Title: For the Love of Spike

Pairing: Spangel

Rating: pg-13 to start N-17 later

Summary: Angel comes to Sunndale,with only one thing on his mind,Spike and getting him back.But will it be too late? And what's wrong with Buffy?

Feedback:Please Spike will love it.

Rating:N-17

Disclaimer:Nope not mine pouts

Chapter One

Spike looked up from pouring his drink when the door slammed opened wondering who it could be this early, and dropped his glass onto the floor, there in the doorway in broad daylight no less, stood his grandsire. No that can't be her Peaches dusted her years ago-

"Hello, William. What no welcome for your dear grand mum?" She laughed at the dumb founded look on Spike's face and walked in slamming the door behind her. "Your reaction is so much more entertaining than Angelus's. He couldn't quite believe it either, but no matter I need you to do something for me, William" She walked toward Spike and as she did he snapped out of the shock induced fog he was in.

"Well, why the bloody hell not, they brought the Slayer back didn't they?" He thought to himself, and watched as Darla walked around the room picking up things here and there, examined them and then put them back where they were.

"I need you to turn me, William. Those fools brought me back human." Spike looked at her in shock, and then he busted out laughing. "You want me to turn you? That's rich, what makes you think that I want to sire you? I hate you." Darla turned towards him, fury in her eyes, and Spike took a step back, damn chip he thought, and not for the first time, but even more so now. Darla as a vampire was bad enough, but human he had no chance.

"You miserable excuse for a vampire you never had any respect for your elder's I told Angelus when he saw you, that you would be a poor excuse for a vampire but would he listen. No, he was so obsessed with you, courting you a mere mortal and a weak one at that."

Spike looked at her, and laughed. "Have you flipped your gourd Dru sired me."

Darla busted out laughing. "Oh, that's right that was what they told you." Spike looked even more confused and Darla went on. "I gave Angelus an ultimatum, he either dusted you or I would, his obsession of you knew no bounds, a sire loving his childe, who ever heard of it. But he couldn't dust you, so we made a deal he was to wipe your memories of who sired you, so we took you to a gypsy, ironically enough the same one that Angelus was cursed by, and they wiped away everything."

Spike shook his head in denial. "No I don't believe you. Angelus always hated me."

Darla looked at Spike and thought, this is just too perfect, a way to get back at Angel, and the perfect way to destroy the one vampire that she hated with all of her newly beating heart. Angelus was the only one besides herself that knew the truth, and with her newly inquired knowledge thanks to Wolfram and Hart, she can help William remember too. Softly she began to chant, and watched with glee as Spike fell to the floor in a deep sleep, and then she sat down to watch.

William watched with shining blue eyes, as his sire read from the book, he knew it would only be a matter of time before Angelus would look up and beckon him forward.

"What are you staring at, Childe?" Angelus asked a glint in his eyes that was always there of late, ever since the master had called for Darla and Drusilla two weeks ago, they had spent all of their time hunting and making love, for that was what it was, love.

William loved his sire more than anything, and his sire loved him too. "Well, are you going to answer me, Little One?" He asked again amusement coloring his voice,.

"Why you of course, Sire" William said with glee, and he continued to watch and wait.

"Well come here then, you cheeky brat. Tell me why I put up with this disrespectful childe?" Angelus asked aloud and William responded, as he curled up in his sire's lap.

"Because I'm your favorite." Angelus looked down and meant the sparkling blue eyes that he loved do much and said.

"Aye, that you are, my boy. That you are." Right before claiming that smiling mouth with his own.

Darla watched with amusement as the blonde laying on the ground twitched and moaned as if in deep pain. Ah yes revenge was sweet, Angelus will soon pay, Spike will see to it. She laughed and got up to walk out the door, now to wait and reap the benefits.

Chapter Two

Angel awoke with a start, his dreams have been Darla free for the last week, and he couldn't understand why the dreams returned but this time they were memories that he hasn't thought of in years, ones he made himself forget.

What was going on, why he suddenly started remembering those particular things, no one knew about those nights, not even Darla.

"Angel!" Cordelia's voice broke thru his sleep fogged brain, he sat up and pulled on his pants, thinking that it was another vision, he hurried down the steps only to stop whenever he spotted Darla standing in the lobby.

"What do you want, Darla?" He asked anger in his voice.

"Well to talk to you of course." She told him, his eyes narrowed when he heard the glee in her voice.

"What could we possibly have to talk about? We said all there was to say

a week ago."

"Having some interesting dreams lately, Angelus?" She asked him humor coloring her voice.

"What's she talking about, Angel? I thought you said that the weird you was gone." Cordelia asked him.

Angel meant Darla's eyes, and he didn't like what he saw there, she knew something, something about the dream he had last night.

"There's nothing wrong, Cordy. Darla and I are just going to have a little chat, shall we?" He gestured towards his office and Darla walked in, he followed her and shut the door behind them. When they sat down he looked at her and said.

"Alright what are you playing at, Darla?" He asked her and she laughed.

"Having some interesting dreams? Ones about our William perhaps?" she asked him.

"He was never your William, Darla." Angel said before he could stop himself.

"That's right, Angelus. And according to him he was never yours either, right? At least he didn't think so, not until recently anyways." She watched with amusement as he slowly started to catch onto her meaning, his face paling even more.

"What did you do?" He asked her, and when he heard her reply he was up before he knew it, and had her by her neck against the wall.

"Interesting little spell you were under wasn't, Angelus? Pity that poor little William is experiencing the same thing right about now, only his won't make him long for the old days I'm afraid. Think he'll hate you more now? Now, that he knows that you lied to him about everything, that you chose me over him. That you did the one thing that you promised you would never do? Stop loving him. How will poor little William feel?"

"You, bitch. What did you do?" He asked her, Cordelia hearing the noise ran into the room, seeing that Angel was slowly choking the life out of Darla she grabbed his arm.

"Angel, what are you doing?" Angel let her go and walked over to the window, looking out it he thought about the dream last night, if Spike was remembering what must he be feeling right now? Will he even care?

Chapter Three

Spike woke up with a start, tears running down his face. He sat up and grabbed his duster, pulling out his cigarettes he lit one, his hands shaking so badly that he could barely hold the lighter steady. He remembered everything, all of Angelus's lies; they came rushing back as soon as he opened his eyes. He remembered the last night that he and Angelus spent together.

He remembered his turning and the nights of loving everything, and it was all lies. How could he have been so gullible? He laughed brokenly to believe that anyone could ever love him. But to have your own sire disown you, that was worse than anything in the world.

The door flew open causing him to jump, he looked to see who it was, and didn't anyone believe in knocking these days?

"Spike, where were you? You didn't show up for patrol,." The Slayer's voice was accusing and Spike stood up and turned around not wanting her to see his tears. "Not that I'm complaining mind you. It was nice for a change not to see you or hear you for that matter." Buffy trailed off when she saw that Spike wasn't listening, fed up with being ignored and for that matter just fed up with him period she walked over and jerked him around, ready to let him have it, the chip be damned and drew in a breath. Spike was crying, and he looked like he had been for awhile.

"What's the matter with you?" She asked not really caring; except that whatever this was about made her ruin a new pair of pants because he wasn't there to help her.

He laughed and she flinched at the naked pain so obvious, he didn't look this bad even after Drusilla had left him.

"Nothing to worry you about, Slayer. Lot's of beasties out tonight then? Must have been for you to want my company." Buffy shrugged and said.

"Who would ever want your company, Spike?"

"No one, Luv. No one. So then what did you want a little cold comfort then?"

Buffy hit him, knocking him across the room, he got up and stood there waiting for her to make her next move, it always started out this way, her hitting him then she would impale herself down onto him until she got what she came for, then she would kick him in the head and run, seems like that was all he would ever be could for, wonder if she'll do the whole mind wipe thing too? Not wanting to wait around to find out he grabbed his coat and ran out the door, his only thought was that he had to get away from everything, something had to give or he would greet the coming sunrise.

Chapter Four

Angel looked at the phone and he debated, it had been two weeks since Darla had informed him of her recent bout of let's make Angel crazy. And the dreams just kept coming, there was no let up to them, and they were tarring him apart. Each one was filled with Williams's laughter and his blue eyes lighting up with glee, and they were breaking his heart. What was Spike going thru right now? And why did he care? They had long since become enemies. (But whose fault is that? William was never evil and he was so innocent and he loved you so much) Angel threw the cup that he drank his morning breakfast out of against the wall. Damn it he had to know how he was, when he heard of the chip that was put it Spike's head it was all he could do not to go there and kill the bastards that dared to touch his boy, but in the end he didn't, and not knowing especially now how he was, it was driving him crazy. He drew an unneeded sigh and picked up the phone, dialing the number that Willow had given him after Buffy had died he waited for someone to pick up.

"Magic Box, How may I help you to spend lot's of money?" There was a scuffle and then Giles voice came over the phone.

Hello, Magic Box."

"Giles." Angel started "How are things there?" There was a tense silence on the other end, then.

"Angel, hello. What can I do to help you?" Buffy who was sitting at the table got up and walked over to where Giles was talking on the phone.

"Uh I was just wondering how everything was there." Angel asked hesitantly.

"Everything is fine here, why do you ask?" Giles asked him, puzzled; Angel never called unless he needed to warn them about something. Angel not knowing how else to ask what he needed to know came right out and asked.

"How's Spike?"

"Spike?" Buffy looked away thinking oh, no what does he know? He couldn't know. No one did. She was going to kill Spike if he called and told him.

"Yes, Spike. He is still in Sunnydale isn't he?"

"Yes, he's still here." Giles answered more confused than ever now. Why was Angel so interested in Spike all of the sudden?

"Well, how has he been acting?"

"Angel, do you know something we don't? Did Spike get the chip out?" Giles asked him, worried now that maybe that's why Spike hasn't been around in the last week.

"No, nothing like that. Can you answer the question please I need to know."

Angel said, getting desperate now, why would they ask him something like that, they see him everyday don't they?

"Well, I just assumed maybe you knew something. Spike hasn't been around in days." If Angel's heart was beating it would've stopped after hearing that.

