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Hell Is In the Details	By : SpikesHeart Category: Angel the Series > Het - Male/Female Views: 2390 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Angel: The Series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Hell Is In the
Details � Chapter 16 � Even at the Turning of the Tide

Hello, Peaches.

Angel paled visibly. It seemed that bluffing and brazening
his way through just went out the window as options. Once again the proverbial
bad penny had turned up at his doorstep.

~That�s my vampire!

�Had to shoot
me in the back to take me out. Why the fuck
didn't you just drain me or dust me if you hated me so much? I could understand
that. We�re vampires � s�what we do.�

Angel lunged past Buffy, knocking the
almost empty thermos of blood out of Spike�s hands. �Didn't
want to dirty my hands with the likes of you, boy. I was sure you'd be
dust by the end of the week, and out of my hair one way or the other.�

Gunn rushed forward, shoving the elder
vampire away from Spike. �What the fuck is wrong with you, man? First you do
the dirty and sell out your kin, knowin� he�s got a
soul same as you. Now you�re trying to attack the dude for sittin�
on a damned sofa.

�Tell me, Angel. Tell all of us. What can
we expect from you now? If we piss you off � you gonna
sell us out, too?� Gunn shook his head. �True colors, man.
Fucking vampire. Never should have trusted you.�

Angel remained silent, glowering.

Gunn turned to Spike. �Look, dude. I don�t
know you enough to even think about trusting you, and if you ever flash a fang
at me I�ll dust you so fast you won�t see it comin.�
But you were wronged, big time � and I�m all for giving you one chance. We cool?�

Spike grinned. �Knowin�
where I stand with a bloke s�a good start.�

Buffy could barely contain her anger. The
unprovoked attack on Spike had her delving deep into Mama Bear territory. Grabbing
Angel by the shirt, she flung him back towards his desk.

�You get off that chair again, and I�ll
find Wes� crossbow,� she threatened. �What happened to the compassion in you? I
thought your soul guided you to be decent and good. Are you sure you still have
the bloody thing?"

Her unconscious usage of Spike�s favorite
word made Angel�s fangs itch. �You know I do, Buff.� Smooth as silk he sounded,
despite his rage, unruffled by everyone�s stares. �Soul's all anchored... it was
part of the reason why I agreed to work here in the first place. Wolfram &
Hart agreed to anchor my soul.� With a wicked grin, he asked, �Did I go out and
kill anyone after we fucked?�

�No, but apparently you attempted to before
sleeping with me � when there wasn�t even a chance that your soul was lost.�

Angel�s frustration began to rear its ugly
head once more. �You know, I really don't get what you're so upset about. This
was vampire business, settled under demons ans and practices.�

Why dt het he see how wrong he was? Maybe
the soul anchoring spell was faulty. Buffy wouldn�t put it past the Evil Empire
to screw it up somehow, on purpose. She tried to explain, slowly � like one
would to a small, really stupid child.

�No, Angel. It wasn't settled at all. Spike
was right - vampire business is settled with fists, fangs or stakes. You �settled� it like a coward. When his back
was turned you drugged him and dumped him on someone else�s doorstep.�

pan>

Buffy felt ill. The more she thought about
just what he�d done, the more nauseous she became. �HHhhHow dare you call yourself a champion? How can you justify
what you did? Spike was never yours to sell off like chattel.�

Obviously there was no answer that would
satisfy her, so Angel just muttered, �He was family � I was his Sire. I had
rights where his disposition was involved and I sold �em.
Not having to look into his damned face or hear his bullshit gave me peace and
quiet. Simple. Done.�

�You think
that�s something, English?� Gunn was incensed. Something so
simple as a fight to the death scenario? Nuh uh �
they were gonna know the truth. �Demon fighting is
only a secondary offering at Dante�s. Their spotlight attraction is fronting
for a demon whorehouse. Forced prostitution.�

Spike shut his eyes tightly. He had known
the revelations weren�t going to be pleasant, but it was affecting him far more
than he�d ever admit. His recollections were generally hazy, but this was
bringing things much closer to the surface. The urge to run was mounting in his
veins, and he was just this close to begging someone to get him the hell out of
there.

Then Buffy smiled at him. And Lorne rubbed
his shoulders in a show of support. He could do this. He would do this. He was not ashamed. He was bloody well ticked off,
and would see it through to the end.

�Oh, come on now, Charles,� Angel
countered. �How bad can it be? Spike�s been gone for a year now, and he looks
just fine � well, except for the whole not walking thing.�

�Fine, you bloody tosser?�
Spike grated out between clenched teeth. �I've been free and clear of that sod/spa/span>' place for almost five days - been gluttin� on the best human money can buy... and I still
can't stand for more'n a moment, and can't walk. I'm bruised
and broken in places you'll never see again. This looks like fine to you?�

He struggled to stand, thankful for the
added strength he�d gained from the blood. Assisted by Lorne, since it was
obvious he was going to get up with or without the help, he shucked off his
duster, pulling his shirt off over his head.

Spike trembled as he shook off Lorne's supportive
hands. His torso was still deeply bruised, ugly patches of olive and plum
making his pale skin look dirty. Black jeans slung low on slender hips; the
inflamed scar from his navel piercing was striking. �Here�s fine for you,� he
murmured.

All too soon, his knees buckled; his
reserves gone. Gunn scooped him up from the floor, looking to Buffy and Lorne
for guidance.

�I think our little party�s at an end,
buckaroos. Looks like the kid�s reached his limits.
I�ll meet you at the car, Charles. Just a little bit of unfinished business
here.�

At the door, Spike asked the man to wait.
Turning back towards Angel, he said. �You know, over the years I�d grown to
hate you with a deep and abiding passion, as you did me. I was always yours to hate� until now. You set me
free, and I publicly acknowledge that fact.�

As they exit the office, Lorne walked up to
Angel�s desk, planting his hands on the broken halves. �You're no champion,
bucko. You're a vindictive, petty, jealous bastard who hasn't grown a whit from
the useless Irish sot he was as a mortal. I quit.

�And Angelcakes? Just so I
make myself perfectly clear on this?� Lorne leaned in close to the elder
vampire � and spat.

Harmony ran after the green-skinned demon,
silently pleading with her eyes. He nodded, wrapping his arm around her
shoulders and they headed towards the car.

w"'>Angel sighed as he watched them all go, one
by one � listening to their condemnation. Only Wes and Buffy remained.

Wes cleared his throat quietly. �I�m going
home, Angel. I need some time and distance on this whole matter.� With a final
glance at a once trusted friend, Wes said, �I�ll call you when and if I decide
to come back.�

Angel watched him go, then
turned to glare at Buffy. �Happy now, Buffy? You came
into town to start a new life with me, and ended up decimating mine.� Viciously,
he started picking the splinters out of his hands. �So, any parting words of
wisdom for me, Buff? Probably your last chance, since I doubt we�ll be
traveling in the same social circles.�

Buffy shook her head, sadly. �I wish one
day you�d understand how wrong your actions were, Angel. You were right all
along � it was the man that needed killing after all.� And
closed the door on another chapter in her life.

.
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Hell Is In the Details