"Spike are you here?" Buffy called out.
"In here Slayer," he answered from the living room. He had his feet propped up drinking a beer watching Passions on the TV. "Well, I guess we won luv." He smirked, waggling his eyebrows at her.
"Yep, and as my leaving Sunnyhell prize, I get an all-expense paid vacation from the Powers. I need you to go to the house and get a few things for me. Pictures of mom, my favorite jacket, you know what to get. I have to go and grab some clothes from town. Tell them the Hellmouth's closed forever and the First is banished to Hell. I want them to know that I'm not running away. I'm leaving to lead my own life and they should do the same. Tell Dawn, Dad's coming for her and that she's to go live with him in Spain. I don't want the others to contact her. The house is going up for sale, but they can stay until someone buys it. I'll meet you back here in about three hours." Buffy kissed his cheek, scooting him out the door; she headed into town to shop until she dropped.
Spike was glad the day was overcast and he didn't have to bother with a blanket. He climbed into the window of Buffy's old bedroom. He grabbed the stuff she wanted, shoving it into a duffel bag and dropped it out the window. Spike slipped back out and went to the front door to barge in whistling. "Oy, rise and shine kiddies. Everyone front and center. The Big Bad has news on the Slayer," he bellowed.
They came running from every direction; down the stairs, up the stairs and from the kitchen. "Spike, kindly stop yelling," Giles said, rubbing his eyes. "You say you have news of Buffy." Faith slowly made her way down the stairs. Spike gave her a feral grin. Everyone still felt shaky from the trap and Angel telling them off. They were eager to hear about Buffy, except Kennedy of course.
"Buffy sent me to give you the up and up. You have no worries; she banished the First and closed the Hellmouth forever." Spike tried to continue, but everyone started talking at once.
"Where is she?" "I knew she could do it." "When is she coming home?" "Is she hurt?" "Why did she send you; why didn't she come herself?"
"Shut up you lot of bloody wankers! She went back to the vineyard after you lot kicked her out and got the weapon they were hiding there. She killed the preacher boy with it. Got some info on how to kill the First and with the amulet Angel brought her that's exactly what she did. The Turok-Han were wiped-out and the Hellmouth is now closed. Now, for the good part boys and girls, hold onto your hats," Spike smirked.
"Oh, would you bloody well spit it out," Giles sighed.
"Now, Rupes, this is just too juicy to spit out all at once. She said to tell you, she's through. You wanted her out, wanted a new Slayer. What did she say? Oh yeah, 'Wish Granted.' She left; said she was going somewhere she could make her own decisions. No one to tell her what to do or how badly she's screwed up their life or her own. She wishes you well and goodbye. As for you, Lil Bit, your father will be here tomorrow. You're going to live with him in Spain. Buffy decided he should have to raise one of his kids and that you're not to have anything to do with this life. Oh yeah, almost forgot, she's selling the house. You can continue to freeload until someone buys it. I'm off to LA to torment my grandsire. You lot bloody well deserve each other." Spike spun on his heels and walked out of the house, slamming the door behind him. He rubbed his hands together. Thanks Slayer that was a right bit of fun. Their faces were first-class.
Buffy waited for Spike at the house, brand-new suitcases filled and ready to go. Spike walked in with his trademark grin. "They looked like fish, Slayer. Their jaws hung open, not knowing what to say or do. Wanted you back as soon as they heard ya had done all the work. Lil Bit sure can throw a right loud fit. Got a set of lungs on her that girl does. You ready to start that new life and leave ole Sunnyhell behind, luv?"
"Yep, I'm ready for some sun, sand and thinking about absolutely nothing." They loaded up the Desoto and headed for LAX. "Spike, Whistler said they needed you in LA. Have Angel give you a job as a favor to me. I got one of those throw away phones, so that we can keep in touch."
At the airport, Buffy kissed him on the cheek. He told her that when he was settled he would let her know. He watched her board the plane then drove off to find Angel's new offices. Spike grinned when he pulled up to the Wolfram and Hart building. Now, Peaches lets see what kind of a mess you've made for yourself. He was strolling through the building when he heard a voice from his past. "Blondie Bear is that you?" Harmony came running toward him and jumped into his arms. "Harm, what are you doing here?" He asked, putting her down.
"I work here, silly. I'm Angel's secretary. Cordy got me the job. Are you here to see Angel? I didn't see you on his schedule. Is it a surprise? I can probably get you in for old times sakes, even if you did try to stake me. I know that you didn't mean it," she babbled, dragging Spike to Angel's office.
Cheerleader got her the job, huh? Always knew that bit was evil, never smelled right.