"What do you mean? How long has he been missing?"

"I didn't say he was missing. I said that he hasn't been around." Getting fed up with the third degree Giles asked. "What's going on, Angel? Why the sudden interest in Spike?" Before he could hear Angel's reply the door flew open, and Dawn came rushing in, out of breath and hysterical.

"Buffy. It's Spike!" Angel heard Dawn and waited to see what was going on.

"Dawn, What about Spike? I thought I told you to stay away from him." Buffy's voice next, what was going on there?

"Holler at me later. Spike's hurt badly, Buffy." Dawn told Buffy tears in her voice. Angel felt something tare inside him, his boy was hurt, that meant only one of two things. Either he was hurt patrolling for Buffy, or he got drunk and picked a fight, one he knew that he couldn't possibly win, because that was what his boy did when he was hurting.

"I could care less about Spike being hurt, Dawnie. And where were you at to find this out, huh?" Buffy asked her and Angel felt a deep rage build up inside of him at this comment, how badly was his childe hurt, and why did the one person who he helped every night not care?

"I was on my way home from Janice's and I saw him alright! He was bleeding, and when I asked him what happened he said he was alright unfortunately, his words, not mine. He looked awful his face was all banged up and he had a huge slash going across his stomach. You have to help him, Buffy." Dawn screamed upset that her best friend was so hurt and didn't seem to care.

"Listen, Dawn Spike is a vampire and he will heal." Angel couldn't believe what he was hearing, and he felt Angelus rattle his cage, he stopped him just barely and said to Giles.

"What is going on there?"

"Angel, oh I'm sorry. I'd forgotten you were on the phone." Giles said.

"Obviously, now can you please explain to me what is going on with my BOY!" Angel screamed, just letting a little bit of Angelus out to play.

"Yes, well I say. No need to be rood, and your boy?" Giles asked.

"Yes, Giles. My boy now answer the damn question!"

Giles worried now and not just a little bit scared answered.

"Angelus?"

"NO! This is not fucking Angelus, its Angel and you're pissing me off, tell-"

"Angel, Spike needs your help." Dawn grabbed the phone out of an unsuspecting Giles's hand.

"Dawn, what's going on there?" Angel asked her, glad to finally get someone who cared about his boy's welfare on the phone.

"Spike's hurt. I never seen him this hurt, even when he fell off the tower, he wasn't this hurt." Dawn said in a rush, trying to get everything out before Buffy took the phone off of her. "I walked him home and when we got there I went to the fridge to get him some blood, but it was empty, Angel. He always has some, and when I asked him if he wanted me to get him some, he told me not to bother he already ate. He was lying, I know he was because some of those injuries, they were old and they should've healed by now."

That's when Angel knew, he knew that his Will was in pain, he remembered everything, and now he was hurting and by the sounds of things, he was hurting in a bad way, he needed to get to him.

"I'm on my way, Dawn. I'll be there before dawn." He hung up the phone and grabbed his keys and walked right passed a stunned Cordelia.

"Angel, wait where are you going?" She hollered after him.

"Sunnydale." Was all he told her not stopping he just went out the door, vowing to himself that if anything happens to his boy, Darla would die, slowly, and so would a certain Slayer who dare to dismiss his childe's suffering so easily.

Chapter Five

Sunnydale never seemed so far away, Angel thought as he passed the welcome to Sunnydale sign, but now that he was here he didn't know where to go, how stupid can he be, and how sad is it that he didn't even know where his childe lived, he turned the car towards town and headed for the Magic Box, someone there would tell him where his boy was or heads were going to roll.

He pulled in front of the Magic Box and shut the car off, taking the keys out of the ignition he walked over to the door, seeing a light on inside he was shocked to find it locked, he banged on it and waited for someone to answer.

The door opened and a woman of whom he never seen before answered.

"We're closed now, but if you have money you want to spend, you can come in."

"An, it's not good to invite total strangers in, Hellmouth remember all kinds of things that want to eat you."

Angel having heard Xander Harris knew he had the right place, and he walked in. Xander looked at who walked in the door and seeing the look on his face wished that he had a stake handy.

"See, Anya, things that want to eat you, standing right there. Oh, God. Buffy! Angelus is back and he's come to eat us." Xander screamed becoming hysterical he knew that look, from his nightmares, that was Angelus standing there, and he looked pissed.

Buffy came running out of the training room stake in hand and stopped when she saw Angel.

"Angel?" She asked and slowly moved forward, stake ready in case Xander was right.

"No, Buffy. Watch him, don't let him fool you, he'll kill us all."

Angel looked at the scene that was playing out in front of him and couldn't believe his eyes; did these children never grow up?

"No, Xander, not Angelus. If I were do you really think you'd still be alive? I only came to see which one of you will show me where Spike is living."

Xander relaxed, and said. "Well, Dead boy ,why didn't you say that wanted to find Spike? Going to stake him put us out of our misery? "Angel calmly walked over to him and grabbed him by his shirt, and Xander gulped, seeing the look of fury in his eyes and suddenly wasn't so sure that this wasn't Angelus. Buffy walked over and went to grab Angel's arm only to be throwed back against the wall forcibly, Angel turned to her and said.

"I need to find Spike; I didn't come here to kill anyone, at least not yet." He said and glanced at Xander who grabbed Anya's hand and started inching towards the door. "Dawn said he was injured and I need to find him." Angel told them softly, his voice so soft, though it didn't disguise the steel in it. Buffy stood up, angry now that Angel, her Angel came here looking for the bleach blonde menace she should've staked long ago.

"Why the sudden Spike obsession?" she asked him.

"Look I don't have time for this." Angel said frustrated, now that he was here he could feel his childe's pain and it was causing Angelus to rattle his cage much more furiously and Angel wasn't too happy either. "Can someone please just point me in the direction that Spike is in?"

"Oh, that's easy he lives in a crypt in the cemetery." Anya told him, pulling away from Xander who was trying to pull her out the door.

"Thank you." Angel told her and turned around and walked out the door not sparing anyone with a backward glance.

After he left everyone looked at one another in stunned silence.

"Ok that was freaky. Even for Angel." Xander said.

"Oh, that was Buffy's ex? I bet he gives nice orgasms." Anya said and Xander looked at her shocked. "What? I'm only saying the truth."

Buffy just shook her head, and then turned to Xander. "I got to follow him; if Angelus is back and he's looking for Spike then this could only lead to no good. Xander call Will we may need her to restore Angel's soul again. Anya, call Giles let him know what's going on, tell him not to invite Angel in if he shows up at his house." That said she turned and sprinted for the door.

Chapter Five

Angel stopped outside the crypt, not knowing what to say now that he was here and his childe was on the other side of the door, how to take away the pain that he knew his boy was in, one hundred and forty years of lies. Damn Darla, he knew that there was more than the soul standing between him and his boy now. Angel opened the door and walked it, stopping as the smell of his boy's blood hit him, he looked around trying to spot the one thing he finally realized meant more to him than his soul, or redemption. Cursing himself for his own stupidity he shut the door behind him.

Spike looked up when he heard the door and thought that his life could get no worse and realized he was wrong when he saw who it was standing there.

He closed his eyes chanting to himself, he won't be there when I open my eyes. He opened his eyes and nope still there.

"What do you want?" He asked not caring that his voice was hoarse from all the crying he couldn't seem to stop. "Come to stake me?"

Angel flinched at the defeat in Spike's voice, is there a way to make this right? "No, Will-"

"Don't call me that!" Spike said jumping up from the chair he was sitting on, bloody hell not more tears.

"Will, please…" Angel started. Reaching a hand out to him, wanting to touch him.

"No, don't come any closer, Angel. Just stay away. You have no right to come here." Spike said his voice breaking. "Why? Why, Sire?" He cried, giving up the pretense of being the Big Bad, broken finally, realizing that Drusilla wasn't the one who held his heart in her hands, that it was this man standing before him that always did. He knew now that it was all for show, his Spike image, that underneath he was always William the poor lost boy who thought he found the true meaning to his existence, when Angelus had found him.

"Please, Will. Let me explain-"

The door flung open, and Buffy walked in.

"Oh, for the love of- why don't you two just have your little reunion, I'm leaving." Spike walked towards the door, Angel grabbed his arm when he walked passed and Spike stopped, Angel not taking his eyes of the precious sight of his boy said.

"You are going no where, she is." Angel told him and not letting go of Spike he turned to Buffy. "Buffy, I am trying to have a conversation with my childe could you leave?" He said this thru clenched teeth, why was this happening again? Oh yeah Darla. Killing is too good for her, must torture then kill. Angel felt it happening, and couldn't believe the feeling of peace Angelus quit fighting for dominance and merged with the soul, Angelus was back and he was sane this time.

"No, Angel I can't. If you're even Angel at all. Because that so was not him back there at the Magic Box." Spike who by now was tired of everything pulled his arm away from Angel and opened the door, seeing the sun was rising he thru his hands up in the air and went downstairs.

Angel after watching him go turned back to Buffy.

"The soul is still here, Buffy. Barely, but still here. Now, that you know would you please leave me in peace so I can speak with my childe."

"That's the second time that you referred to him as your childe everyone knows that Drusilla sired him."

Not going to explain to Buffy what is a very personal matter, something that she would never in a million years comprehend Angel said nothing, just stood there gazing at the spot where he last saw his boy.

"Angel, talk to me what is the matter with you?" Buffy asked.

"What's the matter with me, you ask? I'll tell you what the matter with me is. My life is falling down around me, and I have to sit here and listen to a child who could possibly never understand what my boy is going thru right now. So as I said before leave, I need to speak with William and that is what is important right now." Saying that he went to where he last saw Spike and dropped down the hole, leaving a furious slayer behind.

Angel found his boy in bed; the covers wrapped around him tightly, curled up in a fetal position, and sighed. Something's never change, when something got to his Will if he couldn't block it out by drinking and fighting then he turned to the comfort of sleep, the only thing missing was him, he always held him when things got to be to rough, when Darla and her tongue got to sharp for his boy's sensitive feelings, he'd find him in bed and would pull him into his arms, comfort, sire comfort, something he gave up the right to do.

