He had been free for hours now and he hadn't been able to feed, fight or fuck yet. The only three things that make unlife worth living. He was considering leaving, finding himself a nice juicy redhead to bed and then drain, but the images of the torture room he'd seen were enough of a reminder that this woman was not to be messed with. She said for him to wait, so he would wait. He didn't have to like it but he would obey her. After all anything was better than being locked away inside Angel.

Well, almost anything. He was convinced that returning to the soul might be better than facing his arrogant Childe as he strolled into the room reeking of power, blood, and sex. Three things that he himself had been denied so far and he had no idea when he would be allowed to have. Waiting for permission to hunt was humiliating. Darla had stopped using that one on him within the first decade of his turning, preferring him to take the lead on the hunt, choose the victim, make the kill.

Spike seemed to sense Angelus' discomfort, he made great displays of walking past him, letting his scent wash over him. Knowing full well that in the past his Sire would have thrown him down and buggered him into the floor while draining him dry. Not a pleasant experience for Spike. Therefore he was enjoying it all the more now that he knew Angelus' frustration would go unsatisfied. Spike went out to the balcony to smoke and was surprised when the older Vampire joined him.

Angelus took a good look at his Childe, Spike seemed to be on the surface very self assured about his current lifestyle. Angelus watched him closely as he smoked his cigarette. There was an underlying tension radiating from the younger Vampire, you wouldn't notice it at all unless you knew Spike very well. His Sire knew him better than anyone. Things here were not as good as he pretended they were. Interesting.

"How about a smoke for yer old Sire, eh Will?" Angelus enjoyed the way Spike stiffened at the use of his name. "Sod off, I don't go by that anymore. Haven't for decades." He gave him a cigarette anyway, leaning in close enough to light it for him. Angelus took advantage of the closeness to touch Spike's face gently. "Why'd ya do it Will? Why'd ya let her take you from me?" Spike blinked in confusion, was his Sire actually saddened by the loss? Angelus had never shown any particular fondness for him when they'd been together. It was always about Drusilla, or Darla, he was just an after thought. So why did he sound so grief stricken now? "Why the bloody hell not? S'not like I've had a Sire in more than a century! I don't need you, hell when I did need you you weren't there for me, so why do you care?" Angelus was taken aback, he knew he'd been hard on Spike when he was young, he was just trying to toughen him up so he would survive eternity. He didn't know the boy hated him. The last time he was here he was a bit crazed, took out his frustration on him, but he hit him with a crowbar helping the Slayer send him to hell. Didn't that make them even?

"I care, I always have. William, you were always special to me, still are. Even the soul cared for you, why do you think you survived that time with the chip in your head? If I hated you, if the soul hated you, I would have let the Slayer and her friends dust you." With that said Angelus went back inside leaving a confused Spike standing on the balcony and an angry Witch standing in her study where she had heard the entire conversation.

Willow knew exactly what Angelus was up to. He wanted to take what belonged to her. Spike, the hellmouth, her position as Master. He wouldn't be allowed to succeed. She needed him to comply with her plans, if he wouldn't she would kill him. Slowly.

Spike stood outside getting his bearings. His entire world had just been upended. All these years he thought that Angelus had merely tolerated him, keeping him around to amuse the women when he was otherwise occupied. Now he's told it's all untrue, that he was, is special? It was all too much to take. He wished for it to be true, but on the other hand he knew Angelus was devious. Perhaps this was all some game to him? He didn't like to lose his possessions, was this his way of trying to get him back? Or was he hoping to get to his Mate through him? He would have to be careful around the older Vampire.

Angel and Conner sat outside in the courtyard until the sun had set. They ventured inside just as Wesley and Cordelia returned from their trip to see the oracles. They didn't look happy. Angel approached his seer and took her hand in his. "Cordy? What's wrong, you look upset." Cordelia looked at Angel and started to cry, she wrapped her arms around him as he embraced her. Angel looked at Wesley and saw a grim look on the former Watcher's face. Whatever their news was, it wasn't going to be good. In truth, he'd go as far as to bet that it was bad. Very, very bad.