They stopped outside a large office where Harmony knocked before barging barged inside. "Angel your next appointment's here." She pushed Spike into the office, patting his butt as she walked by to close the door. He glared at her and she batted her lashes at him smiling.
"SPIKE! What the hell are you doing here?" Angel yelled when he saw his appointment was none other than his cursed grand-childe.
"Don't get your knickers in a twist, Peaches. I'm delivering a message from the Slayer. She wants you to know there's no need for a second front."
"Why would Buffy send you? Why didn't she come herself? Is she hurt? I knew I should have stayed to help her. It was more than she could handle. She just wasn't acting like herself," Angel said, pacing the room.
Spike snorted and Angel stopped to glare at him; Spike looked back innocently. "She's been under a lot of pressure, Peaches. I did everything I could to help but between working, the SITs, raising Dawn, and everyone pulling at her; it was just too much. Bound to make a difference. Took her a long time to get over getting ripped out of Heaven by her friends and the minute she starts to get her feet underneath her this happens."
"Heaven, I thought she was in Hell. Why didn't she tell me when we met?" Angel asked, sitting in his chair hard.
"You stupid pillock. Why would she go to Hell? The gel must have dripped into your brain over the years and fried something," Spike sneered. "No wonder she was such a mess when she came back. Her bloody SOUL MATE couldn't even figure out where she was. You're such a ponce. I guess it's a good thing she left."
"Left, what do you mean? She isn't in Sunnydale, where is she?" Angel grabbed Spike. "Tell me, boy."
"Don't know and let go of the leather. She had me deliver some messages, yours was the last one. Except for one part but you can forget that. She was gone when I got back," he said, pushing Angel away.
"What part? What aren't you telling me?"
"She wanted you to let me help you out here in LA. Figured you needed all the help you could get at Demon Central, but I don't think so mate." Spike turned to leave.
"Wait, she really wanted me to give you a job?" Angel asked hesitantly
"Do you think that it would be my idea? Yes, she wanted me to work here with you. Though, I think it must be to find the big hole that you have your head buried in."
"Fine but you do one thing out of line, and I'll stake you myself."
"Peaches, in case you haven't heard, you aren't the only vampire on the block with a soul. I don't kill innocents." He knew that would piss Capt. Forehead right off. Angel always liked to be special. Lord it over everyone else, how different he was because of his soul.
"You're lying. How would you get a soul? Did Willow use the curse on you?" Angel growled. The idea of Spike having a soul infuriated him.
"Call Rupes if you don't believe me; he'll tell you it's the truth. Went through some trials, won it fair and square. Buffy needed to know that she could trust me. I did it for her." He smirked crossing his arms.
"Why would she even care about anything that you did? Even with a soul she would never care about you except as a reminder of me, a cheap one at that," Angel gave an Angelus like smirk.
"I've never been like you and you've always hated that. Buffy loves me as a friend and that's enough for me. I'd die for her if she asked it."
"You're in love with her that's hilarious. You've always wanted my women boy, but you could never have her no matter what you did. I snapped my fingers and Dru came crawling to me like a bitch in heat, and it drove you crazy," Angel crowed.
"Right mate, you either break your women or abandon them. Ole Spike, sure wishes he was you, Angelus." Spike arched a scarred eyebrow at his grandsire, the contempt written clearly on his face. "Where are those women now, Peaches? I don't see Buffy running to you. I see her going somewhere that you're not. Where are your women?" Spike asked in a deceptively soft voice.
"Angel, honey, I've been waiting for you. Weren't we supposed to meet for lunch?" Cordelia entered the room to kiss Angel, not noticing Spike.
"Guess that answers that question, huh. When do you want me to start Peaches?"
Cordelia squeaked spinning around, "What the hell is he doing here?" She demanded hands on her hips.
"He's going to be working here. Buffy asked me to give him a job." Angel gave her his best smile, hoping to head off a fight.
"Little Miss Slay Gal asks for a favor and you can't wait to do it? No way, Angel, he's not working here. That is it."
"Cordelia, I'll decide who does and doesn't work here and Spike stays," he said in a hard tone.
Not used to him talking to her that way. Damn Buffy Summers anyway. "So, when did Buffy call? Is she coming here?"
"No, she's taking a vacation to unwind after everything that's been going on in Sunnydale," Angel explained glad that Cordy was okay.
"You know that I'm just worried about you right. Spike can't be trusted. Last time he was here he tortured you," Cordy said, forcing tears to form in her eyes.
Angel hugged her tight. "Cor, he has a soul," he whispered.