He walked over and sat down on the bed, running his hands thru the curls he missed so much he sat and watched his boy sleep.

Chapter Six

Angel jerked awake when he heard the door open, not believing he fell asleep with all the turmoil in his life right now, he stood up and stretched. He looked down at the sleeping vampire on the bed and sighed, how was he possibly going to make this up to him?

Darla picked the one thing to focus on that had the slightest possibility of bringing Angelus back. William had always been his week spot, the one thing that Angelus ever loved; sure he felt the normal sire childe bond with Drusilla, but the all consuming love? That was for William alone.

When Darla had given her ultimatum Angelus was enraged, he couldn't lose his boy, even if he took him and ran he knew there would be no place on this earth that they would be safe from her. So he agreed to the proposal that Darla put forth to him. Erase William's memories; make him believe that it was Drusilla that sired him, turn all that love and devotion that William had showered on him to her. And the results were everything that Darla wanted, not being able to stand the indifference in his boy's eyes he turned the rage of that grief towards making his life unbearable. He whipped William, lashed him with his cold words, and sat and watched helplessly as his sweet William turned into Spike.

After that it all became a blur, Darla's gift of the gypsy and the soul afterwards, he longed then for his sweet boy, he would have given anything to have him back.

He jumped when he heard someone coming down the ladder, thinking it was Buffy again and not believing that she would have the audacity to return to were she clearly wasn't wanted, he turned around ready to let a little Angelus come to fore, only to find a hesitant Dawn standing at the bottom of the ladder.

"Angel?" She asked uncertainly, having heard Willow and Buffy talking and wanting to be sure.

"Yes, Dawn. Angel, soul is still here."

Dawn let out a sigh of relief, and then sat her book bag down and walked over to the bed, anxious to see that Spike was alright. "He's sleeping right now." He told her when she glanced anxiously at him.

"Will he be alright, Angel?" She asked him.

"Some rest and blood should help-"Angel started to say only to trail off when Spike moaned and thrashed out in his sleep.

"They won't be back for awhile, Sire?" William asked, as the door shut behind Darla and Drusilla, the masters summoning of Darla was always a welcome time for the young fledge.

Angelus turned and looked down at his boy, the excitement was rolling off of him in waves, at the thought of having his precious sire all to himself. Then Angelus laughed, before pulling him into his arms and kissing him passionately, pulling back slightly he ran a finger down the face that was so dear to him and said.

"Yes, little one they will be gone for awhile so what shall we do to pass the time, huh?" William peeked at his sire from under sinfully long lashes and said mischievously. "Shag?"

Angelus thru back his head and roared with laughter, when he calmed down enough to talk he responded.

"Aye, me boy there will be plenty of that. But for now let's sit down in front of the fire and enjoy it, hmm?"

End of flashback.

Spike woke up with a jerk; the first thing he registered was that he was in pain and his stomach was letting him know that it has had nothing in it besides whiskey for the last two weeks. The second thing he noticed was that he was not alone; he opened his eyes and looked around only to close them again quickly when he saw the object of his dreams standing beside a very worried looking Dawn.

Dawn! Bloody hell, the bit was going to get him staked. He resigned himself to having to let Angel know he was awake and sat up.

"Spike! You're awake." Dawn screamed before throwing herself at the unsuspecting blonde, he winced as he caught her and then he pulled her close, needing the reassurance of the love she so effortlessly gave him, he closed his eyes when he felt the tears start to form in his eyes, yes, it was official William was back, and there was nothing he could do about it. He tightened his grip before setting her away from him.

"Bit, don't you have school?" He asked her and winced at the hoarseness of his voice.

"Uh huh. But I had to come and see that you were alright." He looked into her eyes and saw the concern in them and tried to smile she was so much like Joyce, what was it about the Summers that made you love them so much? Summers women, Buffy, oh bloody hell need to get the Bit out of here, the slayer always seemed to know when Dawn visited, and he always paid in blood for it.

"Bit, you have to get to school, and by now you're probably late. Let me get dressed, and I'll drive you, like old times ok?" He said seeing the way out of two messes, one Buffy's anger and two the conversation with Angel that he didn't want to have. He swung his legs around to the floor and stood up swaying slightly, Angel rushed forward to catch him and he jumped back not wanting his sire's touch right now, needing it too much.

"Spike, you're in no condition-" Angel started to say only to have Spike cut him off. "Look been taking care of myself for a long time now, master vampire here. " He told him angrily, not knowing who he was trying to convince himself or Angel.

"I know that, Will-"

"Quit calling me that!" Spike screamed pain and tears clogging his voice making it almost unrecognizable. "You have no right to call me that. I am going to take the Bit to school don't be here when I get back, if nothing else you owe me that. Just stay away, Angel. I can't do this right now."

Dawn looked back and forth with wide eyes not believing what she was seeing or hearing. She felt a tug on her hand and looked back over to see that Spike was pulling her towards the tunnels, not wanting to resist and give the blonde yet more pain to deal with she followed him, but not before one last glance at Angel, he was wiping tears from his eyes, what was going on here? And why did she feel that maybe she should've never come here? Because the two vampires so obviously needed to talk.

Chapter Seven

Angel watched as Spike, no Will, because the hurt and disappointment in those blue eyes was all William, that he knew for certain, Darla had succeeded in doing something that even the return of an insane Angelus never managed to do, she broke his boy, and for that alone she will face his wrath. Vowing to make things right no matter how long it took, Angel reached into his pocket and pulled out the cell phone that Cordy insisted that he carry and dialed the hotel.

"Angel Investigations, we help the helpless, how may I help you?"

"Cordelia, it's me, I'm going to be lunged than I thought so unless there is something you can't handle, I'll be staying here indefinitely."

"What? Angel what are you talking about? Indefinitely? Is something wrong there? Do you need some help?"

"No, I don't need any help, thanks. This is personal; I'll explain it all to you some other time right now I have arrangements to make." With that he clicked the phone off and started dialing, he would need a place to stay, and not the mansion it would bring back too many painful memories for his boy, it was unacceptable for him to be here in this damp crypt. And then he would go about making things right.

"Hello."

"It's me. I need a place, in Sunnydale, by tonight spare no expenses. I want it nice and I want it by tonight."

"Angelus?" The voice on the other line asked.

"Yes, are we clear?" Angel asked.

"Yes, yes very clear."

"Just making sure. Time is wasting." Angel started to hang up when the voice said.

"Oh and, Angelus?"

"What?" He asked impatiently.

"Welcome back." Angel said nothing he just smiled and hung up the phone.

They had been walking for awhile when Dawn not able to stand the silence anymore said. "What was that back there, Spike?" Spike looked over at Dawn and then he wished for the hundredth time that he had grabbed his duster on the way out the door, he needed a cigarette.

"What was what, Bit?" He asked hoping to divert her, she was a smart one his sweet Bit.

"All that back there with you and Angel. Don't try and tell me I won't understand. You never treated me like a kid before so don't start now."

Spike looked away from those way beyond their years, knowing eyes, she saw too much and he wasn't ready to talk about it.

"If there was anything to know you would be the first one I'd tell."

"Bullshit, Spike. This is me remember I know you. We held each other together after Buffy died. And I haven't seen that look since Buffy died so spill." Spike met her eyes and she drew in a breath at the look of devastation in his eyes.

"Not right now, Dawn. It's all still new and too painful." She searched his eyes looking for something to give her the indication that the Spike she knew, the brash implosive, life loving vampire that she grew to love despite everything Buffy did to stop her, and found no trace of him. In his place was someone who looked like everything he ever believed in was ripped away from him. She knew that look, for she wore the same look herself when she found out she was the key and every memory that she ever had was based on a lie that some monks implanted into everyone's memories. And she knew that she would be there for him just like he was there for her. She nodded and then looked up shocked to see they were at the Desoto, so she opened up the door and climbed in and waited for Spike to drive her to school.

Chapter Eight

Buffy walked into the Magic Box, when she talked to Giles last night they had agreed to meet here, she still couldn't believe everything that happened the night before. Angel was back and he didn't come back for her, he came back for Spike of all people, and he was acting so strangely too. Like Angelus only without the insane want to end the world attitude. All that was missing from this three ring circus was Drusilla and Darla.

"Hey, Buffy." Willow said to her and she snapped out of her musings at looked at the one person she should be able to talk to about anything, and nothing, still that same resentment that she felt since she punched her way out of her coffin and discovered that she was the one responsible for her being back here. Throwing her world into a tail spin so much so that she was forced to sleep with evil to feel anything but the coldness that has been invading her every waking moment.

"Willow. Is Giles here yet?" She asked, and the smile faded from Willow's face and she nodded.

"Yeah, he's in the training room." Buffy said nothing more just walked over to the door, opening it she walked in, leaving behind a hurt Willow.

Giles looked up from the book he was reading and sighed, Buffy has changed so much, he thought to himself, she cares so little about the things that go on around her, where she used to take charge now she just sets back and let's someone else take over.

"Hey, Giles." He nodded at her, and continued with his musings , when Xander had called last night and told him what was going on and that Buffy went right into action, he had such great hopes that she gotten over whatever it was that bothering her only to have them all come crashing down after talking to her last night.

"Giles, are you listening to me?" Buffy's impatiently said.

"Oh, what? I'm sorry, Buffy. I didn't hear you."

"I said do you think that Angel lost his soul?" Giles sighed and took of his glasses, cleaning them.

"I really don't know, Buffy. I wasn't here last night. How was he acting?"

Buffy got a frown on her face and responded.

"He was all, tell me where Spike lives, and he got all grrr a couple of times."

Giles looked thoughtful for a minute and then he said.

"Perhaps we should call Cordelia because after all she does work with him and she would know if he has been acting strangely or not-"

"Yes, why don't you do that, Giles? There's something I forgot to do."

Giles watched helplessly as Buffy yet again left in the middle of something that she as the slayer should be worried about.

