"Immortal Beloved XXXIX..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Everything but the 'Soames Walthrop' and I don't use it here is Joss' and ME's

Summary: What can I say these things are like candy or Lays...

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LA...Offices of the newly established legal/investigative firm of Angel, Burkle, Gunn, and Walthrop...

Remnants of the old Wolfram-Hart staff, hey a paycheck's a paycheck, busily toil at their assignments...Spending perhaps a tad...Well, lots...Less freely than in the old days but grateful to have survived the staggering crash of the Senior Partners...

A still sheepishly apologetic, but at last human-souled...Angel can be damned nasty at all times, William grins to her...Harmony at her new desk, offers William some stacked letters...

"What's...?"

From Rome, she hangs her head... "My other one...It...Didn't want you to get these...And blocked some calls from there, too..."

The Senior Partners via Marcus kinda encouraged it...she sighed...But It wanted to hurt you...

He stared at her...

"I'm sorry...She was Evil, ya know?...You remember Evil, right?..." He sighed...Yeah...Taking the letters...Looking over the familiar handwriting...A dozen letters...

"She kept writing right up to the last week...Will, I'm so sorry..." she shook her head...

No...he shook his head... "I know I treated you badly, Harm...At the very least should've helped you with the souling long before...And I shoulda had the guts to call Rome...Or go...Though..." he eyed the handwritten address...

Was kinda hoping...Well...

"I'm sure Buffy loves you, Will...But in any case...At least..." Harmony began...

Oh...he smiled...So... 'It' read these, eh...?

Well...she meekly shrugged...

"It's all right...What did she...?"

"They're sweet, William...I think you're lucky..." she grinned... "The calls...?" he eyed her... Yeah, all...she nodded...

Well, well...

"Go and read 'em, Will...And William..." Harmony paused...

Don't...You know...she smiled...

Yeah...he took the letters and went to his office...Where taking the seat behind his desk and eyeing his forever empty...By specific order of senior associate Liam Angel...In box...

Mr. Angel feeling Mr. Walthrop best suited to field rather than paper...Work...And requiring direct instructions on all occasions...

He began reading the first letter...

"Dear (Spike crossed out) William,

I've wanted to write you so often...Started so many times, even before Andy broke down and told us the news. I knew somehow you'd make it, just as I always knew, in the old days...Someday you'd win a soul back if anyone could.

I know I've treated you like (shit crossed out) crap and I'm sorry. But William, I was just so afraid...You meant so much to me...I was afraid I'd let my heart run away with my head. Especially after...You know, before the soul. I felt so let down, though I know in hindsight what Spike did that year was amazing...Was you, poking though to tell us you were still fighting, still alive, still capable of being a man.

More the shame on me...For not hearing your cries...I'm ashamed of that Will. I should have heard and helped, long ago. And not to support you when you first came back with that soul...I can only say, I felt I had to be careful...And I was as I said, feeling let down...Angry...

As for this year...I wasn't much better. I could've, should've made Willow reach you, even tried the resurrection spell. But everyone insisted you were at peace...That it would be cruel...And dangerous to your soul to try and bring you back. So I did nothing. I'll always be sad that it wasn't me you first saw when you first came back. (By the way, tell the bloody stupid one, he's dead meat at my hands if the stuff about him nearly letting you slide to Hell is true).

Things are good here in Rome...Lotta work with the Slayers and the new Council and I'm back in school, hoping to make it this time to graduation...

Will...I love you, I mean that. Please write or call...And come by when you can. I'll keep in touch though Harmony claims you don't want to take my calls. Which I guess I can understand, but please write me at least. If I can get to LA later this year, well...I'll try.

Of course, Buffy sends her love too.

(Right...Will sighed a moment)

Love,

Dawn..."

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