike noticing Angel's gaze unwavering from his face stopped the conversation he was sharing with Wesley and Raven. Blue was locked with brown so that when Angel's eyes flickered to something behind the blond's back, Spike instinctively turned with a swift move into a fighting stance. The plunging talons were directed at his neck, Spike was a second too slow to steer clear of it.

Angel was still thrusting forward, he never ran this fast before. He watching numbly as the claws made a silver crescent nearing their goal.

Before anyone had time to blink much less make a sound, Raven was right in front of Spike, and with a snarl he had his hand around the demon's windpipe, crushing it with a quick but powerful squeeze of his long fingers.

The body fell to the ground with a sickening thump just as Angel was reaching their side.

Raven pulled out a silk napkin from his pocket and wiped at his purple-goop-covered hand. He smiled at Spike who had quickly recovered from his near death – an everyday occurrence for him – and was biting his lip at the shocked reaction of the humans.

"Almost got my new coat soiled." He poked the carcass with his boot. He grinned up at Raven. "Thanks, luv."

Raven shrugged as if it was nothing. "Well, it is quite expensive."

Angel was standing up straight, a bland look on his face.

"Something wrong, mate?" Spike asked. He frowned. "Is that her Highness on the mobile?" he asked, snatching the phone out of Angel's strangely slack grip.

"Quit your yammerin' woman, someone's finally listening!" he yelled into the cell phone.

"Spike? What the Hell happened?!" Cordelia snapped back.

"Well, it seems you're getting slow in your old age, Pet." He flinched at the screech. "See I almost got decapitated from a stray demon in a Big Bird suit. Damn Powers That Bugger Up want me dead, I tell ya!"

A peaceful silence on the other line for a few blissful seconds, he couldn't even hear her breath, it ended with a sigh. "Uh, yeah, bad bad PTBs. So, um, lucky tall dark and handsome was there to save your ass again, right?"

Was that a little worry he was detecting?

"How did you know that Raven saved my arse once before?" Spike asked incredulously. "Never mind. You had his personal number for Christ sake... must've shared all kinds of embarrassing stuff about yours truly. Better remember, luv, I've been privy to you on that 'special day of the month' *without* your makeup!"

"Raven...?! Stupid idiot dumb-ass of fool proof plans An... ... HEY! Are you threatening me, Blondie? The nerve... after all the trouble..." Spike winced, pulling back the cellular phone away from his ear.

"What got her panties in a twist?" he mused loudly and missed the exasperated looks that Wesley and Gunn shared. Spike brought the phone closer to his ear.

"... and you'd be SO lucky if you even catch a glimpse of my panties Slayer-loving-..."

"Delia! Care for a rain check on you slamming me? Peaches scrunched the phone for some reason, and only mutts can hear you now. And for your information, I prefer those see-through pair you've got stashed for 'special nights'. Later." Without waiting for a reply, he flipped the phone shut. Turning off the power with a smirk, he threw the small device at Angel.

Angel easily grabbed the phone in midair. He pocketed it. "You have your own, don't ever touch mine." After a thoughtful second, he continued, "Don't call me that." Raven was finishing up with making sure that his hand was spotless. Even though he was seemingly deeply involved in the process, he had overheard the conversation and noted the humans' reaction as well as Angel's. He had his own theory on the matter, but one thing for sure; he knew Angel was completely unaware of what was going on around him.

None of which concerned him at the moment.

"That was refreshing. It had been an era since I battled Kadrens."

"I think 'battle' is a too strong a word, luv. They didn't have a fighting chance." Spike mock pouted. "I should've stayed home and not missed the new epi of Passions. Bet it's different on that wide screen of yours."

Raven, done cleaning his hand, folded the napkin in a neat square before flicking his ruined napkin over the corpse. "Not to worry. Ever heard of TiVo?"

A wide grin appeared on Spike's face. "You didn't?!"

Angel looked between them and frowned. "What's TiVo?"