Buffy walked thru the cemetery her anger building with each step, Spike has had to tell Angel about them, that's the only reason he could possibly be treating her this way. And she was going to find out exactly what it was he told him. She kicked open the door and walked in to see Spike sitting on the chair watching TV saying nothing she walked over and grabbed him up and threw him against the wall.

"Wow, Luv and you're not even invisible-"He started only to fade off when she punched him in the nose. "Bloody hell always the nose."

"Save it, Spike. What did you tell him?" She asked him and when he just looked at her not answering she punched him again. "What lies have you told Angel? Huh Spikie, what little lies did you make up?"

Spike looked at her and wondered how he ever could've thought she would love him. He let her continue to beat on him on raising a hand to defend himself just fading off into the world that he was fast finding to be were he was spending all of his time lately. It didn't register at first that the pounding had stopped; he looked up to find Angel fighting with Buffy.

Chapter Nine

Spike watched dispassionately, as Angel and Buffy fought, the sound of flesh meeting flesh, causing him to flinch and jump and sent him back in time into yet another memory that was slowly tarring his world apart.

Flashback

William flinched and held back yet another scream of pain as the whip meant his back with unfailing accuracy; he had lost count as to how many lashes that Angelus in his fury had given him. He still didn't quite understand what had set him off this time, it seemed these days anything did.

In a fog of pain he heard Darla's laughter and encouragement of the torture that seemed would never end. Perhaps this time Angelus would make good to his threat of dusting him.

"Did you learn your lesson yet, boy?" Angelus's cruel voice intruded into William's musings. The whip came down yet again this time it sliced to the bone, not able to stop himself this time William cried out. His last thought before darkness overcame him was have to get out of here, take Dru and leave.

End flashback

Spike came back to reality just in time to watch in horror as Buffy went to stake Angel. "NO!" Spike screamed and Angel having heard Spike's scream dropped into a roll and sweeping Buffy's legs out from under her, he dived to the side and dropped into an easy fighting stance and waited for the slayer's next move. "What's the matter with you, Angel?" Buffy asked angrily.

"Why nothing is the matter except that I come in here and find you beating on my childe." Angel told her, his eyes flashing yellow. He waited watching her for any sign of movement, when she just stood there doing nothing he walked over to where Spike was standing and reaching out to grasp his chin, he turned his face to the side examining it for possible breaks, seeing that there was only bruising marring the delicate features of his boy, he drew in an unneeded sigh before saying to Buffy his eyes never leaving the beautiful creature before him. "I am going to leave and take William with me, and you are going to let me, please Buffy don't make me kill you." He said this softly, his voice all the more lethal in his softness

"And just what makes you think I'm going to let you step one foot out of here, Angelus?" Buffy asked him stance ready to attack at the first sign of movement from the vampire before her, she didn't recognize this Angelus before her he was just as aggressive as before but the insaneness was gone, he looked focused and ready for anything his confidence in being able to kill her was terrifying. "You couldn't kill me before, remember Agatha? What makes you think you can now?" Her eyes widened when he laughed.

"You think that insane creature that you meant before was the real Angelus, Buffy? Hardly, and for the record the soul, it's still there, just a little less broody." Spike who up and until now just stood there and listened, chuckled, but the sound was heartbreaking, broken.

"He's right you, Luv. The soul is still there I can smell it all over him." Angel's gaze having left him, jerked back at the sound of his voice.

"You alright, little one?" Angel asked him and Spike flinched at the familiar nickname, that until recently he couldn't remember ever being called and looked away. "Why do you care, Angelus?" He asked.

Angel watched as his boy shed yet more tears and once again cursed Darla, the vampire standing before him had no traces of the cocky self assured Spike, instead he was the fledge that had stood before him all those years ago tears streaming down his face at seeing his sire in bed with Darla, and the promise that she had spoken of so lightly came back to Angel.

Flashback

Darla had just come in from hunting and tired of Angelus ignoring her and her needs, she had done something that she hadn't done since he was a fledge, used her power as his sire to make him bed her. He had done so, and the results had been devastating to the young fledge that had walked in on the coupling. Angelus seeing the devastation in his sweet boy's eyes had pulled away immediately and rushed over to him; taking his sobbing childe into his arms he made a promise before claiming his lips in a passionate kiss.

"She made me, little one. But this I promise yea it's you, my blue eyed nymph that I love and I will always love yea. You are my heart, childe."

End flashback

Angel who by now was desperate to ease some of his childe's pain, pulled the struggling vampire into his arms and whispered the same words that he did all those years ago. "You are my heart, childe." Spike's eyes widened at the familiar words, and he stiffened and then melted into the arms of his sire, his head turned into Angel's neck, breathing in the reassuring smell that was Angelus.

Angel closed his eyes as if in deep pain as he savored the feel of having his boy in his arms again. Forgetting all about the stunned slayer that stood two feet away. He picked Spike up and started walking towards the door.

Buffy watched in shock as Angel whispered something in Spike's ear that caused him to melt into his arms as if he had always belonged there, and then Angel picked Spike up as if he was a baby and carried him out the door. She shook herself out of her shock then took off after them only to see the tail lights of Angel's car lights fading into the darkness.

Chapter Ten

Angel looked over at a sleeping Spike and smiled, some things never change it seems, his Will still breathed while sleeping, then he turned his eyes back to the road and started to brood.

He knew that despite the easiness of getting William into the car that it was far from over, his boy didn't give in this easily, the temporary shock in hearing the words that he had whispered so long ago had put Spike into a temporary shock.

He pulled into the driveway of the mansion that his contact had found and sighed, the place was the total opposite of the one he had on Crawford Street, this one was not as big but it was elegant, the gardens that surrounded the back yard would please his boy who always loved the smell of lilacs blooming, he knew that was the reason that Spike always associated the smell of lilacs with Drusilla siring of him, he had laid William in a bed covered with them while he awaited for his precious to arise and begin his life as a immortal creature of the night, not baring even to be separated from him even then. This was one of the many things that infuriated Darla, having returned from a trip to the master's lair, to find that he had turned the mortal that he had been so obsessed with when she had left, and she found that he had not only turned and bedded the boy but he also refused to teach the boy to hunt.

"He's a vampire, Angelus. He's supposed to hunt, and kill it's what we do." She had screamed at him. And he had refused adamantly saying.

"He's not ready yet. I don't know if he ever will be. He feeds-" Angelus was interrupted by the infuriated vampiress.

"From you! He feeds from you, Angelus. That boy is a disgrace to our lineage and he should be staked." Angelus who by now was angry, so angry in fact that he had grabbed Darla around her neck and told her.

"You touch my boy and it will be you who winds up on the other side of the stake."

Angel remembered the time they had in teaching William the art of hunting after the spell, having had no experience at all. The three year old fledge had went days without feeding, not having the ability to understand why you had to kill the beings he found so fascinating, it had taken many beatings from him to get the vampire to kill. And each time he had to raise a whip to his boy and watch as the fledges blue eyes had filled with tears, had slowly killed something inside Angelus , each time the whip sliced into his skin cutting that alabaster skin he longed to kiss and caress with devotion as he once had the right to do. Hurt him so much that he would sometimes leave the room in tears.

Angel turned to his sleeping boy and gently shook his shoulder, knowing that this too would meet no resistance as William never was easy to awaken fully. The bleach blonde slowly opened sleep fogged blue eyes and smiled at Angel. "Sire." He said and allowed his beloved sire to lift him into his arms, snuggling deep into his embrace Spike purred and went back to sleep, if Angel's heart could beat it would have stopped right then at William's familiar response to his gentle awakening.

Spike awoke to unfamiliar surroundings, this definitely wasn't his crypt. The bed he was lying in was so soft that his slight form had melded into it; he sat up and looked around him in puzzlement. The room was shrouded in darkness the only light coming from the fire blazing in the fireplace. He got up and was shocked to find that he was naked, then it all came back, he had left willingly with Angel, and that meant that Angel had taken off his clothes. Not knowing how he felt about this Spike went into the bathroom which was connected to his room for a shower. The last thing he remembered was Angel carrying him out of his crypt. He knew that Angel wanted to talk and by the way he was acting he also wanted to become a part of his life again, but he was scared and that in it's self was bad enough, he hadn't felt this way since his first kill, and he wasn't all that sure of hearing Angel out, the pain of everything still to fresh and he didn't think that he could take Angel telling him why he chose Darla over him. He also knew that Spike would've staked Angel before he'd let him even within spitting range of him, but along with the return of his memories, William had also returned and he was cowering in a corner with the discovery of everything he had done as Spike, William was never prone to violence and Angelus had indulged his favored childe in this as in so many other human qualities that the fledge refused to shed and had let him feed off of him, thus deepening the bond between them to such a point that William wouldn't let his beloved sire stray too far without him, becoming jittery and hysterical whenever this happened, and Spike feared that this all too familiar emotion was starting to reappear, as he felt the feeling of abandonment take him over and before he could stop himself, he ran from the room in search of his sire, knowing that all would not be well in this strange flunk he seemed to have fallen into until he felt the strong arms of his sire wrapped around him once more.

Chapter Eleven

Angel awakened from a deep sleep to find a sobbing Spike standing beside his bed, and he saw something that he thought he'd never see again shining from the eyes of his boy, a deep abiding fear, and that's when he knew what Darla's insane scheme had accomplished, Spike's returning memories had sent him into a chasm of pain and fear so deep that he had fully reverted back to William, and that in itself proved to him beyond all shadow of a doubt that his boy was standing at the edge of an emotional break down that could destroy him altogether. Pushing back the covers Angel held his arms out to his boy and soon his arms was full of the shaking blonde and he knew just what his boy needed to have to stop the fear that had him clenched in it's grip.

"Feed, Will. Sire is here and he loves you." He closed his eyes as he felt William's face shift into the beautiful features that he had given him, and purred as William sank his fangs into his nipple, feeling his manhood stiffen with arousal at the longed for feeling of his childes suckling at his breast. Pulling William on top of him he snuggled further down into the bed and soon both sire and childe faded into a deep sleep.

