AN: When I read over Edging Back In from the start, I realised I made a few mistakes. Like - naming Maddy 'Caddi' at one point. However, I did make one huger mistake than this. I nearly broke a promise! The poem included in this epilogue is by one of my closest friends, someone who pushed me without shame to finish this for you guys. Thanks, love! I owe you a magillion!

Another one always comes along.

I tapped my fingers eagerly on my desk. I was bored. There was no other way to go about it. Illyria was off, testing her human skills on the employees, much to their displeasure. Angel was off dealing with some people with Gunn and Wesley. Lorne was in a meeting with another of his celebrities. Spike was sleeping off the patrol from last night. So what was left for lil' old me? Ever since solving the Nina situation, everything seemed to be less exciting. As weird as it sounds, I missed the excitement. The suspense. The thought of waking up and having to solve another case.
"Another one always comes along," Spike mumbled sleepily when I told him how I felt one night, "If it's not something like this, it's someone trying to end the world. Need to rest up for the next one, love. Can you stop stealing the covers?!"
So it was only a matter of time. Not that I would be of any help. I couldn't fight. The shot was one of luck. Wesley knows more demonic languages then me. I was more of a liability if anything during Nina's rescue. But it was still amazing to be involved.
5 PM would be home time. I'll walk home, see Laney's first scan, be with Spike for a few hours before he disappears to annoy Angel, have a nice, long bath and probably go to bed. But as it's only 2:30, nothing of any general importance would come up before then.
Deciding to take advantage of the free phone calls, I grabbed the phone on my desk and keyed in the number, praying he picked up.
"Hello?"
I smiled. I loved how hearing his voice makes me smile, "Hey. It's your favourite daughter."
"Naw.....that does nay sound like Laney!"
"It's ok dad," I laughed, swinging around in my seat, "I know I'm your favourite. You just have to say that to Laney 'cause she's the youngest."
"Well...if that's what you want to think, doll, I'll leave you to it. How's work? Shouldn't you-"
"I'm here right now. It's pretty quiet. Thought I'd check up and see how you're doing. It's been too long since I last saw you."
"Aw. So you're that long lost daughter of mine, eh?," He chuckled softly, "I'm awright, darlin'. Just watching a wee bit TV. 'Rest and Relaxation'. Doctor's orders. So I canny complain with that! What I can complain about, is the 'no fags or drams' rules."
"'Cigarettes or drams'. Even I coulda told you that dad," I sighed, fiddling around with my desk tidy, "Doesn't take a genius."
"But none at all! What about at Christmas? Or New Years? Or when Laney has her wee laddy? Celebratory cigars!"
I laughed a little, "Non-alcoholic drinks work too. And I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to do that in hospitals. Even if Laney does have a little girl."
"Can you no hear me right, doll? Damn connection -, "He shouted down the line, the smile evident in his voice, "I said 'wee laddy'!"
I laughed, "You're just desperate for grandson!"
"Well Graham managed to disappoint! Maybe Laney can do better."
"Hey! Ingrid's cute! It's not her fault she's a girl!"
"I'm no saying it's her fault! It's her dad's!"
"In a way....yes. But over all - no! Can we not talk about this!"
"Awright...so. How's that boyfriend of yours doing? He not a pile of dust yet?"
I scoffed slightly, "I don't know why you're so hung up on the 'vampire' bit of it dad! You're ok with me working for one, but not dating one?"
"That 'Angel' guy has a soul."
"Well so does Spike."
"His name is Spike?!" my dad asked incredulously, "Is that why you never told me it! For God's sake Mad-"
"It's a nickname! His real name's William-"
"How'd he get that nickname?! In fact - I dinny even wanna ken!"
I laughed slightly, "He's a nice guy. Like I said, he has a soul too! And he's British too!"
I could hear the doubt in his voice, "Scottish. I'm Scottish. So he isn't from Scotland then. Ireland or Wales?"
I winced a little.
"No. No! You never!"
"He's not like the rest of-"
"He's English?!"
"Oh come on, dad! That war was so long ago-"
"You tell that to my family! They still want independence!"
"I really like him dad! Please? Just...I'll bring him over for Thanksgiving! And...it'll be great-"
"Wait. Thanksgiving? Are you sure?"
He was right to not be sure about this. I hated my dad's new wife.
33 years ago, dad moved over from Scotland to fulfil his dream of becoming a script writer for Broadway. Apparently, he'd been wanting this ever since he saw a pantomime of 'Jack and The Beanstalk' when he just 'a wee lad'. Having being rejected for his first script, he found his solace in bottle of vodka and the arms of a woman who we later found out was my mother. According to him, it was love at first sight and she look 'better than a 12 year auld scotch'. Getting married in his first year of being in New York and having Graham the following year, dad put his dream on hold, deciding to instead take a career in law - something my grandfather forced him to do to carry on a family tradition before allowing him to do what he really wanted. So for 26 years, dad continued to do his husbandly duties, keeping his real dream on the back burner. That was until someone turned the heat up, and the pot started to boil over.
I'd made my move to L.A by then, starting my career in being a tag-along translator for tourists. I was in my dump of an apartment when I got Laney's teary call. Dad was cheating on mom. There was going to be a divorce. He's moving to L.A. He's getting married in Fall.
Daisy, a woman 12 years dad's junior, was a blonde headed actress. Meeting my dad during a court hearing on her then boyfriend's tax evasion, they preferred to discuss his scripts rather than trying to get this guy off the hook. Needless to say, the guy got two years imprisonment for tax evasion and my dad got himself a mistress who encouraged him to carry on him script writing.
"I'm sure. I'll just....I'll behave."
"Hm....well...if you're sure, love. Make sure he knows that Daisy has no idea-"
"About vampires. I'll tell him. Don't worry."
Kathy, my new assistant, popped her head around the door, gesturing that someone was waiting for me outside. Giving her a court nod, I finished up my conversation with my dad, following her out to see Nina waiting outside.
Having confessed to taking what she thought was wolf's bane, Nina had apologised to us all, explaining to me the meaning of her attacks. Apparently, she had a huge crush on Angel, and with the poisoned potion making her more possessive, seeing me talking to Angel pushed her off the rails. So, what else could I do except accept her apology and try to push those too crazy kids together? Angel's curse may stop him from getting any closer than he wants, but with the pressure of the job always in the back of his mind and Cordelia death still looming over him, I doubted any bliss would be coming his way.
"Hey Maddy."
"Nina. How did it go? What did he say?!" I asked, rather excited. Having a small pep talk with her yesterday, I was finally able to convince her to ask Angel out for a coffee.
"Well.....we went to a little cafe!"
"That same night?" I asked, amazed.
Beaming proudly, Nina nodded, "Mmhm!"
"I want to know all about it- wait. Kathy, Nina. Kathy's my new...friend."
Kathy stopped typing, looking up at me and Nina, a little red, "I-I am?"
I nodded, smiling, "Yeah. You just happen to be my assistant when we became friends," I shrugged, "It's no big deal. Nina, if Kathy were to tell us the news on her and a certain Special Op, would you be willing to have her chat with us?"
Nina smiled, "I don't see why not. Is it Mike?"
Kathy blushed as I nodded, "I know! He's delicious, right?!" I grabbed Kathy up and ushered the girls into my office.

