A/N: Many thanks to Spikeslovebite for betaing 11 out of the 12 chapters, and to Slinkypsychokit for filling in for one of them. Also, Sandy_s's banner inspired this fic...thank you for the artwork and making me a matching icon.





Buffy and Spike held hands and together they exited the elevator onto the top floor of Wolfram & Hart. Dana and Dawn followed closely behind them. Harmony, of course, noticed the foursome first.

“Oh my God! Buffy!” Harmony ran up and hugged her former nemesis. “And little Dawnie, too. You’ve grown up so much, Dawn.”

“Uh, hello Harmony. How are you?” Buffy asked, completely perplexed by the blonde vampiress’ attitude. She cast a look at Spike, who for some reason looked down right guilty of something. She narrowed her eyes, which Harmony mistook as meant for her.

Harmony started babbling. “I’m a good vampire now, Buffy. Really, ask Spikey. I’m totally with the 100 % no human blood now. Don’t stake me. I’ve really been good…and it wasn’t my fault that vampire spiked my blood. She was so totally jealous of me…”

“Harmony,” Buffy interrupted, with Dawn giggling behind her. Trying to keep a straight face, she said, “I’m very happy to hear that. Look at you…all career girl now. I’m happy for you.”

“Really, Buffy? Gee thanks, and here I thought you’d be mad at me for sleeping with Spike again…but really he was just using me like usual. Getting his body back like that.”

“Excuse me, what?” Buffy and Dawn both glared at Spike, who took that moment to cough.

“Just got my body back, pet. Meant nothing. Besides she almost tried to kill me during it,” Spike muttered.

“Yeah, ‘cause whatever made Blondie Bear become a real boy again made the whole office go into a murderous rage,” Harmony explained, oblivious to the semi-amused glare Buffy was casting Spike.

Dawn coughed, “Blondie Bear?”

Which broke the tension and Buffy began to laugh. Dana took her cue from Buffy and started laughing, too. Harmony sniffed in irritation, “I don’t think it was all that funny. I mean what if I had bitten someone, then Angel would have dusted me, and it wouldn’t have been my fault.”

“She’s not laughing at you, ducks,” Spike told Harmony. “She’s laughing at me. S’alright. Is Peaches in?”

“If you mean Angel, then yeah. Why you call him a fruit, I don’t understand. But yeah, the boss is in his office. Big meeting…everyone is there. Fred, Wesley, Gunn, and this guy from the Watcher’s Council is there too. He looked sort of familiar.”

“Oh, I bet that’s Andrew…you know, Tucker’s brother,” Buffy said.

“Ah, yeah. Wow, you can’t take the geek out of high school,” Harmony said. “Go on in, Spike.”

“Ta, ducks. Shall we, wife?”

“Wait a sec. Wife? Wife? You married the Slayer?! I mean…er… congratulations. Is there a ring?” Harmony asked.

“Show her, love,” Spike said proudly, puffing out his chest.

Buffy happily held up her left hand, which was entwined with Spike’s right. She turned their held hands to show off her gorgeous ring. It was silver, with a marquis-cut ruby centered by two small diamonds on the side. The silver work displayed great artistry as the artisan had fashioned it to appear like a stem from a rose without the thorns.

“Oh, Buffy, that’s gorgeous. It looks old.”

“It was Spike’s mother’s.” Turning to Spike, she added, “Remind me to thank Clem when we get back. You are so sneaky.”

“That I am, pet. Shall we see the Poof now?”

“Yes, let’s get this over with.”

Harmony backed away from the foursome and ran behind her desk. No way was she going to get near that room, but she wished she could see what went down.

********

Spike threw open the door with his usual bravado. Still clutching Buffy’s hand, he proudly walked in and announced, “This little meeting wouldn’t be about little ol’ me, would it?”

As Angel grumbled, “Spike!”

Another voice said, “Spike?”

“Oh, for the love of —”

“Spike?” Andrew flew across the room, ignoring Buffy and everyone else. He hugged Spike tightly, making said object of his affection very uncomfortable. Andrew said tearfully, “It's you. It's really you! My therapist thought I was holding onto false hope, but... I knew you'd come back. You're like... you're like Gandalf the White, resurrected from the pit of the Balrog, more beautiful than ever. Ohh... he's alive, Frodo. He's alive.”

Buffy and Dawn snickered, but Dana was on to Andrew in a flash. “Let him go!”