When Buffy strode into the living room Dawn knew right away that something was the matter, but then again lately something was always the matter where Buffy was concerned. When Dawn first realized that it was Buffy and not the bot she thought that all her dreams were answered to have her sister back was the best thing in the world to have happened, but she was wrong. The Buffy that Willow so mistakenly thought she was helping by brining her back is nothing like the Buffy that returned from the great beyond.

This Buffy was mean and self centered, not focusing on the things that really mattered, like life and living it, she just focused on her own problems. And she thought that no one knew what she did in her spare time, but Dawn did she seen the bruises on Spike and the hopeful looks that he always sent her way when he thought no one was the wiser.

She got home from school early one day last week and she witnessed first hand Buffy's abusive behavior towards Spike, and yet he was supposed to be the one without a soul.

"Dawnie?" Dawn came back to earth with a thump.

"Mmm?" she answered.

"I've been standing here for the last five minutes trying to get your attention. What are you still doing up?" Buffy asked her impatiently.

"Homework. Five page essay due by tomorrow." Dawn told her.

"Well hurry up you got school tomorrow." Buffy said as she walked out of the room. Dawn watched her leave and shook her head, something was defiantly wrong with Buffy and she only hopes that something will give before Buffy does something that she'd never forgive herself for.

Angel woke with a start, something was lying on top of him and he couldn't move. And then the events from the night before came crashing down on him and he tightened his arms around the sleeping vampire in his arms, not wanting to wake him but needing to see his face Angel gently shifted him until they were lying on their sides facing one another, giving him full view to his sleeping childe's face. Even in sleep Will's face, was still drawn in lines of the misery he was feeling, like even in sleep he couldn't quite let go of the pain, and he knew that his childe had a long way to go to come to terms with everything that he was feeling. He stiffened when he saw Spike's eyes flutter and then slowly open, before the blonde could open his mouth, and no doubt say something designed to cover the vulnerability he showed last night Angel said. "I think it's time for that talk." Spike stiffened then relaxed nodding, knowing that despite not wanting to he had to at least hear Angel out. Reluctantly pulling out of the reassuring arms of his sire he scooted up and leaned on the bed railing waiting for Angel to start.

"I know that Darla came to see you-" Despite his resolve to listen to Angel explanation Spike moved to get out of the bed. "And I know what she did," Angel finished quickly and Spike turned and met Angel's eyes for the first time since this all began. "Now, I'll try to explain to you why I did what I did. When I first saw you, I knew I had to have you, your beauty was something that I never seen before, man or woman. So I knew that I had to possess you totally, Darla seen this and she knew that you would be different that my obsession over Drusilla, she even went so far as to forbid me to have any contact with you, and I agreed knowing that she would be leaving that next night leaving me free to do as I wanted." Angel paused and waited to see if Spike was going to say anything, when he didn't he continued. "So after she left I started to pursue you in earnest, knowing by the look in your eyes that you wanted me too, despite your innocence in the matter. And when you finally let yourself go and we made such passionate love I knew that I could never lose you not even to death, so I decided that you would remain with me forever. And I sired you, and when Darla came home to see that I disobeyed her orders she was furious, even more so because I wouldn't train you to be a proper demon. It was something that I absolutely refused to do I loved your innocence and did not want you to lose it despite the life I had forced you into. As the years went on Darla's rage grew in huge proportions and she demanded that I stake you." Spike looked at Angel surprise coloring his face, and Angel softly ran a hand down his face, smiling slightly. "But I couldn't and so we made a deal, she would allow you to remain with us but only if I agreed to let a gypsy cast a spell on you thus removing all your memories of my being your sire, and replace them with-"

"Drusilla." Spike said speaking for the first time since Angel started talking, and Angel nodded. "But why didn't you just take me and leave?" Spike asked him, his voice filled with pain.

"You know that wouldn't have been possible, Will." Angel told him and Spike jumped up from the bed, facing Angel and letting him see for the first time the amount of pain he was in, and he knew if his heart could beat it would've stopped right then. Spike's face was the very picture of someone who just had their whole world destroyed and when he started speaking his voice tight with unshed tears, Angel felt another piece of his heart break.

"No, Angelus. What I know is that you were everything to me, my whole being. I loved you and you took it all away, everything that I was it was because of you. And you beat me for the very things that you said you loved about me, causing me to become something that I loathe with everything in me. You made me a killer." Angel watched as the tears that his boy was trying to keep from falling spilled over and ran down his cheeks. He always felt that just a little bit of Will's soul remained after his turning and looking at the guilt that marred his boy's face he knew that he was right, and knew that this was one more thing he had to make up to him, he held out his arms and waited to see if he would let him hold him.

Spike looked at the arms being held out to him and fell into them holding on tight to the one person that always seemed to make everything right in his world. "Why didn't you love me, Sire?" he asked brokenly, and Angel closed his eyes in pain, running his hands up and down the back of the one being that meant the world to him he said.

"You're wrong, Will. I loved you, and I always will. You are my heart, childe." Angel whispered. Spike looked up into his eyes, searching for something and whatever it was he must have found it, because he reached up cautiously and kissed him, Angel not daring to believe, groaned and plunged his tongue deep into his boy's mouth, savoring the taste of something so long denied.

Spike was lost, the feel of something that he was only beginning to remember that was denied to him for so long and wrapped his arms tightly around Angel's neck never wanting to let go.

Chapter Twelve

Angel pulled out of the kiss reluctantly, and leaned his forehead against Spike's, who was currently gasping for unneeded breath, Angel knew that as much as he wanted to reclaim his boy now was not the time. Spike would only regret it later, and he knew that what little bit of ground he had gained would be gone.

Spike knew that he may have made the biggest mistake of his life, in showing Angel that he still wanted him, it opened a whole new can of worms he wasn't yet ready to face, didn't know if he ever would be, but being in his sire's arms and him repeating those words of long ago had sent him into an emotional tailspin. Kissing Angel was something he couldn't have resisted even if he tried. He was just glad that Angel had put an end to something that he knew he wouldn't have been able to deal with right now. The ringing of a cell phone interrupted the tense silence that filled the room, causing both vampires to jump.

"I better get that." Angel said setting Spike from him, and reaching for the he had laid on the nightstand the night before. He answered the phone.

"Hello."

"Angel, we have problems." Cordelia said.

"And I am assuming being that you called me that you and the guys can't handle it?" Angel asked watching as Spike got up and went into his room, wondering what was going thru his boy's mind right then he missed what Cordelia had said.

"What did you say?" He asked when Cordelia's voice faded.

"I said that Darla's back."

"You mean she left?" Angel asked still not grasping whatever it was Cordelia was trying to say, to preoccupied with the fact that Spike had yet to return.

"Angel, listen closely. Drusilla showed up something about the stars saying that she was going to be a mummy. And then the next thing we knew Darla was in the land of the blood suckers again."

Angel finally listening to what she was saying and not liking it one bit. If this was true then Cordelia and the others weren't safe there, thinking quickly he told her what to do.

"Listen, Cordelia you aren't safe there –"

"No really? That's why we need you here-"

"No, get Wesley and Gunn and head here. Chances are Darla is still too focused on getting her wish to concentrate on you three. So gather up everything you need for an extended stay and leave before nightfall."

"Angel, has being there made you go bonkers? There is no way I am co-"

Angel already sick of this conversation and feeling an intense need to go check on his boy interrupted her.

"This is the safest place for you to be right now. And William will not be safe there, and I can't leave him here, I won't leave him here."

"William? Who are you talking about, Angel? Just what is going on there?"

Angel sighed. "Look I'll explain everything when you get here. Just call the others; oh you better bring Lorne too. Darla knows that he helps us."

With that he pressed the end button on the phone effectively cutting off Cordelia's outraged voice; this puts a whole new set of problems on an already full table. What Darla did human, would be nothing compared to a vamped Darla. Pinching the bridge of his nose Angel felt a headache coming on, how to tell Will that Darla was back in every sense? It would just be one more thing to add to his list of sins against his boy, he should've killed her the day she turned up to reveal her evil dead, but not wanting to waist any time getting here he let her go. Now it was time to face the consequences of those actions and he rose from the bed and went in search of his wayward childe.

He found in lying on his bed one arm over his eyes the other laying flat on the bed his slender fingers worrying the blanket. He stopped and just watched his boy, taking pleasure in the fact that he was within touching distance again.

"Will?" He said softly not wanting to startle his childe. But he didn't even acknowledge that he heard him, just continued worrying the blanket only Angel noticed though that those delicate fingers were going just a little bit faster, showing that Spike did in fact hear him. It was just what he feared, one step forward and two steps back, his boy was retreating again and his news would send him even farther away. "Will?" He said a little louder this time, and for his efforts one blue eye peaked wearily from under his arm, still he said nothing.

"That was Cordelia on the phone." He watched as the blonde stiffened and then seemed to force himself to relax, what he wondered, what went thru his mind in response to that statement. "She called to tell me that Drusilla came to L.A, seems that the stars were talking to her again." Angel stopped to see if his unusually silent childe would say anything to that and when he didn't he went on, silently willing Spike to say something. "She turned Darla again." And that got a reaction, boy did it ever. Spike silently started to shake, the tremors rocking the still bed Angel concerned, went over to his distressed childe, and was startled when Spike sat up abruptly pulling his legs to his chest, he wrapped his arms tightly around them and looked at Angel waiting for him to continue, but Angel was more concerned of Spike's reaction to Darla's becoming a vampire again, then finishing what he was going to say.

Spike sat rocking silently, remembering…

Flashback

William awoke to find that he was alone and wondering where Angelus went, he got up and walked to the door to look for his sire, reaching for the doorknob, he was startled when the door flew open, and standing there in the doorway was Darla, a look of such seething hatred on her face, that William to a step back from the door.

"Looking will do no good. Angelus is not here. He went out hunting; you know something that vampires are supposed to do?" William seeing a the look that Darla would always send his way whenever his sire wasn't looking, took several more steps back towards the bed. "Now, William. It's time for you and I to have a little chat." When he felt the bed meet the back of his legs, William stopped and watched as Darla came to a stop right in front of him, the skirting from her dress rubbing against his bare legs.