I was in a good mood when I got home that day, hearing that Nina gave Angel a peck on the cheek and Kathy and Mike seemed to be going well. Being a veteran couple now, me and Spike seemed to be a pretty good force at pushing together people. Even though I had to convince Spike into getting Mike to ask Kathy out.
Closing the door, I kicked my shoes off, picking up Fido, who'd gotten used to Spike being around now. Another thing that Nina's rescue did for us was help us to make the decision of living arrangements. After the rescue and a few rather long talks, we thought that for the sake of safety, money, the relationship and just because we both wanted it, it would be best for Spike to move in with me. Having him finally settled in, it was great to go home and curl up on the couch with him for a while, watching TV, having dinner and talking about our day.
"I'm home, Boo!" I called, wandering through to the bedroom where Spike was putting away some clothes. I smiled, "You done the laundry?"
He shrugged slightly, "Well...I had nothing to do. So I might as well've done something useful. Earn me points in bed tonight?"
I smiled a little, helping him fold things away, "Hell yeah. How was your day?"
Hanging his shirts up, Spike shrugged, "Slept. Watched TV. Nothing really much to tell, love. Yours?"
"Nina's seeing Angel and Kath and Mike's relationship's going well. So we did a good job there. Spreading a little more love in the world," I smiled more, putting away the towels in my en-suite, "Illyria was talking to Harm when I last saw her. Didn't hear 'disembowelled' once. Oh - and I called my dad. We're going down there for Thanksgiving. Daisy doesn't know anything about vampires so we have be careful around Daisy."
"She that much of a bitch you have to say her name like that every time you hear it?" Spike frowned, opening my underwear drawer and giving a low whistle, "Well...you never wear any of this for me...."
I rolled my eyes, ignoring his last comment, "She broke up my family. Enough said."
"But she does make your dad happy. If your parents are both happier apart, or with other people, isn't it worth it?"
I sighed, knowing he was right. I hated it when Spike was right - it generally meant that somewhere, deep down, it was something I felt and wasn't ready to admit it. Maybe I didn't think she was all that bad. But mom was broken when dad left her for Daisy. Some part of me wanted to blame someone. And because I love dad, Daisy seemed like the obvious target. So here I was, placing the blame on Daisy, the women who kept a smile on my father's face.
"What's this?" Spike asked as I didn't reply. He held a piece of paper in his hand.
I shrugged, getting up to put the rest of the stuff away, "I don't know."
Opening the paper, Spike was silent for a moment before he started reading aloud, "Games of lust and Poker."
My eyes widened. During my brief period of depression when me and Spike broke up, I had taken to writing poetry. I always thought it was never good, but I'd won poet of the year 2 years running in high-school. So I couldn't be that bad. But that poem held what I thought at a moment where I thought I hated Spike. And him reading whatever I wrote might jeopardise what we have.
"NO!" I shouted, jumping over the bed to stop him.
Turning his back to me, I realised it was too late. He continued reading.

