“The Hand That Feeds”

“You're keeping in step
In the line
Got your chin held high and you feel just fine
Cause you do
What you're told
But inside your heart it is black and it's hollow and it's cold

Just how deep do you believe?
Will you bite the hand that feeds?
Will you chew until it bleeds?
Can you get up off your knees?
Are you brave enough to see?
Do you want to change it?

What if this whole crusade's
A charade
And behind it all there's a price to be paid
For the blood
On which we dine
Justified in the name of the holy and the divine

Just how deep do you believe?
Will you bite the hand that feeds?
Will you chew until it bleeds?
Can you get up off your knees?
Are you brave enough to see?
Do you want to change it?

So naive
I keep holding on to what I want to believe
I can see
But I keep holding on and on and on and on


Will you bite the hand that feeds you?
Will you stay down on your knees?” Nine Inch Nails ("The Hand That Feeds" With Teeth 2005)


“Hold on sweetie.”

Cordelia’s gentle voice drifted quietly through the tiny hospital room. The pale feverish form on the bed did not seem to hear the tender words. Whimpers drifted from chapped lips as sightless blue eyes jerked from side to side staring at phantoms that others could not see. Careful not to wake the exhausted teenager sleeping in a near by chair, Cordelia slowly raised her hand and gently placed it onto Spike’s forehead. Sweat lined his brow as his life’s blood continued to trickle down the sides of his face staining the pillow beneath his head. Placing a tender kiss right between his eyes, a soft warm glow began to fill the stark white room.

When it disappeared, both the blood and sweat were gone from his body. Cordelia was no longer in the room and Spike was sleeping peacefully for the first time in two days.

Jerking awake, Dawn’s eyes scanned the room. Something was missing and for a moment she could not place exactly what it was. Finally her tired blue eyes rested on the figure of her best friend. Spike was laying still in his bed. His breathing was normal and his eyes were closed. Getting up, Dawn slowly made her way to his bed side. Placing one hand gently on his forehead, she lightly traced the outline of a faintly glowing silver circle. It felt slightly warmer than the rest of his skin, but not alarmingly so. Spike simply looked to be sleeping peacefully instead of being stuck in a magic induced nightmare. Quietly backing away, Dawn quickly left the room. The others would want to know of this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Angel smiled a rather smug grin as his limo pulled into the underground parking garage at Wolfram and Hart. He had been gone for two days and was positive that his plan had worked. One simple spell to remove whatever it was that was causing Spike to have visions and Angel would be back on top of the world. He just knew that as soon as his spell took effect that everyone would quickly find out what Angel himself already knew. Spike was a fake, plain and simple. There was no way that the Powers would ever let him into heaven much less bestow upon him their visions. Spike would never be good enough for such an honor and as Champion it was Angel‘s job to put a stop to such travesties.

Stepping out of the car, Angel strode over to the elevator. Getting in he pushed the button that would take him to his office. Quietly, he sang along with the music being pumped through the speakers as the car began to rise. When the door opened up, he stepped out into the hallway and made his way to his office. He could not wait for what tomorrow would bring.

Walking through the door of his office, Angel continued to sing a very off key tune under his breath. So focused on his plans for the upcoming days, Angel’s senses failed to registered the other presence in the room.

“Nice trip?” Came the caustic voice. “Barter any souls? Toss a few innocent people into a nice comfy hell dimension? Sacrifice anybody to appease a hell god?”

Startled out of his daydreams, Angel’s head snapped to attention so quickly that the vertebra in his neck cracked loudly in the semi dark room.

“Cordelia?” Angel whispered. Seeing her sitting calmly behind his desk rattled Angel’s nerves. She looked just how he remembered her too. Dark hair fell to just above her shoulders in soft waves, clothes perfect as always, and make up done to highlight her natural beauty. What stopped Angel from rushing foreword to gather her in his arms was her saccharine sweet smile and fiery brown eyes. It was the look Cordelia usually reserved for idiots and people she did not particularly like.

“Hello Angel.” Her smile grew wider but the look in her eyes became fierce. “Have a seat. We have so much to talk about.”

Indicating the two chairs before the desk, Cordelia waited with barely restrained fury for Angel to comply. When it seemed that all he was going to do was stand and stare at her, Cordelia rolled her eyes and growled.

“Angel! Sit!”

“Cordy?” Angel asked clearly confused. Cordelia seemed angry and she had never treated him like this before. She was definitely not acting at all like his dear sweet Cordy.

“What happened? Tell me so that I can fix it!” Angel cried as he locked pleading brown eyes on one of his girls.

“What happened?” Cordelia asked with feigned sincerity. “Why don’t you tell me.”

“Cordy, “ Angel started, “I don’t know what your talking about.”

“Conner.” First one finger was raised. “Spike.” Then another. Looking expectantly at Angel, she waited to see what he had to say for himself. His reaction was immediate and defensive.

“Hey! I did the best that I could!”

“Angel.” Cordelia interrupted. “I really do understand the whole Conner situation, but wiping everyone’s memories? And how in the hell do you justify putting that spell on Spike?”

“I did not have a choice! He was going to kill himself and take several others with him!” Angel said, completely ignoring her question about Spike.

“Angel you had a choice! You simply took the easy way out.”

“Easy?” Angel seethed. “ You think it was easy for me to give up my son? It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do!”

“Angel, you not only wiped his memories clean but you did it to the others as well. Without their permission.” Cordelia pointed out rather bluntly.

“It was for their own good.” Angel defended. “Conner deserved a normal life.” This simply caused Cordelia to roll her eyes.

“Right, because a child borne of two vampires is nothing more than a normal human kid.” Cordelia responded, her sarcasm cutting straight through him.

“Conner is human.” Angel stated, confused as to why she would think otherwise.

“No Angel.” Cordelia said. “He isn’t.”

“Why are you saying these things?” Angel asked, pain lacing his voice.

“Because you need to see that what you did to Conner, Spike, and the others was wrong. That you taking Wolfram and Hart’s deal was wrong.”

“Spike?” Angel growled, latching onto the one thing he felt he could easily justify. “I only proved that he was nothing more than a fake.”

“Fake?!?” Cordelia shrieked. Getting up, Cordelia stalked around the desk and came to stand in front of Angel. Poking one finger into his chest, she continued her tirade.

“And just how do you know he’s a fake? Huh? What divine knowledge was passed down to you stating such a ridiculous claim?”

“It’s Spike!” Angel growled. “Of course he’s a fake! There is no way he could have been in heaven! He‘s not even working towards redemption.”

“What gave you the idea that Spike needed to be redeemed?”