"What is it about you, hmm? That has brought the all powerful Angelus to his knees? I see nothing special, just a sorry excuse for a vampire, who is so busy licking at his sire's heels that he can't be bothered to learn to hunt for his food." She reached down a grabbed the fledge by his arms, wanting to mar that smooth skin that Angelus was so captivated by, But knew that she couldn't hurt the bastard, for Angelus spent too much time in bed with the boy not to notice a heeling scar, aw, but what if she fed him her blood, there by healing the fledge and Angelus would be none the wiser. Grinning evilly she went to work.

End flashback

Angel wrapped his arms around the trembling blonde, and with his hand rubbing gently thru the blonde locks, Angel unconsciously started humming the old Irish lullaby that he used to sing to him as a fledge, the only thing that would seem to comfort him, when he would occasionally go out to hunt alone and come back to find his boy just this way.

Spike slowly started to calm down the familiar song that Angel was singing to him relaxing him, and when Angel heard breathing he smiled, it worked every time, the lullaby would always send his boy to sleep.

Lying him down gently on the bed, Angel climbed into the bed, figuring on getting some sleep before his home was invaded by his friends. He pulled the sleeping vampire into hiss arms before sleep came over him.

Chapter Thirteen

Darla watched as Drusillatalked to Miss Edith and sighed of all the vampires in the world Wolfram and Hart would pick her to do the siring, resigned to the fact that she wouldn't get a coherent minute with her grandchilde, she went into plan mode. By now those pesky friends of Angelus's would've told him of her being revamped, and she knew that he first thing Angelus would've done upon finding out, is telling his pet humans to come to Sunnydale where they would be safe. But strangely enough that wasn't her intentions at all to harm them. But she did want to see the fruits of her labor, so it was off to Sunnydale again.

Cordelia hung up the phone, and sighed Angel was acting strange, but then he had been acting that way for weeks, but having found out what the problem was, they thought it was over, until Darla's reappearance that day, and then Angel's weird reaction to whatever was said between them, taking off to Sunnydale, and then the phone call telling her that he was staying indefinitely, her first thought was that Angelus had returned but that couldn't be right or someone from Sunnydale would've contacted them, and who was this William? And why wouldn't he be safe here? Shrugging, Cordelia picked the phone up and dialed Wesley's number Angel better have a good explanation, because her having to return to the one place that she hated, and for who knows how long was not her idea of fun. The Hellmouth was not the place to be when your boss was a souled vampire who had a tendency to lose it while in close quarters to it. Sighing she started telling Wesley Angel's plan.

Chapter Fourteen

The insistent knocking woke Angel, and he frowned who could that possibly be no one in Sunnydale knew where he lived, then he remembered his conversation with Cordelia, sighing he gently pulled away from the slumbering vampire in his arms, and froze when he started moving around, he didn't want to wake his boy just yet, he needed the rest and besides that he didn't want him to hear the reactions of his friends his emotional state was still to fragile. The knocking became more insistent seeing that he was still sleeping if a little lighter than he was Angel got up carefully and made his way to the door, opening it he walked out into the hall and silently closed the door behind him.

Spike laid there after the door closed, he hadn't wanted Angel to know that the knocking had awakened him for the same reasons, though he didn't know it, that Angel did. What Angel had told him last night about Drusilla resiring Darla had knocked him for yet another emotional loop, the memories of Darla's beatings, they were reopened then, she was always so careful that Angelus would never find out about them, and he himself would never tell him, not just because of the threat that Darla made, staking him after one of those sessions of torture with her would've been a blessing, no it was the threats to harm Angelus that was why he never told. Despite the fact that Angelus was one of the strongest vampires to walk the night, Darla was his sire, and she could make the decision to end his life and that would be her right as his sire and that was the thing that scared him the most.

And now the bitch was back, would she put those very threats to good use? Now that he remembered everything even though she was the reason that he remembered, he knew that she in her warped way of looking at things wouldn't see it that way. Angel would never let him leave his side now, he seen it in his eyes, the soul may still be in residence but Angelus, the one who sired him, not the insane fucker that came back before, was there too. And he knew that he didn't really want to leave, because not only was his sire back but he, William was back too, and so were all those old emotions of not wanting to be separated from his sire for any length of time, he felt those feelings start to build again and tried to stamp them down, because despite Angel telling him why he did what he did, the hurt he felt was still so overwhelming, that he didn't know if he could trust Angel not to do it again.

Would he? Would he take away all those memories again? The fear of that is what kept Spike from rushing out the door and finding his sire, the need to see Angel was rising and he started to pant, he felt himself reaching for the bond, the one that he always used years ago that would bring Angelus running to see why his favored childe was so distressed, and he panicked when he couldn't reach that bond, not knowing that the years of neglect, had weakened it to almost to the point of disappearance. He jumped up from the bed and ran to the door, fearing that Angelus no longer cared to answer the call, he ran to find him, forgetting everything else in his rush to put an end to the feeling of abandonment.

Angel opened the door to find Cordelia and the rest of his friends standing on the doorstep; he opened the door a little wider and beckoned them in with a wave of his hand. They came in sitting their bags down on the floor; Angel turned and started to walk into the next room when Wesley's voice stopped him.

"Angel, what's this all about? Why are we here when we should be back in L.A tending to things there? You do know that Darla is a vampire again, right?" Wesley's voice was filled with all the puzzlement that everyone else there was feeling. Angel said nothing just continued to walk into the kitchen, he walked over to the fridge, opening it he grabbed the pitcher of blood and a cup from the strainer, pouring some of the blood into the cup, he downed it in one gulp, grimacing at the cold taste of pig's blood. He turned around and started to talk.

"In answer to your second question, Wes. Yes, I do know that Darla is a vampire again, Cordy told me. But the reason why we are here and not there are because of many things, one of them is lying upstairs sleeping right now."

"Buffy is here?" Cordelia asked, in disbelief, thinking that maybe they shouldn't have come here.

"No, Cordelia. Not Buffy, someone much more precious, my childe."

Gunn, who up until that point was silent, asked. "Hey I didn't think vampires could have kids."

"They can't, Angel is referring to a vampire he sired. Angel, what's going on here?" Wesley asked.

"Well, if you would be patient and quit interrupting I'd tell you." Everyone's eyes widened and they each stepped back, because Angel's voice was that of the one they all knew and feared Angelus had returned. Angel seeing this gave a bark of laughter.

"The soul is still here, Guys. Just that he's not fighting with Angelus anymore, Angelus is content, he has his favorite childe with him again, and we're combined now. Angelus accepts the soul now, and the soul accepts the demon, so no killing for the soul's sake, and William for both our sakes. It works out real nice for both of us" They looked at this new Angel standing in front of them, he looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, but the brooding and self loathing was absent.

"Who's this William, Angel?" Cordelia asked, but before Angel could reply, he stiffened and turned, running towards the stairs so fast that they barely registered the movement, but curious as to what sent him out of the room so fast, they followed, and the sight that meant their eyes both shocked and frightened them, Angel had his arms wrapped around someone, and was whispering something in his ear, Cordelia seeing who it was that Angel was comforting so tenderly, screamed with fear.

"Spike! What's he doing here, and why are you hugging him, Angel?"

Spike stiffened in Angel's arms and tried to pull away but Angel wouldn't let him, he just picked up his sobbing boy and walked the rest of the way down the steps past his stunned friends and into the sitting room, his one purpose was to comfort his boy, he didn't register the humans that followed him in fear and curiosity.

"Will, it's alright. I've got you." Knowing that no matter what he said whenever his precious boy got like this there was only two things he could do to help him and considering that they had an audience that wouldn't understand if he would make love to his boy he settled on the second, while just as shocking he don't think it would cause as big of a stir. So he slipped a hand in between him and his childe and was glad that he left his shirt unbuttoned whenever he put it on to answer the door, he sliced a wound with his fingernail, right over his nipple and waited for the smell of sire's blood to do the trick. And smiled as his boy started to suckle at the wound, looking over his childes head he meant Wesley's eyes in challenge, waiting for the ex- watcher to say something at the act of vampirism that no human has ever seen performed before, that of a sire comforting a childe. Breaking the eye contact, he looked at Cordelia when she screeched "Ewe! Angel what are you doing? Ewe!" He started to caress Williams's hair, vowing that he would convince him to quit bleaching his hair, he loved the blondish curls that used to fall across his boys forehead in disarray. And then he answered her.

"This is me comforting my childe, Cordelia." Her eyes widened and then she said.

"Spike isn't your childe, Angel. And that's just gross." Angel felt Spike stiffen at those words and cursed Cordelia he growled deep in his chest, and Spike relaxed and worried the nipple with his tongue and Angel sighed in pleasure at the sensation of his boy's feeding from him again, when he felt the slight pull of the bond, he felt his boy's panic he knew he should've fed from his boy and reopened the bond fully, when Spike didn't feel the answering connection his panic had increased that was why when he went to answer the call he knew he would have to rememdy that situation as soon as possible. He looked at the humans that was watching them so closely and knew the explanation couldn't be put off, and sighed.

"William is my childe, Cordelia." And then he watched for her reaction, sure enough she remembered the name from yesterday's conversation, and her eyes widened then she asked. "He's the William who wouldn't be safe in L.A?" Angel nodded.

"William will never be safe there. By now Darla has more than likely told Wolfram and Hart all about him, and they would use him to get to me."

"Yo, Angel man not to sound stupid or anything, but what would Wolfram and Hart want with one of your kids I mean I'm sure if they just wanted to get to you thru one of them they would've just gotten Drusilla."

"Childe, Gunn. And no Drusilla wouldn't have worked; only William would have that kind of power over me. You have no idea what a favored childe means to a sire." Angel looked down when the suckling quit and meant the blue eyes of his boy. The pain of his betrayal still lay deep in those blue depths, but underneath it he saw hope, not dropping his gaze he went on. "A favored childe is treasured and looked after much more so than any other childe sired, the bond between them much more strong, especially mine and William's for I would let him feed off of nothing but sire's blood-"he faded off then for the reason that had stopped was too painful to bring up to these humans and they could never know the depths of the pain that these words was causing his boy. He hurried on with the explanation just wanting to get it over with. "And Darla would use this knowledge to her advantage by telling them they would be after the one thing that could get me to their side. "

"By blackmailing you with Mr. Good Looking there " Lorne said talking for the first time. Angel meant his eyes and something passed between them, he nodded Lorne would keep the secret that he read in his childe's whimpers, and nodded. "Yes, they would." Everyone was silent at this revelation, until Cordelia spoke up.

