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Renewing Old Ties by LadyYashka
 
Chapter One: Together Again
 
 
 
The battle with Wolfram and Hart was fierce. Demons pour out of the portal in the sky, a vengeful army ready to decimate all who opposed their master’s way. For three days they fought, through endless rain that blocked the sun from the sky, and over piles of dead friend and foe alike. Allies known and some unknown had arrived to lend their assistance and sometimes their lives to stopping the evil that Wolfram and Hart caused to plague their world. Reunions with past friends and loved ones was put off, the need to stop the tied of demons more important than any petty grievances that may still linger.

Then as suddenly as the demons had appeared, they were gone. A blinding flash of brilliant blue tinged light lit up the temporary battleground and when it had faded the portal was closed and a prophecy had been fulfilled.

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A weary group of soldiers sat slumped around the lobby of the Hyperion Hotel. Silence had descended over the group as they sat, still covered in dirt, the blood of their foes and bits and pieces of the pizza that they had recently consumed.

“Well that was fun.” Willow sighed looking around at the reunited Scoobies. Letting her eyes linger on Spike’s exhausted form, Willow frowned.

“What?” Spike grumbled, too tired to really work up a good rant at being to object of the witches’ ire, it wouldn’t be the first time that the group from Sunnydale had decided that he was no longer needed after a big battle.

“You’re a poophead.” Willow stated emphatically. Seeing his shocked face, Willow elaborated. “You died. Then obviously you came back but did not want anyone to know. Though I don’t blame you for that, we were not exactly all with the friendliness where you were concerned but still, at least you should have told Buffy and since I’m the designated best friend I declare you a poophead.”

Hearing snickering coming from the one eyed lump on Willow’s left side, Spike picked up a piece of pizza crust sitting on the floor next to him, and launched it with inhuman accuracy. It hit the figure with a soft thud in the center of his forehead and bounced down to land in his lap.

“I second your poophead and raise you a dorkwad.” The gangly figure sitting next to Spike’s assault victim stated.

“I here by declare you dorkwad and raise you a dingbat.” Came the tired reply from the blonde lady leaning on Willow’s right side. Spike tried to keep his expression stern but the unmanly snort gave away his mirth.

“As the head Watcher I hear by declare that Spike, William the Bloody, Poophead, dorkwad, and dingbat from here on out to simply be known as Useless Wanker.” This slightly slurred but dignified pronouncement came from the British man sitting against the lobby’s reception desk with his legs sprawled out before him. It caused several in their very tired group to begin snickering anew. Pain filled groans could soon be heard when tired or torn muscles pulled at the action.

“So if I’m now ‘Useless Wanker’,” Spike asked, forcing the grin from his face. “Then what does that make you lot?”

“Whelp.” Proclaimed Xander as he launched the hard pizza crust back in Spike’s direction. It ended up falling well short of his intended target and skidding along the ground only coming to a stop when it hit Spike’s boot covered foot.

“Butthead.” Was Dawn’s long drawn out reply. She had been caught up in a lengthy yawn right in the middle of voicing her reply.

“I believe it’s a toss up between being a dope and a bonehead. I also know for a fact that I’m shirty.” Buffy nodded, a slight grin breaking out over her face despite her efforts to appear serious.

“Well,” Giles interrupted, trying to sound serious but failing miserably. He was too tired to care. “To commend this day, I, known as Ignorant Sod, would like to make a toast.”

When the giggling stopped and everyone had raised their respected drinks, Giles continued.

“We few..” Giles started, a small smile curving his mouth as his twinkling eyes meet Spike’s across the room.

“We happy few…” Spike said, joining in on the joke.

“We band of buggered.” They finish together, holding silent for a few minutes before their laughter could be heard ringing through out the hotel. Buffy, Willow, Dawn, and Xander simply looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. They all assumed that it must be a British thing.

It was this scene that a haggard Angel walked in on, looking perplexed at the small gathering sitting around the lobby.

“What are you guys doing?” He asked, his confused gaze skipping over the others to come to a stop on Buffy’s tired form. Once the battle had ended, Angel had left everyone sitting in the lobby. He was tired, filthy, and desperately wanted to get the demon goop out of his ears.

“What does it look like Peaches?” Spike sneered, before taking a drink of his thermos of blood. Spike could hear Angel’s new heart beat and was not in the mood to deal with any touching reunions. He had hoped that he could slip away before the likely event happened but he had gotten caught up in a little reunion of his own. The kind acceptance and Scooby style apology for past grievances only made leaving all that much harder.

“Yeah, Captain Hair Gel.” Came Xander’s sardonic reply. “Even a lowly Whelp like I am can clearly “see” what’s going on.”