“Noodle, it’s alright. It’s just Andrew.” Though mortified by Andrew’s little display, because it ruined his big entrance, he felt for the little watcher. He noticed the tweed and the weird hair.

“Become a Watcher, have you now?” Spike asked Andrew.

Andrew seemed to come to his senses and realize the presence of Buffy and Dawn. “Yes. Buffy, Dawn…what are you two doing here? Mr. Giles didn’t tell me…”

“Giles doesn’t know, Andrew,” Buffy said coldly.

Andrew, who recognized that look from his evil nemesis days, swallowed hard and started babbling. “Oh, okay…so um…how are you? Who’s this? Giles wanted me to pick up a new Slayer, but she escaped the mental institution…and who’s this?”

Angel had had enough. He watched the scene before him and noticed how Spike and Buffy were holding hands. He didn’t like it. How did Buffy find out about Spike? He’d thought he’d drilled it into his grand-childe’s head that Buffy didn’t love him. He didn’t think Spike would have contacted her. No, someone else tipped her off. He’d find them and use the nice facilities down below to unleash his anger on the culprit.

“Okay, so everyone seems to know each other. Why are you and Dawn here, Buffy? That girl with you…she looks familiar,” Angel began. Studying the way the girl stood next to Spike, he knew he’s seen her before.

Wesley spoke up, “I believe this is Miss Dana. Am I correct?”

“But she was supposed to be insane?” Angel asked.

“I was. I’m feeling much better now, and you know I am in the room,” Dana announced.

“Good on you, Noodle,” Spike said.

Andrew stammered, “But she…I’ve seen…we’ve seen video.”

Buffy answered, “Yes, I’m sure Angel was all too proud to show off how his new empire has eyes in every mental facility, hospital, and every administrative building in the city. His need for control no longer surprises me.”

“Buffy, I didn’t know about the cameras until tonight. Eve…”

“Don’t care, Angel. You made your bed with the devil, now you can wallow in the filth. Though why am I not surprised that you dragged your friends with you? Do they know how you basically sold your soul and theirs too? Nice little package for the Senior Partners. All because of Connor,” Buffy declared.

Fred and Wesley asked, “Who’s Connor? What do you mean sold our souls?”

Wesley stated over Fred, “You don’t understand, Miss Summers. We are trying to work from the inside and do good using the resources afforded to us by Wolfram & Hart.”

Buffy shook her head sadly. Dawn spoke for her, “I remembered you as being smarter than that, Wesley. Although I must say the new wardrobe looks good on you, you’re delusional if you think you can do good working in the bosom of evil. Everything you do will be corrupted and tainted by the mere fact that it’s Wolfram & Hart. Have you ever asked yourself; ‘how can we afford all this?’” Dawn gestured to the office and the building in general. “Well, you should. It’s all born on the backs of evil deeds, murder, treachery, and all the seven deadly sins. And by agreeing to work here, you yourselves are soaking in evil. You’ll soon learn that every good deed you do will be washed away and made insignificant through the misdeeds of all the other branches. Have you forgotten about them? Why the one in Rome alone…”

“Dawn, that’s enough,” Buffy interrupted. “They’ve been blinded by Angel’s great big ego.”

“Yes, Niblet. The Great Poof thinks himself a Champion for the Powers. Heard from Whistler lately?” Spike threw out there. “Got yourself a new link to the Powers since Cordelia’s been in a coma?”

Angel looked uncomfortable. Lorne, Gunn, Wesley, and Fred all looked to him to respond. When they realized he didn’t have an answer, they started to argue. Spike was enjoying this immensely. Although he did feel a little bit sorry for Fred, she’d been right nice to him.

“Everyone shut up!” Buffy yelled, silencing the room. “Who wants to know Angel’s price for working at Wolfram & Hart? Did anyone know they had a choice in not working here?”

Fred raised her hand. Lorne said, “Sure thing, firecracker.” Gunn looked put out. Buffy thought it might be too late for him. Angel just looked sick.

“Buffy, don’t,” he pleaded.

“Tell them, luv.”

“The entire last year of your memories is false. Do any of you clearly remember how Jasmine came to being? How she was killed? Do any of you recall why Cordy’s in that mystical coma of hers?”

“Buffy, please,” Angel tried again. He appeared ready to rush her to get her to stop talking, when Dana flew forward and pinned him against the wall with a stake over his heart.