"He's that important to you?" Meeting Angel's eyes and seeing the emotions there she knew that despite the fear she still had with anything that had to do with Spike, that she would do anything possible to keep that from happening, Angel would do anything to keep Spike safe, even join up with the very people that he loathed.

"Yes. Cordelia he means that much to me "

"Then we stay here, and keep him safe," She looked around the room they were in and whistled. "Angel, have you been holding out on us? This place is beautiful, if you can afford this then why are we stuck in a broken down hotel?"

"Angelus can afford this, Cordelia." They heard the underlined meaning in Angel's voice, he was letting them know that he wasn't the Angel they knew, he was someone different, and that it was up to them whether or not they would accept it. "Well, I say let's get some sleep, we drove all night to get here, and I for one am tired " Lorne said. Angel nodded then he spoke his voice low to keep from disturbing the now sleeping Spike in his arms.

"There is plenty of room, look around and pick one, we'll talk in the morning." They all stumbled from the room, each one of them deep in thought as to whether or not this new form of their friend was a good thing or not.

Chapter Fifteen

After they left Angel let out a sigh, he is relieved that they seem to have accepted William's place in his life now, he really didn't want to lose them, but if they were to make him choose, they would've been in for a shock, for as fast as Cordelia could say 'sale' they would've been out the door. He will never put anyone else above his boy again. He got up his precious burden in his arms and headed for the stairs it was time for sleep and he would sleep with his boy in his arms just the way it always should've been.

Spike opened his eyes and snuggled back into the arms that held him tight all night, not wanting to let the real world intrude just yet and with it the knowledge that his world had been just turned six ways from Sunday, he closed his eyes again. He knew that it was useless for Angel always had a sixth sense were he was concerned and knew the minute he was awake, but he didn't let that stop him from pretending.

Angel smiled he knew that William was awake and the familiar snuggle and then stillness was proof, Will never did wake easy. "I know you're awake, Will." He felt Spike stiffen at his words and sighed when would it end? When would his boy see that he was back in his life now and sorry for all the pain that he was going thru? Maybe when he feels that he can trust you again. He sighed knowing that was true. He had to rebuild his boys trust and that was going to take patience, and time. He turned him around in his arms wanting to see his reaction to the words he was about to say. "Will, I want you to listen to me." When Spike stiffened and went to pull away Angel tightened his arms and then he put a hand under his chin, forcing the blue eyes to meet his. "Listen to me. I am here to stay, I know that you are hurt and confused and that everything coming back to you all at once was something that I never would've wanted, but that doesn't mean I regret you knowing, you'll never realize what it did to me every time I seen you refer to Drusilla as your sire, and saw you look at her the same way you used to look at me, knowing that it was my fault that you were and what I put you thru as a result to the pain I was going through was even worse. Each time I hit you I prayed for a dusty ending, and every time you looked at me with such loathing I knew I deserved it and so much more. Did you ever ask yourself why I never hunted you down after you had me tortured for the gem? It was because I knew I deserved that and so much more, Darla came to me after she saw you, she told me what she did to make you remember and I rushed here to be by your side." He saw the hurt deepen in his childe's eyes with each word he uttered and cursed that fact he went on though he needed to know everything, and he was going to tell him. "I want to be your sire again, Will. No, don't pull away, I know I don't deserve to have that title again, but I want to be, I see William in you, he is there isn't he?"

Spike looked into his sire's eyes and saw the tears threatening to fall; he wanted to tell him that while Spike was still here to a degree it was William who resided the most. The spells removal had not so much erased Spike but put him in a corner of his mind where he was silent waiting for William to take the lead again, it was if he knew that he never should've existed, that the gypsy's spell was the only reason he was there and knew that someday he would be joined by William again. He didn't know if he was ready for his sire to know that though, but before he could stop himself he found himself responding.

"Yes, I am here." Angel heard the way his boy said it in first person and held his non existent breath while he waited for his boy to continue. "But, I'm scared, Sire. I don't know how to explain what's going on inside of me. I know I have no soul, I know that. Yet, the killings I did they haunt me. And the fear that I have of letting you get too close again, but yet I panic when you're not beside me. I don't know what any of this is, these feelings." He faded off for a minute then he started again, but not before wrapping his arms tightly around Angel as if he was afraid his words would cause him to vanish. "You left me, I know that I didn't know about you being my sire, but you left me when you got your soul, you could've had the spell removed, and I could've gone with you when you left, but you didn't you left me there with them. And-" He faded off as he relived the horror of those first few months after Angel had left, Darla's fury had no bounds and she took it all out on William, who never understood what she meant until now.

Flashback

"It's your fault. You miserable excuse for a demon. You're the reason why my boy's gone." Enraged Darla walked over and hit the already beaten and bloodied vampire; Angelus had kept him chained up the entire day and after beating him unconscious he had left. "You are the reason my boy went after that gypsy and tortured her." Each crack of the whip on his already raw back sent fresh waves of agony thru him. Her words faded as once again the darkness swallowed him.

End flashback

Angel closed his eyes to the pain that Will's voice revealed. What had went on after he left that night, he remembered getting drunk after beating William again, and he also remembered what in his drunk state he intended to do, he went to find the gypsy that cast the spell and make her reverse it, but the gypsy was to afraid to go against Darla and had refused enraged he had tortured the girl slowly before killing her. What did he leave his boy to face alone? He knew that Darla was enraged when she found out what he had done and threatened to kill his boy, but he had begged her and told her it would do no good to kill the boy he still knew nothing. She had agreed, and the next night he was cursed with the soul and he left without one thought of his boy and what would happen to him as a result.

"Will, I'm sorry-" He started only to be interrupted by Will.

"She beat me, and then she let the minions have me. I didn't understand why though. Why did she blame me for your leaving? Why did she let the minions rape me and beat me? But now I do, it was because of me that you killed that gypsy. It was because of me." He started to cry then huge racking sobs that held all the pain and anger that he had been feeling. Angel tightened his arms around his sobbing childe and felt his own tears fall, even though he didn't know, Darla had blamed him and as a result she had him used like a common minion. No childe was used for a minions pleasure and he felt the rage build up inside him, Darla would pay for this as well and he found himself looking forward to her appearance, for no doubt she would come here, and when she did she would suffer the same agony that his boy did, he may not have any minions, but there was plenty of vampires and other demons about, this was the Hellmouth after all. He heard a light knock on the door and he tightened his arms around Will when he went to pull away.

"What is it?" He asked frustrated at the intrusion.

"Angel, we are hungry and there is nothing in your fridge that normal people would eat." Cordelia's voice came through the door. "So rise and shine, brood boy we need food and that takes money and we spent ours getting here." Angel sighed and set Will away from him.

"I'll be right down, Cordy." Looking down at Will he asked. "You hungry?"

Will seemed to think on this awhile then said. "I could eat some hot wings."

Angel looked at him in shock. "You eat food?" He asked him. And Will looked at him uncertain as to where this was going. Angelus used to beat him when he found him eating food, but that was the old Angelus not his sire, his sire loved his humanity.

Angel saw the uncertain look in his childes eyes and could've kicked himself, remembering well what he used to do to him after the spell when Will would show any of his humanity, so he rushed on before Will could say anything. "Come on then. Let's go get you the biggest plate of hot wings we can find." He watched as Will's whole face lit up with a smile that he hadn't seen directed at him in a long time and felt his heart beat for just a second, he knew then that he was going to make it his life's work to keep that look of happiness on his boy's face. They got up and started to the door, and Will stopped for a minute grabbing Angel's hand he pulled him to a stop too. Angel looked at him in askance "The Bronze. They have the best ones." Angel smiled and nodded and they continued out the door.

They came downstairs to see everyone sitting around the table; they looked up when Angel and Will walked in.

"Will has informed me that the Bronze has the best hot wings around so that is where we are headed, everyone coming." When everyone just sat there not saying anything Angel felt Will's hand tightening in his and then he slowly started to pull it away, but Angel wouldn't let him, instead he pulled him around into his arms Will's back against his front ad decided that he wouldn't hide anything from his friends, he intended to show them exactly how he felt about his boy. "You don't know everyone here, do you, little one?" he asked him, intentionally using the old nickname he had for Will so he and everyone else knew exactly were he stood in his life. Will shook his head, and he didn't quite know how he felt about the nickname that Angel hadn't called him in years, being called it again, right now signified something and despite himself he felt a little spark of hope blossom inside of him, maybe his sire really loved him, he'd have to wait and see, and he found himself wanting to.

"Will, this is Wesley. Maybe you recognize him?" Angel could've bit off his tongue then, why did he bring that up? But he felt the tension leave him when he heard Will's reply. "Yes, Hello." Angel tightened his arms around him and waited for Wesley reply.

"Hello, Spike." Will stiffened at the name but said nothing, Angel feeling this said. "Will." He emphasized this so that everyone would catch his meaning and went on with the introductions. "This is Gunn, and sitting beside him is Lorne."

Gunn looked at the vampire that Angel was holding so close to him and couldn't for the life of him, bring himself to believe that this was the Spike that everyone referred to as one of the most feared vampires, he just seemed to small and delicate, he decided that he would judge him as he got to know him. "Hey, Will."

Lorne though, he could sense the pain and agony that this beautiful vampire was going thru his aorta just screamed agony. And if he ever ran into that slayer he wouldn't be responsible for his actions. "Hey, Muffin."

Will did a double take at the strange green guy who just called him a pastry, he looked into the red eyes and then away quickly, those eyes they saw too much and he knew then that there was nothing that this friend of Angel's hadn't seen he saw everything that he was feeling and that made him feel weak and vulnerable.

