~~~Chapter 19~~~
When Buffy entered the kitchen the sun was just beginning to peek through the windows. After years of sleeping alone, she found herself unable to sleep without her vamps with her. She’d tossed and turned until she finally got out of bed in frustration. She wasn’t sure if it was because she missed them or if, maybe, it was all the things she was worried about. Either way she’d gotten tired of trying to sleep. It wasn’t going to come anytime soon.
There was just enough light that she could make her away around the kitchen as she fixed coffee. She was still just groggy enough to need a good jolt of caffeine to bring her to full alertness. Inhaling the rich scent of the brewing beverage, she leaned against the counter. The brief moment of inactivity brought all the questions to the forefront of her mind again.
What had happened at Wolfram & Hart that would take Angel from his bed in the middle of the night? What was the Immortal up to and when was he going to make his appearance? Did Angel really want her there and did he still love her? Or was he trying to make Spike happy?
Spike’s love was about the only thing she was sure about. Since she opened her heart to him, memories assaulted her from the past, giving her clarity on the love that was always there. If only…no, there was no looking back. It would tear her apart to think of all the happiness she missed out on by categorizing the blond vampire as a monster and unworthy.
He was worthy. A lot more than she would or could ever be.
A soft sigh escaped from her lips as she remembered the love the three of them had shared the night before. This was the right place for her to be, and for the first time since Sunnydale, she felt at home. This time she smiled as she turned around to fix her coffee.
The front door slammed making Buffy jump. The spoon fell from her hand, clattering against the mug and splashing the hot liquid over the edge.
“Damn it,” Buffy muttered, trying to ignore the tension bristling in the air as Angel stormed through the living room. Angel’s heavier footsteps were followed by Spike who by the sound was a couple of steps behind the older vamp.
Whatever happened, it wasn’t good. She immediately tensed.
“Angel. Spike,” she called. “I’m in the kitchen.”
There wasn’t any answer. At least not to her, but she could hear the hushed conversation between them. Or at least as hushed as Spike could be, which wasn’t much. Leaving the mess and the coffee behind, she went to the living room. She hesitated in the doorway when she saw the thunderous expression on Angel’s face. Nervousness fluttered in her belly as she waited for them to notice her. Either they didn’t or they were ignoring her because they stayed intent on one another.
“Look Ang, they’re asleep,” Spike said, standing between Angel and the hallway toward the bedrooms. “Calm down and we’ll handle it later.”
“No, isn’t it you who always wants to jump into the fight? Now get out of my way.” Angel made a move to go around Spike, but he was blocked before he got very far. “They could have cost us everything we’ve been working for…”
“I won’t let you,” Spike said, putting his hands on Angel’s shoulders, kneading gently. “Those are good kids…”
“They’re meddling brats who need to be taught a lesson.”
“Maybe you’ll string their fish up,” Buffy spoke up, crossing her arms and leaning against the door jamb. She was angry that Angel wanted to go straight to Dawn and Andrew without speaking to her first. Sure they were grown ups or in Dawn’s case almost, but they were still hers to protect. Two pairs of eyes stared at her and she shrugged before continuing. “Or maybe kill their favorite teacher to make sure they don’t mess with the great Angelus.”
As much as she loved the two vampires in front of her, it didn’t compare to the loyalty she held for Dawn and Andrew. After the fall of Sunnydale they stuck together in the hellish nightmare of rebuilding their lives. And together they crawled out to a new sense of family. She would defend them against anyone even Angel and Spike, if she had to.
“Don’t be ridiculous Buffy,” Angel replied, rocking back on his feet. He seemed to loosen up as he took a deep breath. “Do you have any idea what they’ve done?”
“No,” she answered with reluctance. Maybe she overreacted. Knowing Dawn and Andrew’s mischievous camaraderie there was no telling what they could have cooked up. Promising herself to be more open she stepped forward so she was standing beside Spike. “Tell me.”
Angel wiped a hand across his mouth before he explained. “A virus was released into the computers at Wolfram and Hart. It came from Andrew’s IP address.”