“Xander, Spike, hush.” Buffy scolded, though all could tell that her heart was not into it.

“Yeah!” Dawn continued, picking up where her sister left off. “It’s not nice to make fun of the terminally confused.”

“Buffy!” Angel grumbled, trying to be heard over the snickering group.

“Sorry Angel.” Buffy shrugged. “We’re all just a little loopy.”

“Speak for yourself luv.” Spike snarked. “You lot are the loopy ones.”

“Spike’s quite right.” Giles said, nodding his head in agreement to Spike’s words.

“Oh, really?” Buffy answered, her eyebrow rising to meet her grimy hairline.

“So if we’re loopy,” Willow started, “Then what does that make you two?”

After looking each other in the eye for a moment both men shrugged their shoulders and Giles gave his reply.

“Drunk.” Spike merely nodded, pointing to the empty bottles of Scotch that rested next to both men that until that moment had gone unnoticed by the rest of the group. Stunned, Angel gazed at the group in his lobby for a few minutes. They had just won the fight of their lives, he was now human again and this was their reaction? He simply could not wrap his mind around the thought. And why was Spike still here? The fight was over and Angel got the prize so Spike was no longer needed. Glowering in Spike’s direction, Angel made his dissatisfaction known.

“What are you still doing here Spike?” Angel demanded. “The fight is over. Besides, the Powers gave me their reward so we don‘t need you here anymore.”

“Hey!” Came several angry replies quickly followed by a sharp kick to his shin. With a startled yelp, Angel finally noticed the glares being sent his way; he also realized that the kick had come from Xander whom he was standing closest too.

“Sod off you Ponce.” Spike growled. “Seems to me, like most times, you don’t know what the bloody hell you’re talking about.”

“I take back my earlier declaration Spike.” Willow said, giving Angel her version of the evil eye. “Angel’s the poophead.”

“Don’t worry Spike.” Dawn said, gaining Spike’s attention. “You’re still our Useless Wanker.”

“I have to agree with Dawnie and Wills.” Xander stated, getting another good kick in. He grinned at the pained cry that action caused.

Stepping back, Angel cast a wounded look in Buffy’s direction. He could not understand why she continued to let her friends abuse him in such a manner and because of Spike of all things.

“Buffy!” Angel said, imploring her to bring order to the group.

“Oh stop it Angel.” Buffy grumbled. “Wills is right. Your are a poophead.”

“But Buffy,” Angel started as he took an imploring step towards the blonde slayer. “I’m human now.”

“I know.” Buffy answered, deliberately playing it as if she had no idea as to what he was alluding too. “And I think it’s wonderful. You finally get that normal life you’ve always wanted.”

A new round of snickering could be heard following Buffy’s declaration. Her reply had sounded completely insincere and had been coupled with her ‘I’m an air headed valley girl’ smile. When it became obvious that her tone and the meaning behind her reply had flown right over Angel’s head the group’s laughter became harder for Angel to ignore. Stalking towards where Spike sat sprawled on the floor, Angel started to pull the drunken vampire to his feet.

“You need to leave.” Angel growled. “Now that I’m human there is no way Buffy would want a thing like you around.”

“Ooooh! Did you hear that?” Xander said with feigned seriousness. “Looks like former Dead boy Senior is trying to make decisions for our Buffster. She doesn’t like that.”

“You’ve got that right Xan.” Buffy growled, hazel eyes flashing in anger. “I seem to remember a lot of decisions being made that were supposedly ‘for my own good’. It was like someone thought I wasn’t smart enough to know my own heart. Sure, it might take me a while to figure it out but when I do there’s a parade with seventy-six trombones. Kind of hard not to notice when it happens, right Spike?”

“Too bloody right Slayer.” Spike answered with a firm nod of his head. Looking in Buffy’s direction and taking in the softness of her eyes and the gentle smile she sent his way a small glimmer of hope began to shine in his heart. Maybe, just maybe she had actually meant her last words to him.

“Buffy,” Angel said as he took a step towards his love, “I thought you understood the sacrifice I was making. You told me that you still thought about us, that you were cookie dough. Remember? You told me that the night I gave you the amulet. You sent me away because you couldn‘t risk me.”

Seeing the hope die in Spike’s eyes at his words caused a feeling of vicious satisfaction to fill his newly beating heart. Buffy was his and it was about time Spike learned that he would always and forever be a convenient replacement, at least until the genuine article, namely Angel, came back into the picture.

Eyes turning towards the floor, Spike tried with everything he was not to let the others see how his heart had shattered at Angel’s words. Those private doubts had been plaguing Spike since his return and to hear Angel voice them, and with out Buffy offering a word of denial, sealed Spike’s fate. He would be leaving tonight, and there was nothing that could make his stay.