“Shut up,” Dana said. “You are nothing but dust to me.”

Startled from Dana’s protective gesture, Buffy paused to breathe. “Go on, Buffy. They need to know,” said Dawn.

“Angel had sex with Darla…”

“We know that Buffy,” Wesley interrupted. With a growl from Spike, Wesley quieted.

“Yes, you remember that. But none of you remember that eight and a half months later, Darla walked into the Hyperion very much pregnant.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m finding this hard to believe,” Wesley sputtered.

Buffy walked slowly up to Wes and touched his temples. A flash of white light swirled in his eyes, and suddenly Wes was crumpled on the floor. “Oh my God.” Wes looked at Angel with anger and confusion. “You tried to smother me!”

“You stole my son!” Angel blurted out. Gasps from Fred and Lorne were heard. Gunn was strangely silent.

Gunn’s actions confirmed to her that whatever Wolfram & Hart had done to him, he had eventually discovered the truth. He was as guilty as Angel. He was too prideful.

Buffy quickly touched Lorne and Fred’s temples and they too soon became weary from the truth. “Gunn, you’ve been given all the legal mumbo jumbo, right? Wouldn’t their contract with Wolfram & Hart be considered questionable, perhaps even unconscionable?”

Gunn looked startled at her knowledge. “Maybe.”

“Yeah, give me the lawyer answer. I’m sure the legal team of W&H would fight them, but do the Senior Partners really want The Slayer to wage war on them? Where’s this Eve?”

“Evie? Oh, Evie?”

“Please do not call me that,” Eve said as she entered the room. “The Senior Partners have directed me to pass on their congratulations at becoming The Slayer, and told me that they would release Fred, Wesley, Lorne, and even Gunn from their contracts, should they desire to leave. Standard confidentially contracts must be signed, of course, upon their departure.”

“No, no new contracts for those that leave. I know all too well how you people work,” Buffy replied.

“Very well. It was worth the try. I’ll make sure that they are ready by the end of the day.” With that, Eve departed.

“Well, luv, that was brilliant. Never seen Eve so accommodating…well, except during that party when she and Angel…”

“Spike!”

“Oh sod off, you wanker. Dana, pet, let the tosser go.”

Dana pushed Angel hard into the wall one last time, before releasing him to fall on the floor. She walked back to Dawn, who hugged her and told her good job.

Fred asked, “What about Angel, Buffy? I mean, Eve didn’t mention him.”

“Angel knew full well what he was signing and why. I can’t help him now, nor do I want to.”

“But Buffy, you love me. We’re soul mates. You said someday…” Angel whined.

“I don’t sound that bad, do I?” asked Dawn quietly to Spike. Spike stifled his laugh, biting his lower lip and shook his head no. “Thank God.”

“Angel, I told you I was cookie dough…that I wasn’t done baking. I wasn’t being entirely truthful with you. I was pretty much done except for the center then. I’m all done now. Entirely baked.” Holding out her ring. “I’m his wife now…forever. I love Spike. You were my first puppy love…and I mistook it for the real thing. But true love doesn’t leave, Angel. True love doesn’t just show up for a little while and then leave when the going gets tough. True love doesn’t leave my sister alone after I died. No, Angel, you never were my true love.”

“He’s cast some spell on you, I just know it. You don’t feel this way,” Angel argued.

“Geesh, get a clue already. You are history. You are beneath her, Angel!” Dawn announced.

Spike turned all giddy at Dawn’s pronouncement. His kissed her cheek. “Ta, Nib.”

“Any time, bro.”

Buffy calmly took in the smiling faces of Dawn, Dana, and Spike. She saw that Andrew had tears in his eyes and was blowing his nose with a hanky. Weirdly, Lorne was doing the same. “This is my family. Make no mistake. Mess with them, and the full wrath of The Slayer will fall upon your heads. My sisters and my husband, the Champion of the Slayers and the Guardians, will be leaving now. If any of you wish to join us, you are welcome to the wedding reception.”

Spike picked Buffy up and kissed her squarely on the mouth. “I had a long path to walk to discover you, Spike. A very long, winding road…but it was worth every step, because it led me to you.”

“Where to, wife?” Spike asked.

“Sanctuary. Clem’s throwing us a thing,” Buffy replied.

The foursome had walked into Angel’s office alone. They left with Andrew, Fred, Wesley and Lorne in tow.

Angel watched them leave as he sat crumpled on the floor.