Buffy giggled. She couldn’t help it. Trying to stop, she put her hand over her mouth. It didn’t help. Her laughter erupted through her fingers to echo around the room. The two vampires stared at her in seeming disbelief. Angel quickly morphed from disbelief back to anger which could only mean that the Senior Partners were feeling threatened or vulnerable.
Buffy found it hilarious.
“How can you begin to think this is remotely humorous?” Angel asked.
His glowering only brought on another round of giggles from Buffy. Still Angel didn’t crack a smile. A quick glance at Spike told her that he was confused too as his gaze danced between his lovers. She had to get it together because she didn’t want to make the situation any worse than it already apparently already was to them. Buffy coughed to cover up the laughter until she was steady.
“Angel, think about it,” Buffy said, throwing her arms up in the air. “It’s Andrew. Yes, he’s a genius and his virus probably would have done some damage, but come on, he’s a kid with a good heart and he put the world’s most ancient and evilest company in a defensive position. It’s kind of funny if you think about it.”
“Or maybe it’s because he’s connected to you. The slayer who has defeated gods, The First and other ancient evils,” Angel retorted. “They know that you’re in town and that you’re with me. Guess the Buffy gone bad act isn’t working.”
“So, now it’s my fault?” Buffy asked while suppressing a smile at the backhanded compliments Angel was throwing her way. Trying to find the anger again, she curled her hands into fists.
Angel ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t say that,” he answered, but she could tell that’s what he thought.
“But it’s what you implied,” Buffy said, with a sigh. She wrapped her arms around her as she turned her gaze toward the windows where the dawn was just lighting up the city. Last night everything seemed so easy. The words and deeds done that should have sealed them. It hadn’t though. At the first opposition Angel was flinging words meant to hurt. “Maybe the distraction should be removed. I’ll look for flights…”
“No, you won’t,” Spike finally jumped in. “Stop it both of you. Your doubts about the other are going to drive you apart. There’s no leaving…any of us. I’m not going through that again.” There was a pause. Buffy could glimpse William within Spike’s eyes, the pain and loneliness of the former romantic poet. She couldn’t hurt him.
“I want to stay,” Buffy admitted. Her chin jutted upwards so they wouldn’t think she was begging. “But if I do, so do Dawn and Andrew.”
“They have to stay out of things, Buffy.”
“He was only trying to help. To be a partner in this fight.”
“Instead of the murderer kept under your roof because you didn’t know what else to do with him?
For a second Buffy wanted to punch Angel, but she knew that wouldn’t work. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she tried to figure a way for Angel to understand all the changes Andrew went through and her current relationship with him. Spike squeezed her shoulder. She didn’t need to open her eyes to know it was him. It was like he was a part of her.
“Angel is right,” Spike said, moving his hand down so he could rub her back. “Things could go to rot real fast if we don’t stick to our plans.”
“I understand what you’re saying,” Buffy said, rubbing her forehead. She walked over to a chair and took a seat. “But they want to help. They’ve seen too much and know too much to just sit on the sidelines.”
“And have done too much,” Angel said. He sat on the coffee table across from Buffy. “I know you trust Andrew, but he did murder his best friend…”
“Under the influence of The First,” she protested.
“Take the blinders off,” Angel said. “He was persuaded to do something he knew was wrong. He could be brainwashed by someone else. How do you know that he isn’t helping Reggie?”
“Because he wouldn’t.” Buffy felt Spike sit on the arm of her chair. It was comforting to have him so close. It made her stronger. “How do you know Spike won’t turn on you? The First did quite a number on him and don’t forget on you, too. Spike fed and you were ready to jump off a cliff. Don’t throw stones at Andrew.”
“Touché,” Angel said. “There can’t be any weak members in our camp. Not only here, but that applies to Fred, Wesley and the others.”
“You said they didn’t know anything about your plan,” Buffy said.
“They don’t at this point,” Angel said, leaning back and folding his hands on his lap. “They won’t until I have no choice. The fewer who know the less likely our cover will be blown.”
“I realize that,” Buffy said, leaning against Spike. “Angel, Andrew was wrong to make a move without your consent, but…,” she sighed. “He’s always been the younger brother or someone’s pawn in games that left him struggling to be more than he is. Just don’t alienate him before you give him a chance.”
