Author: Janet Lynn ([email protected])
Rating: PG.
Pairing: S/A
Warning: This deals with m/m relationships.
Genre: BtVS/AtS
Disclaimer: All things BtVS and AtS belong to Joss Whedon (my god), Mutant Enemy, etc. I own nothing, so please don�t sue me. I just want to play with the yummy beings that Joss created.
Spoilers: Season 6 of Buffy and part of season 4 of Angel just the first episode �Deep Down�.
Distribution: Just ask. I�m generous.
Summery: Buffy and Angel get together for some conversation and karaoke and a certain blonde vampire takes the mic.
Author�s Notes: This is after Angel is rescued by Wesley. He has helped Lorne rebuild Caritas (again). Buffy comes for a visit, part vacation, part information gathering on how to deal with Willow when she returns.
Authors Note 2: Part of this story is a shout out to Shanna Lynn and her story �Belly up to the Bar�. If you haven�t read it, you should and beg her to finish it.
Authors Note 3: I�m not a big fan of song fics, but I love this song and I got this idea. The song is �Bother� by Corey Taylor.
Website: http://www.geocities.com/stricken_girl/FortheFaithfulEntrance.htm
Thoughts indicated by <>
Song is indicated by italics.
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Buffy and Angel sat in the crowded bar, just chatting and drinking. It had been a long time since either one of them had gone out, much less out to a bar. Not that Caritas was a normal bar. Buffy was amazed that not only was Angel in a karaoke bar, but he was also good friends with the owner.
Lorne had practically fallen over himself when Angel and Buffy had walked in the club. Apparently Angel had told the demon that Buffy was the slayer.
�Hi there cute, blond and deadly� he had said to Buffy cordially enough. �Did cupcake here tell you the rules of this place?�
<Cupcake?> Buffy thought. She giggled at the name the green demon used to address her former boyfriend. �Yeah, he already told me. No violence of any kind.�
�Good� he sighed with relief. �After the last two times, I decided to change the spell so no violence could be committed here. I just want it to be a little safe haven, you know. All singing, no killing.�
Angel smiled at his friend. Lorne always had a way with words.
After the introductions, Lorne had led them to a table near the back of the room and made sure the new bartender knew to get them whatever they needed. He then went up on stage to introduce the next singer.
Buffy and Angel began to catch up on all the wackiness that had happened to them in the last few years. Buffy told him about coming back from the dead and Willow�s trip into darkness. Angel thought his heart might break when she told him that his little redheaded friend had almost destroyed the whole world.
�She would have done it too� the slayer said quietly, hardly believing it herself. �Xander stopped her.�
�Xander stopped her?� Angel asked, surprised that it was the boy who had saved the world. �Y
�No� Buffy said sadly. �She was too far gone in her grief. There was nothing I could do. Xander touched her humanity in a way the slayer couldn�t.� It was all still too fresh in her mind and tears came to her eyes as she remembered the look on her friend�s face as she flayed Warren alive.
Angel reached over and touched her hand gently. �So you wanted to ask me how to deal with someone who�s killed another human being?�
�Yeah� Buffy said quietly. �I just don�t know if I can look her in the eye.�
�Well, you look me in the eye and you know about all the people I killed� he said evenly.
�But this is Will we�re talking about here� she said, still not seeing his point.
�Exactly� Angel smiled at her. �And when she gets back from England, she�ll still be Willow. Everyone grows and changes, Buffy. That includes Willow�and you too. You are a lot different since the last time I saw you, you know.�
�Yeah, I died since then� she said with an uneasy smile. It made Angel laugh. It felt odd to laugh.
Now it was his turn to share. He told her about Darla and Conner. It pained him to think about his son and how much he hated him. He explained how Conner was taken to Quar-toth and came back with the mission to kill Angel. Then Conner locked him a metal coffin and sent him to rot at the bottom of the ocean. Wesley found him and now here he was, sitting in a demon bar listening to bad karaoke.
This thought made them both laugh as they listened to a large Galotsnix demon named Oliver sing �Pour Some Sugar on Me�. He was actually pretty good.
They were comfortable with each other now. So much had happened between the vampire and the slayer, but now things were different. There was no sexual tension, just old friends who needed someone understanding to listen to them.
Once Oliver was done, Buffy turned and clapped loudly. She thought he did a really good job. The two friends turned back to their conversation as the host took the microphone to introduce the next singer.
