A/N: Warning: Chapter contains character death. Dialogue taken from ‘Origin’ & ‘Just Rewards.’

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Chapter Three

“Father,” cried Connor as he stood from the crouched position he had landed in, Spike followed Connor’s trajectory from where he had landed. Superboy had leaped from atop the roof of the Hyperion. First Blue, now the boy, he really needed to work on his entrance. He suppressed the tickle of pride he felt for the boy. Peaches had said his nephew wasn’t going to be here.

****FLASHBACK****
Two weeks ago…

Standing in the shadows under the stairwell opposite Angel’s office, Spike had watched the boy enter Daddy’s office. He had sensed something had been off with the lad, when Peaches introduced him the other day, but he had dismissed it. Thought he had received too many punches in the nose from little Shiva to account for the scent.

The schoolboy smelled of Darla and Angel, and he just knew that couldn’t be right. Just before Peaches and the boy had entered his ‘Thunderdome,’ the filthy harlot had knocked him clear out of the room and into the hallway.

But watching the Poof, he saw an Achilles’ heel he’d never known existed. The Poof was actually unsure of how to react around the boy. The kid held all the power. From all his time with Angelus, he knew that if he had still been truly evil…had it not been for Buffy…this would have been something to exploit.

He had regained memories of learning about Connor when some box was destroyed by the ex-Watcher. He had learned that from Bluebird. Apparently, Wes had questions about Angel and Fred and had thought the box had something to do with Fred’s death. It was worse than that. Much worse!

If Buffy had known all that Peaches didn’t tell her, she would have staked him herself. Peaches knockin’ up Great-Grandma-now-Sis, Darla staking herself to save the babe, Wes thinkin’ some balls-up prophesy of ‘the father will kill the son’ applied to Peaches, Wes nabbin’ said babe and getting his throat slashed for his trouble, then the baby getting carried away to some alternate universe by the Step-Dad from Hell who just happened to have a personal hard-on for Angel.

Fast forward a few months, boy coming back a parent’s worse nightmare, a bloody teenager. The lad sleeping with evil Cordy an’ the two of them making this sodding Jasmine bitch. Then top it all off with Connor threatenin’ to detonate enough C-4 to create ocean front property for Death Valley. His head ached. Damm, he needed a stiff drink.

He remembered hearing from Dru about her turning Darla. Thinking that her coming back was not of the good. He smirked at his inner Buffy. Red had mentioned Connor after she came back from re-souling the Poof. Ruddy Angel…always losing his soul…such a nasty habit of his…need to tie a chain around it.

Buffy had not permitted herself to react to the news at all. She had been too busy being the little Miss General for the potentials.

And now he realized that when ‘tall, dark and forehead’ had come round to the Hellmouth that last time, Peaches had already had the memory spell in place. Neither he nor Buffy had remembered him having a son. What a bloody wanker!

Over the bustle of Wolfram & Hart’s employees, Spike heard Connor tell Peaches, “I need to take care of my parents. This isn’t their world. They really don’t feel safe here. You gotta do what you can to protect your family. I learned that from my father.”

He fell back further into the shadows to watch as Connor prowled out of the Poof’s office, with a predatory glint in his eye, to the elevator. Angel was watching his sprog walk away from him. He could not see it, but the boy had turned his head toward Angel causing some sort of reaction. He had to find out what that was about.

After the elevators doors closed, Spike approached Angel, “So, that’s my nephew, I take it.”

“Yeah,” Angel said, sighing wearily, “I did all this to protect him from those memories, what he did, what he almost became…and it was all for nothing. I did it all for nothing.”

“Ah mate, s’not like he looked devastated by the revelation. Seemed like he’s coping with it and all that.” Spike shifted uncomfortably. He had come into the room to poke fun, but what was the point if Angel was just pathetic. No fun to be had.

He asked, “Is he going back to the Mum and Dad? Do they know who he is?”

“No, he wants it that way. I’m… no we’re going to respect that, okay. He wants to be able to lead a normal life and except for the fact that he has super strength, he is completely human.” Angel stared directly in Spike’s eyes using his old Sire link to emphasize his point.

“Fine, s’not like I care. Don’t know the brat anyway. Just as long as Connor made the decision about his life this time, and not you. You tend to bully people into choices they didn’t want to make simply because you think it’s best for them.” Spike counted knowing that Peaches would cringe at his reference to Buffy.