Angel’s face softened as he turned a loving gaze to Spike. “And that I can understand. Damn it, Buffy…okay, I’ll give him a second chance.”
“Thank you,” Buffy said, jumping up to hug Angel. She landed in his lap where his arms instantly pulled her close. “You won’t regret it. I’ll talk to him and Dawn as soon as they’re up and make sure they won’t make a move without your knowledge.”
“You’re welcome.”
Cupping his cheek Buffy lifted Angel’s face for a kiss. There was no hesitation in the meeting of their lips. He met her passion with an even hotter passion that left her trembling. Their tongues tangled as he held onto her bottom. For the first time she really felt that he accepted her womanhood instead of looking for the little girl in the past.
“Hey hey,” Spike interrupted with a laugh. “Get a hotel room.”
“Already got one,” Angel replied, rubbing his nose along Buffy’s cheek making her giggle. “Maybe you want to come along?”
“That would be very nice,” Buffy said, turning coy eyes to Spike.
“Bloody hell, it wouldn’t be nice pet, it would be fucking spectacular,” he growled. Falling to his knees in front of them, Spike slid his hand along her inner thigh. “Damn you smell good when you’re in heat. Doesn’t she, Ang?”
“Yeah, she does.”
They laughed. Warmth flooded her body at the way the two vampires were looking at her. It made her want to purr in contentment. She gave Spike a quick kiss before turning back to Angel.
“Are you in a lot of trouble with the Partners?”
“It’s not good,” Angel said. “They want me to spend more time in the penthouse at Wolfram & Hart which means I’m going to have to leave you here sometimes,” Angel said softly with love caressing over her so she knew that he wanted to be at home. “I’ll do my best to be here as often as I can.”
“If you must…” Buffy said trying to put aside her own emotions which were screaming that she didn’t want to be separated anymore. “Whatever it takes to get us through this.”
“Thank you for not throwing a fit,” Angel said, smiling. “I thought you’d fight me every step of the way.”
“Rather save my energy for something else,” Buffy teased.
“Good. Now that that is settled,” Spike said, with a grin. “Can we get past the shitty mess of this morning and get on to telling Buffy about Reggie being in town?”
“He’s here?” Buffy exclaimed. “How do you know?”
“He was the one who saved Wolfram & Hart from Andrew’s prank,” Angel responded, rubbing his face. “It didn’t look too good.”
“Why didn’t you say so in the beginning?” It would have explained Angel’s fury a little more than just Andrew trying to save the day. “Does that mean we’re in the midst of the battle?”
“Yes,” Angel said. “It does. However, I need to change and get back to the office. We’ll talk tonight.”
~~~~~~~
Dawn tiptoed back down the hallway to Andrew’s room. After carefully closing the door she gave a dramatic sigh before flopping into a chair. Despite the fact she was happy that Buffy defended them and that they weren’t going to get their asses kicked by Angel, she was still apprehensive about being caught. It didn’t bode well for their future as spies if they couldn’t get one itsy bitsy virus into a huge computer system.
“Dawn, stop the mooning and tell me what happened,” Andrew said from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Reggie was at Wolfram & Hart and they know it was us,” Dawn related. “Plus it got Angel in trouble with the Senior Partners. It all backfired,” she ended with a whine. “What did you do wrong?”
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Andrew said, sitting up straight and puffing out his chest. “Reggie must have done something to my computer so he could keep track of what we’re doing.”
“Oh shit,” Dawn said, jumping up. “It means he knows everything we’re doing…from the tickets we bought online to the address where we had the pizza delivered and everything else,” she finished with a wave of her arms. “Buffy is so going to hit the roof.”
They both turned suspicious eyes to the laptop sitting on the bed. Neither moved for a second then Andrew unplugged the electrical cord from the back.
“I’m going to have a new computer if we’re going to continue. In the meantime I’ll dismantle this one.”
“Like that is going to help at this point.”
“Not if I make a few adjustments to lead the Immortal in the wrong direction,” Andrew said, with excitement.
“Yes!” Dawn exclaimed. Sometimes Andrew could come up with a good plan. She returned his grin. “We can really screw him up with a few false leads.”
to be continued…