“Right then.” Spike started as he took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. “Since fun time seems to be over I guess I’ll be taking me leave…………….”

“Spike. Don’t.”

Hearing the harshly spoken words caused Spike’s head to jerk up as his eyes finally landed on Buffy’s face. As he prepared to really give her a piece of his mind, the looks of outrage finally caught the heartbroken vampire’s attention. Fierce looks of disgust and hatred were clearly shown on every face of the Scoobies and all were directed, not at Spike, but at his former Grandsire, Angel. Nodding, Spike took a few steps back, curious to see how this little scene was going to play out.

“Reality check Angel.” Buffy all but growled. Taking a menacing step forward, she locked her angry gaze onto that of the man she had foolishly thought of as the love of her life until it was too late and Spike had died not believing her last words. “I was facing a seemingly unbeatable Big Bad. I thought we were all going to die. Circumstances like those cause a person to look back on their lives and often think ‘what if’. They are fantasies, unrealistic fantasies. Our past relationship wasn’t the only period of my life that I looked back on and thought ‘what if?’”


“What are you talking about?” Angel asked, clearly not liking what Buffy was saying to him. “You sent me away….”

“Because you would have gotten in my way!” Buffy shouted, causing Angel to take a step back at the rage that was clearly shown on her face. “You thought that you could swoop in after not speaking to me for two years and play the dashing hero who saves to simpering damsel in distress. Yes I kissed you and I have regretted that action ever since.”

“Buffy?” Spike asked as he took a cautious step towards the trembling slayer. Turning pain filled green eyes towards Spike, Buffy all but begged him to believe what she was about to say.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I was too stupid to realize until you were dieing that I love you. I’m sorry I didn’t come for you the moment I found out you were back…”

“You knew?” Spike asked, a new pain filling his bright blue eyes.

“It’s not what you think.” Buffy said. Taking a few steps forward, Buffy placed a small delicate hand on Spike’s cheek. Her heart soared when he unconsciously leaned into her touch. It gave her hope that they might be able to start over. “I had a job to do. The Immortal? Not so Immortal.”

“Buffy!” Angel implored, trying to break into through the bubble that seemed to surround Buffy and Spike. “You don’t love him. Its just gratitude talking, that’s all. We’re destined to be together, remember?”

“Now, now lover.” Came a silky voice from behind the group. The familiar voice effectively shattered the mood that had settled over the group in the hotel’s lobby, as all heads turned to see Darla walking down the steps into the room a vicious smirk gracing her face. “There’s no need to be so hasty.”

Three startled cries of “Darla” sounded through out the lobby, two where edged with vicious growls while one sounded unsure. Walking up to where Angel was standing slightly behind Spike and Buffy, Darla let her blue gaze rake up and down her former childe and lover, completely dismissing the two blondes.

“Bloody hell your human!” Spike yelled, taking a step away from the woman who had tormented him for years after he had been turned. Looking at Darla in disgust, Buffy quickly followed Spike’s lead. That fact that it put her right against his side only had a small part in her decision to move. As mush as she loved Spike, Buffy would have snuggled up against a Chaos demon in order to get away from Darla.

“It would appear so.” Was Darla’s disgusted reply to Spike’s startled outburst.

“You‘re joking right? Please tell me you‘re joking.” Buffy asked looking at Spike for confirmation. When he simply nodded, her shoulders drooped and her fists dropped back down to her sides. “Drat.”

“There, there.” Xander said as he moved from his place next to Willow so that he could place his arm around Buffy‘s shoulders and give her a gentle squeeze.

“We can always let Spike eat her.” Giles offered from were he stood, eyeing the woman with a look of disdain. Spike started snickering at the hopeful look that entered Buffy’s eyes. His laughter turned into howls when he noticed the looks on Angel and Darla’s faces. Wrapping his arms around his stomach, Spike slid down the wall so that he was resting on the floor once again, his head leaning against Buffy’s calf. His ribs were killing him but he couldn’t help laughing at seeing the Bitch and the Poof being put in their places.

“Who votes we go with Giles‘ suggestion?” Dawn asked, raising her hand and causing the others to laugh as well. Getting himself under control, Spike voiced the question that was on all of their minds.

“So, how and why are you here?”

“I’m here, William,” Darla sneered, revulsion coloring her reply, “Because the Powers sent me back to be this groups Seer.”

Unhappy groans filled the room as all hope of ever getting rid of the blonde woman fled.

“I’m a good slayer, right?” Buffy asked rhetorically. “I save the world on a regular basis and I even help train some of the mini-slayers. What did I ever do that was so bad as to deserve Darla as our seer?”

