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: Kids under 17 need to stay away (sooner or later)

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 a way. 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? Soul Mates,  Island Library, 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 Janet for always being there making what I write presentable... whatever would I do without you sweetie? Wait, I don't wanna know! 


Italics & *& capitals = emphasize 

~ = thoughts



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<

"What's with the sour face, Cupcake?"

Angel sighed. "I really don't have the time for pastry talk, Lorne. I'm busy." He pointed at the papers he was looking at unseeing for an hour to prove his point.

Lorne nodded and sat down in front of the desk. "Well that's nice. So... let's talk." The green demon clasped his hands in front of him and donned his serious face, something seen very rarely. Angel instantly noticed and started to look for exits.

"Talk? About what? Uh, Lorne it'd better not be that modeling job... I told you..."

Lorne waved his hand at him dismissively. "Nah, have Dave for that now. I'm talking about a hard fact pounding here."

Angel sighed relieved and leaned back. "About what? Do you want to open your bar again?"  

Lorne had a faraway look on his face. He quickly shook his head to snap out of his reverie. "No... Johnny keeps me grounded... boy does he... uh where was I?" Lorne asked with a lost look on his face.

Angel shook his head amused at the green demon's antics. "You were going to talk about some hard fact if I caught that right."

Lorne straightened up. "Yes, facts and the pounding of them..." he said looking for a way to start.

Angel sighed finally at the end of his rope. "What is it, Lorne? I've got a job to do. What do you want?"

The seer seemed annoyed at the repeated mantra of 'job to do'. That seemed to be enough to get him right to the point, "It's not what I want, Pumkin, it's what you need," well as close to the point as Lorne was capable of.

The vampire behind the desk crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes not liking where this was going. "And 'what' do I need then?"

Lorne shook his head with a sigh at the defensive manner.

"You know I've heard of 'doth protests too much' but what you've been doing needs a new analogy!" The green forehead creased. "Or is that a metaphor?"

Angel remained silent. The demon leaned forward a concerned look on his face.

"Angel, why are you doing this to Spike AND yourself? At first with the barbs shooting back and forth, it was fun being in the middle of a UST supercharge... but this is pushing it way too far. It doesn't take a seer to see what you guys have for each other, unless you're as repressed as Charlie-boy... and well clearly you if what you've done has a chance of making any sense whatsoever!"

Angel rolled his eyes to the heavens marveling at the fact that he had understood what had been said to him. Sunnydale had been good for something after all. "And here I was worried, expecting that any moment Cordy'd come down on me for being 'too mean'."  He pushed away from the desk to loom over Lorne.

"But you see she doesn't have anything near your delusions. Spike and I have nothing between us but acknowledged hate. If there're two vampires who your imagination had *not* conjured up, it's Spike and that 'Evil Vampire' no one had been doing anything to stop. Except they lack the 'fun' barbs," he snapped.

Lorne remained calm. "Things have been done... research which you missed coz of those *very* interesting papers you've been clearly memorizing. Hrafen... or Raven as Spike called him - a name that really fits his yummy-ness if you ask me - and his clan had been in hiding for several years now. It seems that they had stopped 'making new members' for years... how long and why we can't be sure. Rumor has it that the Clan had been lying wait for something... or someone." He raised an eyebrow at that.

"Oh and yeah, I'm all you're gonna get of our delusional little party... Wes is nose deep in one of his musty books and Freddykins is filling our super lawyer in our shared 'delusion' as we speak... as for your awaited Hollywood Queen, she is indulging in her shop-holic-ness with our very own blue vampire, thanks to *you*, in preparation of the up and coming Holly-party." Lorne stood up and met Angel's eyes actually looming over him with a few inches.

Angel felt as big as those very inches separating them. He wanted to say something... to deny the 'delusional' accusations... that he was *too* busy to notice that his friends had looked up the other source of his sleepless nights. To make some fuss over him being the boss and that they shouldn't question his judgment... particularly concerning Spike, who means nothing to him more than a pain in his ass, that he means nothing to that 'vampire'. However, that seemed useless even in his head, especially when it came to his crew who knew him too well. He opened his mouth, not knowing what to say but knowing that if he didn't say anything, his menacing figure would seem insignificant.      

Of course, one could always depend on his own people to aid him in that front.

"Just don't say a word! I usually stay out of these things... not get caught in the cross fire." Lorne reached inside his shiny coat and Angel held himself from flinching away from the imaginary gun he thought was going to be pulled out.

~ That's what I get for not sleeping... and watching those gangster movies ~

"Here." Angel looked at the offered small envelope. "Cordy is taking Spike to this VIP shindig as you know... no one uninvited is allowed and there shouldn't be Paparazzi with in a snap shot range... I should know they hired us for security. Thing is, we got a complementary ticket... I'm thinking you should go, and see where the evening takes you."

Angel blinked and opened his mouth for another try.

"Just... don't... just take it." So much for that try. He looked into pleading red eyes and reluctantly took the envelope. Lorne grinned his white teeth clear against his skin. "Just keep an open mind, talk maybe, you can do that without a hassle in neutral ground... right?"

The vampire took the easy road this time and only nodded.

Lorne nodded back enthusiastically. "Great! Don't forget to dress up!" He turned to leave but stopped when his hand touched the door. Angel held back a whimper of depression that he wiped any evidence of when the red-eyed demon turned to look at him. "Oh, and try not to scare any celebs... in fact try not to talk to any... Cordy told me what happened the last time." 

The mouth quickly slammed shut in the same split second it took to open it. Lorne nodded satisfied, "You won't be sorry... you just gotta *see* him," and exited the office, head high.  

******


TBC