Seeing this exchange between them, and then the quick flash of anger then sympathy on Lorne's face Angel decided to talk with him later and see what it was that Lorne knew.

"Hey, Blondie. Don't you think it's time to lose the look? Punk is so out dated." Angel sighed in relief Cordelia was going to try and accept his boy, and by the looks of things everyone else was too.

Will glanced at her and then unconsciously put his hand up to his hair, causing Cordelia to laugh; Will meant her eyes and smiled causing Cordelia to really get a good look at him. This wasn't the same vampire who tortured Angel and tried to kill her so many times this vampire was totally different she could see it in his eyes. She felt her heart melt this was someone who needed all the love and attention he could get, and she knew she would grow to love this vampire too, just like she did Angel. "We'll get you spruced up in no time." Will smiled at her not sure if he wanted to let her anywhere near his hair with any dye. "Cheerleader, I doubt that I'll let you anywhere near my hair." They all laughed at this comment. "Now are we going are what? I'm bloody famished." Angel laughed and nodded, pulling his arms from around his boy but quickly grabbing his hand he pulled him towards the door, the gang following them.

Chapter Sixteen

"Come on, Buffy. We haven't been out in ages. Loosen up." Buffy looked at Willow. When Xander had called suggesting that they meet here tonight and go over the plans for his wedding a.k.a Xander wanting something to distract Anya from driving him crazy about their wedding with a little dancing. She had come reluctantly though. Xander and Anya came back laughing after a particular rowdy dance on the floor, when Xander looked over towards the door his mouth dropped open in shock. "Xander, close your mouth you're going to catch flies." Willow's teasing words brought Xander out of his shock; he looked back at the door and said.

"I thought you said that Dead boy left, Buffy." Buffy looked at him confused. "Who?" she asked him.

"Angel and Spike I thought you said they left."

"I did tell you that. Xander did you have too much to drink?" Buffy asked him.

"Well if he did I must have too. Because Angel and Spike just walked in, and isn't that Cordelia?" Willow asked a befuddled Xander, who was standing there looking at Cordelia with a funny expression on his face. Buffy turned around and sure enough there they were, she felt the anger that had been building the last few days slowly start to take over. She looked for Spike all over she needed him and he wasn't there, and to find out that he was still in town was just too much. And why was Angel still here, and by the looks of it he brought friends along, and was he holding hands with Spike? She got up she was going to see what in the hell was going on.

When Angel opened the door he saw Will notice something and come to a stop, glancing over he saw Buffy and the Scooby's and cursed under his breath. He reached back and grabbed his hand squeezing it in reassurance, and felt an answering squeeze.

"Hey, what's the hold up? Hungry people here." Cordelia said not knowing why they had stopped, and then she followed their gaze and saw what they were looking at. Oh great Queen Buffy and her encourage, her eyes narrowed as she saw Buffy's gaze settle on Will and harden before she got up and started in their direction. "Don't look now, Guys. We are about to be graced with a visit from the Queen herself" Cordelia said dryly.

Lorne saw Will take a step closer to Angel , and glanced over at the blonde that was currently coming their direction, so that was the one who had caused his muffin so much pain, and the normally good humored demon felt anger slowly blossom inside of him.

Buffy came to a stop on front of them anger sparking in her eyes.

"What are you doing here, Spike?"

"Last time I looked it was a free country." Gunn said as he watched Will all but melt into Angel's side. Buffy's green gaze zeroed in on the owner of the voice and not recognizing who he was dismissed him and went back to her verbal lashing of Spike. "You disappear for days, and then have the nerve to show up here, like you own the place."

"Buffy, I-"Will started but Buffy interrupted him.

"I don't want to hear you're sorry, Spike. I could've used you on patrol but you were no where to be found." Angel felt a slow burn of anger start to rise, Buffy was attacking his childe again, though not physically but he felt every one of her words hit his boy like a physical blow.

"Last time I heard that was your job not his, Buffy." Angel told her, and she looked at him anger coming off of her in waves.

"Come to snack on the customers, Angelus?"

"No, but keep pushing and I might change my mind.' Angel said his eyes flashing yellow. Buffy stepped back and then realizing what she was doing stopped.

"Your threats don't scare me."

"Then why are you backing away? Listen, we didn't come here to fight, we came here to get something to eat, so if you'll kindly move out of the way we'll go about our business and leave you alone "

"I told you before, Angel to stay out of my town."

"Your town? I can't believe this she thinks she owns the town." Gunn said laughter clouding his voice. Buffy turned to the laughing man and said.

"Who are you anyways?"

"Gunn." Was all he told her and she sniffed and said.

"Well, who do you think you are this is a private conversation"

"Yeah? Then why don't you try lowering your voice, because the whole town can hear you yammering."

Buffy looked around the music had stopped sometime doing her speech and everybody was looking at her, she shifted uncomfortable and turned to walk towards the door but not before she said. "This isn't over. I want you out of my town, Angel. And take your friends with you."

The silence she left behind was deafening and then Cordelia spoke causing everyone to laugh. "Ding dong the witch is gone."

They all headed towards the table in the corner intent on forgetting that Buffy was even there. Sitting down they waited while Angel went to order their drinks.

"So, Muffin looks like tonight is karaoke you going to sing us a song?" Lorne asked Will wanting to get a full reading on the vampire.

"Not bloody likely I don't sing." Angel who was returning to the table overheard this and said.

"You know that's not true, Will. You have a voice that will cause an angel to weep." Will meant Angel's eyes and then looked away, he used to sing to his sire every night, angelus would insist upon it loving the sound of his childe's voice, it was so long since he last heard it, and besides he saw the look Lorne gave him and wanted the full reading too. "Sing for me, childe." He said the words that were sure to get hid boy to sing. Will looked at his sire and sighed he knew that there would be no getting out of it, he would have to sing. He got up and headed to the stage wanting to get this over with. Watching him leave Angel turned to Lorne and said. "I want to know everything you see." Lorne nodded and sat back to listen as the blonde picked up the mike to sing. As the soft sound of his childe's voce filled the air Angel sat back and watched Lorne's reactions.

Lorne felt Will's pain as if it were a physical blow, the agony that the boy was going thru was so painful that it nearly sent the empath to the floor. He looked at Angel and said. "That stud muffin of yours is hurting and in a bad way you need to be there for him. Angel, did you know he had a soul?" Lorne asked him and Angel closed his eyes as if in pain, yes he knew it, the gypsy had covered this up though with the spell, Darla had insisted on it. And he always felt it kind of ironic his boy had kept a piece of his soul in his turning but was being forced to forget, and with the return of his memories his soul was once more in place, and he was suffering for it. He knew that Will didn't know this though, he didn't understand the guilt he was going through, but Angel did.

"His soul? Angel what is he talking about?" Cordelia asked.

"When I turned Will I knew something was different about him, he had such control of his hunger for blood, and he would never go with me when I hunted he would much rather stay home and wait for me to return."

"But, Angel how did he survive?" Wesley asked. And Lorne answered

"By feeding from Angel." They all looked at Angel in disbelief and Angel nodded.

"He fed from me, and no one else."

"But, what happened? He killed, Angel. We know he did." Angel looked at his boy up on the stage, singing the song with such passion, he always sang that way.

"And that is my doing. I had a spell cast on my boy by a gypsy. Darla threatened to kill him if I didn't and I couldn't lose him, thus came the stories of Drusilla's siring him. And of course the training of Angelus of his grandchilde. I hurt my boy beat him to make him hunt, he was three years turned and has never sunk his fangs into anyone but me. He didn't know that though, and one night after a particularly long session of my beating him I finally couldn't stand it anymore, I was hurting my boy and I had to have him back so I went in search of the gypsy that put the spell on my boy, but she refused to corporate fearing Darla's wrath, little did she know those would be the last words she would ever say.."

"That was the gypsy that you killed the one whose family cursed you with your soul." Wesley's words interrupted Angel and he nodded. "Ironic, my Will didn't know he had a soul, and mine was killing me." The table faded into a stunned silence as they all absorbed the things that Angel had revealed to them. And they watched as Will wrapped up his song and headed back to their table, the reason that Angel had gotten his soul laying heavily in all their minds the watchers council was so wrong, Angelus did love and deeply, he loved his favored childe with all of his unbeating heart for the books had nothing of Angelus torturing his victims until the time of Drusilla's siring of one William the bloody.

Chapter Seventeen

"Will, you ass." Angel heard the sound of his childes laughter and Cordelia's voice rising in mock anger. Angel wondering what they could possibly be doing went in search of them, rounding the corner he spotted what it was. Cordelia was in the middle of dying Will's hair, making good to her threat of helping him come out of the seventies. The last two days were a series of hit and miss with his boy, one minute he was happy, his blue eyes shining with laughter, the next he would go quiet, the laughter stilled. Pulling away from him, and going somewhere deep inside. Those were the times his boy would seek out Cordelia and as a result, they had become very close. Cordelia taking to mothering Will, and protective? She was almost as protective of him as he was. Smiling as Will blew yet another bubble at her, Angel walked into the room saying.

"Do I need to send you two to your rooms?" They turned startled eyes to Angel, twin pools of blue looked at Angel under impossibly long eye lashes

and pouts. He pouts! Angel couldn't remember the last time that he saw Will do that. He walked over to him intent on reaching them when Cordelia's voice stops him in his tracks.

"Stay right where you are, buster, it's hard enough to get him to stay still for me to do his hair without you coming over here to make things worse."

The ringing of his cell phone stops him from replying. He answerers it wondering who it could be.

"Hello."

"Angel, its Dawn. I heard that you were still on town. Buffy sort screamed it at me. And I was wondering if I could speak to Spike."

"Yes, we're still in town. And I'm sure that Will would love to talk to you."

He handed the phone to Will who took it putting it to his ear he said.

"Bit. How are things?" He grew strangely quiet as he listened and the sparkle left his eyes, he wondered what was being said.

"I miss you too, Bit." He said his voice hitching. "Yes, I want to see you too. But you know Buffy won't let you." He got quiet again, listening while Dawn whatever Dawn was saying.