�Well, cats and kittens, we have a real treat for you coming up here� the green horned demon started. �Just in from parts unknown and willing to pour his heart out, please welcome�William the Bloody.�
Buffy and Angel almost broke their necks they whipped their heads around so fast. They couldn�t believe what they had heard. Spike had been missing from Sunnydale since Willow went on her rampage and Buffy had been unable to find him, not that she really went looking for him.
But was this really him? He was sitting on a stool near the back of the stage in the shadows. His head was down and his hair was a mess, not combed and apparently not bleached in a while. The song started and Angel immediately knew it was William. He would never forget that voice.
Wish I was too dead to cry
My self-affliction fades
Stones to throw at my creator
Masochists to which I cater
You don't need to bother;
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on,
I won't let go 'til it bleeds
�Ouch� Lorne said, suddenly standing behind Angel. �That must hurt. He doesn�t seem to like you too much.�
�He has plenty of reason to hate me� Angel said. His heart broke thinking about all the things he did to break the poor boy up on the stage.
�Not you, Angel cakes� the host said with a smile on his face at Angel�s mistake. �That�s for you cream puff.� He was nodding toward Buffy.
�What?� Angel asked confused. Why would Spike have such reason to hate Buffy?
�Spike and I�well, I used Spike. Being with him, made me feel real after�after I came back.� Buffy explained quietly as she listened to what else the blonde vampire had to sing.
Wish I was too dead to care
If indeed I cared at all
Never had a voice to protest
So you fed me shit to digest
I wish I had a reason;
my flaws are open season
For this, I gave up trying
One good turn deserves my dying
You don't need to bother;
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on,
I won't let go 'til it bleeds
Slowly, it began to dawn on Angel what was different about Spike. He was surprised he didn�t smell it before.
�He has a soul� Angel said. At first he didn�t even realize he had spoken the words aloud, but now that he had, it seemed to make it all the more real.
�And it�s eating him alive� Lorne said sadly. �I�ve never read anyone this miserable before. Not even you, pumpkin pie. He needs to know that someone still cares and will be there for him, demon and soul.�
The two friends were shocked by what the demon had said. Spike was always the type who needed someone to care for to make his existence worth something. But now that he had a soul, he needed someone who could accept both sides of him.
And the song continued.
Wish I'd died instead of lived
A zombie hides my face
Shell forgotten
with its memories
Diaries left
with cryptic entries
And you don't need to bother;
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on,
I won't let go 'til it bleeds
You don't need to bother;
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on:
I'll never live down my deceit
�He wants to tell you that he still loves you, but he�s afraid you don�t love him� Lorne said. �He needs you.�
�But I don�t love him� Buffy said quietly. �I don�t think I ever did.�
Lorne chuckled as he looked over at the blonde slayer. �Not you, pudding.� Then he gently laid his hand on Angel�s shoulder. �You.�
Angel was shocked. Spike loved him. Or maybe it was William. In his own way, he loved William and he always would but so much had happened between them. He didn�t know if they could get past that.
Lorne smiled at Angel. �I know this is hard for you, but I think this is something you both need, don�t you? You�re family, Angel. He�s calling to you.�
Angel knew he was right. From the moment the song had started, all he wanted to do was hold his hurting childe, comfort him, and tell him everything would be all right. He had done a lot to hurt Spike. Now it was time to make things right.
As the song ended, Spike got up from the stool and stumbled off the stage. This was more contact than he had had with people in a while and he felt drained. The green guy had told him that singing would help. He hoped he was right.
As Spike came off the stage, Angel stood and made his way over to his childe. Just before they met, Spike stopped short and looked up. He stared up at Angel and waited for the yelling and beating to start. The newly ensouled vampire was almost looking forward to it. He deserved it, especially from Angel.
�William?� Angel asked. He was surprised when he saw the look of fear and then tears in his stunning blue eyes.
�Yeah, mate� Spike said, hanging his head low. <So he knows>.
�You�ve got a soul� Angel said. It was not a question, so he did not receive an answer.
�Let�s get this over with� Spike sighed, preparing himself for the inevitable.
�Yes� Angel said. �Let�s.�
Suddenly, the dark vampire took the smaller man into his arms and held him tightly to his chest. Spike was shocked, but didn�t try to pull away. It felt too good to be held by someone and his sire smelled so good.
�Why?� he said as he started to weep into the older man�s chest.
�Because, William� Angel said as he slowly pulled away just enough to place his finger under his child�s chin and look down into the stunning crystal blue eyes. �I still love you.� With those words, he pulled Spike in close and kissed him softly on his trembling lips.
And at that moment, Spike knew he was home.
~The End~