“I had no choice last time with Connor’s memories Spike…you weren’t there.”

“No, I wasn’t. Now, I am on the piss. And no, you aren’t soddin’ well invited.”

*************
Back to the Alley…

Spike noticed that while he was being concerned for Angel, the perimeter had been broken. Something needed to be done quickly.

“Roni, Blue, Pinky…I need you three to stay alert. Try to back them out. We’ve got to end this quickly. Faith and Gunn will be joining you soon. Keep it off us as long as you can.” Spike ordered.

Blue paused and stood before Angel and Connor. “You will not persist much longer. A poison designed to kill the dead and sprinkled with that noxious water of the newer God has damaged you. As a leader, you had betrayed Wesley, but he remained loyal to you. I shall abide by that loyalty and avenge you when you pass from this existence.” She then went in pursuit of her next kill.

Spike walked over to Faith, cupped her chin making her look him in the eye, “Faith… Rogue, I know you tried. I lost track of him too. He’s my Grand-Sire. Don’t ya think I feel that? No more tears, he would not want to see that. Go make your peace with him.”

Spike walked Faith over to Angel’s side. While Faith knelt beside Connor, Spike hovered over the three. He looked over at Gunn who was having trouble breathing. Damn.

“Spike. I think I can save him,” said Faith with hope in her eyes.

“What are you on about, pet?”

“Illyria said Angel’s been poisoned with the ‘Killer of the Dead.’ I (had not needed) used that on him before. That’s why Buffy allowed him to bite her…in order to save him. He could bite me. Slayer’s blood is the cure for that.” Faith offered.

“No, Faith, you can’t.” whispered Angel, “It won’t work this time. It’s too late. It wouldn’t be enough. It would take an army of slayers and an ocean more to save me now. All your slayers couldn’t do that, and I would not ask you to sacrifice yourself. Besides, they sprinkled just enough holy water to start the burn inside…only enough so I could feel myself being eaten away.”

“Father, there has to be something we can do!” Frustration and grief taking over Superboy’s stoic façade, he snapped, “Stop being such a girl! Weren’t you supposed to be the ‘Scourge of Europe,’ some major bad ass? If Holtz taught me anything, it was that Angelus always planned an escape. Come on, Father think of something to help you instead of just lying there and giving up.” He turned away to compose himself for a moment; turning back to his father he spoke once more, in a more subdued voice, "I'm sorry."

“Connor…son…I know. It’s okay. I am happy to see you, even though you aren’t supposed to be here. Spike if I didn’t know better I’d think you had a hand in his growing up.” Angel tried to smile through the pain.

Spike shrugged, “Ta’ about time the lad had a proper role model, peaches.”

“Connor, you remember Captain Peroxide here, he’s your uncle…long story and he can explain it to you. Listen to him. I love you Connor…I want you to get Gunn into the Hyperion. I’ve already had it blessed with a protection spell as a precaution. Get him safely inside. Be happy, that’s all I ever wanted for you. Don’t be angry that I’m dying okay.”

“Okay,” Connor answered quickly with a smirk. “Come on, Father, with our history, you know I had to do that. And I want you to know that I understand what you did. I love you too.” He bent down to whisper in his father’s ear, “I’ll protect them all. Bye, Father.” With that Connor touched Angel’s cheek, and then went to help Charlie inside the Hyperion’s back entrance.

“Cute kid, he’s sardonic, I like him. It’s hard to believe he’s yours and Darla’s tyke,” he said as he rolled his tongue behind his teeth and smiled.

“Yeah, he listens as well as you ever did.” Peaches muttered, “I have some things I must tell you, and we don’t have much time. In the hotel office safe, there are papers. You need them. I knew coming into this fight tonight, I wouldn’t be coming out of it. Earlier in the day, I signed away the Shanshu…”

“You what…you bleeding idiot…”

“William, shut up…it was never going to be mine. I had already realized it. And after Rome, I realized what I should have known a long time ago…she’s yours. I’ve seen the marks you’ve tried to hide, Spike. (He had slipped into his old brogue) Why do ya’ think I was so bloody angry, me boy?”