"Honey, for you I'll try to be nice. Welcome to the team Billy Idol." She flashed him a smile. He raised an eyebrow looking at her bleached blonde hair. Nah, too easy. "Maybe he could work with Fred for a while. You know get to know the whole team. I'm sure he doesn't have anywhere to stay either. There's still an empty apartment on the 25th floor," Cordy offered. "Harmony can show you everything. Since you missed our lunch, I'm going to have to run. I have a meeting with, that witch, Eve. See what I put up with for you, buddy. You'll just have to make it up to me tonight." She smiled at Angel waving as she left.
Cordelia quickly walked to her office, buzzing Eve to get there immediately. She arrived to find Cordelia pacing the room. "What's up boss?" Eve sat down waiting for the other woman to talk.
"I told you not to call me that. Spike just showed up. Buffy closed the Hellmouth but it didn't kill her," Cordelia snarled.
"It was always a 50/50 shot she would go down too. That Slayer's hard to kill. The Sr. Partners knew that," Eve said with a casual shrug.
"Did they also know that Spike has a soul? Angel gave him a job. At least we'll be able to watch him. What's this going to mean? Are we backing the wrong vampire?" She asked in frustration.
"I'll have to ask them about Spike. It's probable just a fluke like two Slayers but we will make sure. They want to know if you have as much control over Angel as you say you do," Eve asked.
"Of course I do, I've kept my end of the deal haven't I. He's here doing what he never would've done before. He compromises his soul a little more every day. I can't make him lose it with perfect happiness, no one can. He stupid to never check whether his soul was permanent, but there's more than one-way to lose a soul; the shaman showed us that. For that, he had to be willing to lose it all at once. We would've been fine if Willow wouldn't have interfered. So, we just have to chip away at it a little at a time. He likes easy solutions so we give them to him. I'm not going back to that, white prison the Powers locked me in, damnit. I have power, and I plan to keep it."
"I could try to get chummy with Spike. See what I can learn."
"I think that I'll use Harmony for now. They used to date. I can feed her questions and she'll give me information and not even realize it, the ditz. Who do the Sr. Partners want us to help next?"
Eve started running through the agenda laid out for W&H for the next month as Cordelia listened planning how to line everything up.
She just had to keep Angel busy at work and in bed and she'd end up with more power than she ever dreamed. No one was going to interfere with her plans. Connor tried and she got rid of him. She would do the same to anyone else that got in her way.
Buffy was laying on a private beach in Kauai, it was peaceful as the sun warmed her skin. Her hotel room was a suite with a private pool and beach, even a personal butler. Her tan was already coming back and she had begun to eat better. She started to gain back the weight she had lost, and only had five more pounds to go. After a week, she already felt like a new person. Each morning, Buffy ran along the beach, followed by a swim and then laid out to allow the Hawaiian sun to dry her. Later in the afternoon, she did an ancient form of Tai Chi, stored in her memories, to relax, and finished her day meditating until sunset.
Buffy noticed that someone had moved into the suite next door but hadn't seen anyone, yet. Shrugging mentally, this stretch of beach had been hers for ten days. She figured that she could share. Hopefully, they wouldn't be too nosy and want to spend all day talking. Buffy was deep into her meditation when she felt someone about to touch her. She grabbed their hand, throwing them over her shoulder and jumped to her feet into a fighting stance.
A large man with mocha colored skin and tattoos running down his arms looked at her with dark brown eyes. He grinned at her as he put his hands up and said, "I come in peace."
"You shouldn't sneak up on people, someone could get hurt. Who are you?" Buffy waited for an answer.
He stood up brushing off his pants, she automatically stepped back keeping her stance tight. "It's okay Xena, I'm your neighbor. I accidentally locked myself out of my room. Just wanted to use your phone to get someone to come and let me back in. You were so still, I couldn't tell if you were asleep or praying, and didn't want to startle you. Bad move on my part, sorry." His voice was deep and gravely. It sent shivers down Buffy's spine. "My name's Xander Cage but most people call me X." He looked for any sign of recognition but didn't see even a flicker. He wasn't sure if he that made him happy or sad.
Buffy nodded her head. "Casey Dupree, walk in front of me then stand to the side and I'll get the phone." Xander noticed that she kept a safe distance between them. She went inside where he could see her describe him to the desk, after a few minutes she brought the phone out. Xander explained what had happened and they told him someone would be there in fifteen minutes. Buffy went in grabbing two beers then came back out, throwing one to Xander. He raised an eyebrow; she didn't look like a beer kinda girl. "You here on vacation." "Yep." "How long." "Till the end of the month, what about you."
"Next two weeks, could I take you to dinner, to thank you for the hospitality," he asked.
Buffy looked at him closely. "I guess. I'll meet you in the main dining at 7:00. That enough time for you to unpack and chill out?"