"To an extent ,we may have had potential bond energy.
I'd rather consider it as forces of hazardous chemistry.
Knowing that nothing I confess will make you regret
Departing, makes our encounter one I'd rather forget.

A hypnotist : you had me so oblivious to your charm
despite repeated warnings that you'd cause me harm
Along with my clothes, you stripped off my defence
cunningly swaying me to the risky side of the fence.

I trusted you and foolishly, I even revealed my hand:
a mistake that cost me all my chips, as I understand.
Blindly, I didn't see that I was dealt a wildcard, a Joker
but who ever sees clearly in games of lust and Poker?"

He looked confused, his eyebrows knotted together slightly.
"I...can explain," I murmured into the bed covers.
"It's....good."
I looked up, frowning, "What?!"
Sitting down beside me, Spike nodded, re-reading over it, "I said it's good. I know it was about me," he shrugged a little, "It's just how you felt. Can't change that. This is good though. Very good."
I smiled a little, looking up at him, "You think? I mean...your input has value to me. Being Mr William-the-Bloody and all."
Putting the poem aside, Spike stood up, "I'll 'bloody' you the now!"
I giggled, getting up to run through, to the living-room, Spike chasing after me.
I was in a dead end. There would be nowhere to go if I went into the kitchen. And if I turned back from the living-room, then Spike would catch me. Either way, I was going down.
Turning the corner, Spike smirked, grabbing me towards him, "Got you now."
I giggled more, looking up at him, "Shouldn't you be going to work?"
"Still too sunny..." his face lowering towards mine, he closed the curtains on the starry night.