Spike was gobsmacked. The Poofter had seen Buffy’s bite marks on his neck but had never let on. Blimey. But now he recalled the glower on Angel’s face when he’d spat out “You got no idea what we had;” he realized that when he was doing his Casper impersonation Angel must have seen them.

“Angel, mate. What are you asking?”

“First, I want your blood oath to protect my son. As much as it kills me to admit this, you protect the family. You protected Dru from me at times, and I know that you keep your word. That’s who you are William. Do this for me.”

Spike had never seen such sincerity and dare he say, love, shining in the ninny’s eyes ever. Well there was that one time. His soul and demon were touched by such trust from his Grand Sire.

He took an unneeded breath. Slipping back into vamp face, he bent down to nick a cut in Angel’s neck wary of the poison. He then sliced a cut on his palm placing his cut over Angel’s neck. Letting the blood intermingle, Spike invoked, “Upon my word, as your Childer and as a member of the Order of Aurelius, I vow to protect your son ‘til I’m ashes.”

“Now William me boy, I need you to do me one last little favor. And as the Sire of your Sire, ya’ can not refuse me this,”

“What do you want me to do, Angel?” Spike responded in a hushed whisper realizing that just as Angel had slipped back into his Irish brogue, his voice had regained William’s intonations.

“Stake me, end me torment. I cannot take the pain anymore. My innards are been eaten away by both the water and the poison. Please William.”

Angel’s sorrowful gaze tore at his soul, while his demon wanted to release havoc. But havoc could not be released just yet. Sadly he nodded, whispering his agreement. He reached inside his duster for a stake. The crazy thought of that old American Express advert flashed in his head, except his would say, “Wooden stake, never leave home without one.”

“You’re still a dick, ya’ know. You shite, here’s what I have been bleeding dreaming about for a right long time, an’ you have to soddin’ ruin this moment for me by goin’ and serving yourself up to me on a ruddy silver platter. Bollocks. You know, she’s goin’ to be brassed off at this…an’ you aren’t goin’ to have to witness the fallout, you bloody wanker. No, don’t look at me like that, I’m getting’ round to it.” Right then, he positioned the stake over Angel’s heart. “Goodbye you right miserable bastard, would say it’s been a pleasure…but you’d know I’d be lying.”

With that said, Spike plunged the stake into the bane of his unlife and felt bloody wretched about doing so. As Angel turned into dust, Spike could see him form the words, “Thank you.”

~~~~~~
Flash of a rain-soaked alley filled with hideous demons. Flash of a dragon being slain by an unseen hero. Flash of a blue leather clad woman smashing holes in the faces of demons as she prowled through the horde. Flash of an image of Faith, Rona and that new girl smiling at someone. Flash of a hauntingly familiar leather duster with a hint of white blonde hair. Flashes…faster…more flashes of great battle being waged. Final flash of a bloodied and broken Angel asking someone to stake him, seeing Spike put an end to his pain.

“Angel! Spike!?!” the blonde awoke from her mid-afternoon nap. “No it can’t be. He died in Sunnydale. How could he be with Angel? Angel? Angel! Can’t be.”

Too late, Buffy felt her slayer senses scream at her. Two strong arms grabbed her from behind holding her back down on the sofa. Before she had time to seriously put a hurt on the offending party, she felt a needle being stuck in her neck. Her eyes searched for who was doing this to her and why.

As her mind began feeling fuzzy, Buffy’s heart ran ice-cold as she heard, “It’s done. My bella is ready for transport. Si, the money was received into my account. Grazie.”

The Immortal! Buffy had been sleeping with an enemy. She had to get out of here, but she couldn’t feel her arms or legs anymore. What had he given her?

“Ah, my bella, do not fret. Had you not awakened from your nap earlier than planned, you would have not had have to endure this fright.” He frowned. Why was he frowning, she thought.

“But you see, both your former pet vampires have made trouble for certain associates of mine. They have started something that is distasteful, and unfortunately for you, you must now play a part of that game.”

Her mouth felt like it had been stuffed with cotton, but she managed to ask, “My pet vampires?”

The Immortal gazed upon her as if she were a little child, “Why, yes, your Angel and Spike of course.” He turned his gaze to whatever goon was behind her. “Now take her to the Wolfram & Hart office.”

‘Spike’s alive…and with Angel?’ was her last thought before the darkness completely enveloped her.

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