"Fascinating. I never came across a vampire who had such interest in ancient art as well as modern technology," Wesley said to Gunn.

Gunn twisted his lips, murmuring, "Still reeling here from Mr. Big Bad calling a guy 'love'." He chuckled when he noticed Wesley's frown. "You have no idea what TiVo is either, do you?"

Spike, Raven and Gunn swung their gazes from Wesley to Angel and back again. They were only met by silence. The silence was soon filling by muffled chuckles.

Gunn shook his head while simultaneously scraping his impressive axe against his 'fight boots', wiping away the chunky gore dispassionately.

"Man, you two act so smart and you don't even know one of the wonders of technology." The bald man smirked at Wesley. "Fred is so hearing about this. I see a bumpy couch in the future for you tonight, man." Wesley looked horrified but couldn't object on the grounds than that the laughing trio were walking away, leaving him and Angel, standing there feeling slow. The two were very sure not to share any 'comrade' looks as they followed. The words of the three in the front wafted back at them in the silence of the night.

"Why a bumpy couch?" Raven asked Gunn.

Gunn piff-ed, suddenly at ease with the new vampire. "Coz it's tradition. Besides, any couch compared to the bed isn't comfortable."

Spike chucked. "Haven't had a go at Ray's sofa then!"

Gunn choked. He didn't know on what. But it seemed to be the natural reaction to such information. He didn't need to know that.

~ *Does* Angel know...? ~

"*I* do' wanna know!"

Raven clicked his tongue. "Well, there goes my conversational piece of this evening."

Gunn's eyes widened and he whimpered. Yes. He would swear to that in a court of law. And would plead the case of, who wouldn't!

Raven and Spike burst laughing at the poor man's reaction. A few steps behind them, Wesley finally looked at Angel.

"Shouldn't we help Gunn out? He is one of your 'people'."

Angel's face was emotionless. "Has to face the price of siding with the enemy."

"Ah." Wesley looked thoughtfully at Angel. "Would that be Master Hrafen himself or would Spike be added to your list of foes?"

Wesley pretended that he hadn't heard Angel's mumble of "when wasn't he", more for the reason that he didn't believe it.

"Almost gave Charlie here a stroke. Still have it in ya mate." Spike did a bowing gesture, mostly to cover up the misstep due to overhearing Angel's reply. "I bow before the Master."

Raven grinned. "There are certainly cases where the student would be lucky to surpass the master." Denial was the theme of the evening, it seemed. He was never much of a follower, had always taken his own path. It just seemed that tonight, the path was a little overflowing. He chose not to see Spike's faulty step at Angelus' comment. He also ignored how his fangs and sharpened nails had dug into his own flesh.

Gunn groaned. "Believe me, he tried. Certain bathroom incidents come to mind."

Raven laughed and spared the human, especially, when Gunn seemed to have slowly inched away from him and Spike, in particular, when he placed his arm on the leather shoulder.

Spike's brow puckered and he tilted his head sideways to get a better look at Raven.

"You hurt? I didn't notice before, but I smell your blood."

Raven rubbed the back of Spike's neck with his unclenched fist. "Already healed."

"You sure coz I could..."

Gunn mooned. "Please don't let the next words that come of your mouth be 'lick' 'taste' or 'early dinner'."

Spike mock pouted. "Well, no. Not now that you've gone ahead and spoiled it."

Gunn had only one reply to that. He stuck his tongue at the century plus old vampire.

"He's entertaining for a lawyer." Raven raised an eyebrow at Gunn and marveled at how the man was able to restrain himself from another childish act. Spike did inspire such attitude from people at times. He smiled softly. Something the Master Vampire was sure he would never tire of in their upcoming years together.

A small smile grew on Spike's face.

"You think he got human sarcasm down, wait till you meet Harris."

Twin groans could be heard from behind them. And just like that, Spike felt a bounce in his step.

TBC...