“Nothing doll face.” Whistler answered from where he had been hiding at the front entrance of the hotel. He well remembered the last time he had to give Buffy a message from the Powers. Since Whistler happened to like his rib cage where it was, he had made a deal with the Powers so that this would be the last time he had to deal with the Slayer. He was eternally grateful to them for granting his request.

“Then why?” Buffy growled at the short badly dressed balance demon. She was immensely satisfied when the action caused Whistler to cower against the wall behind him.

“Because she and Angel are the parents of one of our champions.” Whistler answered, cringing back further in anticipation of Buffy‘s wrath. Seeing nothing but her annoyed expression, the demon messenger continued. “That and she can keep Broody here in line.”

“But I got my reward.” Angel whined. “I’m human.”

“Whiney much?” Dawn snorted under her breath causing a few smiles to break out.

“Angel, buddy,” Whistler began, “Did you honestly think that your destiny was with Buffy?”

“You’re the one who told me it was my job to protect her!”

“Protect?!?” Buffy yelled, furious at the thought of anybody believing that she needed to be coddled. Scooting back, Spike quickly got out of Buffy’s way. He knew that tone of voice and it usually meant that someone was going to be hurting.

“No.” Whistler answered, his voice firm. Leaving the relative safety of his spot next to the door, Whistler made his way over to the two newly human vampires. “Guide, teach, move on. You were never supposed to lose yourselves in each other.” Holding up a hand to silence Angel’s protest, Whistler continued.

“Acathala was supposed to be your crowning achievement pal, not one of your greatest mistakes.” Whistler scolded. “Though I must say Blondie here was a definite surprise.”

“Huh?” Spike asked looking up at Whistler from his place behind Buffy‘s legs, confusion shown clearly on his face.

“You were a soulless demon.” Whistler said with a slight shrug as if that alone explained everything. “You sat quietly under the radar and then bam! Your telling the Slayer here that you want to save the world. Definitely caught the Powers attention with that statement.”

“That doesn’t count!” Angel growled. “He’s only ever helped for selfish reasons!”

“Angelus!” Darla snarled as her open palm made contact with the back of Angel’s head. “Stop being so deliberately obtuse. It wasn‘t cute when you were evil and it is not cute now.”

“Since when is love a selfish reason?” Whistler asked inwardly grinning at the scolding Darla had just given Angel. He was more than happy to leave the responsibility of delivering the Power’s messages for this particular group in Darla’s hands.

“He didn’t do it because it was the right thing! He was only trying to get into Buffy‘s pants.” Angel cried, rubbing his head where Darla had hit him.

“If that was his reason then why did he stay after I died?” Buffy asked a thoughtful frown settling over her face. Her gaze not only demanded an answer of Angel but of Spike as well. It was something that she had always wanted to know but had never asked and now she had the opportunity to find out.

“Duh!” Dawn answered before anyone could. “He loves us!”

“He couldn’t love Dawnie.” Angel shot back. “He didn’t have a soul then.”

“But you just said that he only helped for selfish reasons.” Xander spoke up from his place beside Buffy, his remaining eye sweeping between Angel and the now standing Spike. “If his reasons where not love then what were they? A selfish desire to keep this world turning? Cause I must say if that’s selfish than bring it on!”

“Xander’s right.” Willow said, nodding her agreement. “We never told him that we were planning on bringing Buffy back. In fact we took advantage of Spike’s willingness to look after Dawn in order to plan the spell.”

Shameful tears filled Willow’s eyes after her statement. Looking at Spike, she voiced the rest of her thoughts.

“We were wrong and we knew it even then.”

Stunned, Spike slowly turned, looking at the two remaining Scoobies that he had worked with that horrible summer. To have them apologize for mistreating him was one thing, Spike had assumed that they had meant they’re actions over the course of that final year in Sunnydale but to have them acknowledge their actions against him before his soul was returned left him in complete shock. It was also a sobering thought, and Spike started to shake his head as memories of years past filled his mind.

“That’s all right Red.” Spike said, his eyes looking towards the floor, clearly embarrassed. “It’s not like I didn’t deserve it.”

“But you didn’t.” Hearing Xander Harris openly admit to mistreating him had Spike’s head shooting up, blue eyes going impossibly wide. Seeing the astonished look, Xander ducked his head in shame. Over the last year they had all done some growing and even Xander could admit that he missed having Spike around. He only hoped that his past behavior had not damaged his chance at actually being friends with the blonde vampire.

“Not after Glory.” Buffy finished, her own mind turning back to that horrible year after her return. Seeing the pain slowly building in Buffy’s eyes, Spike left his perch on the wall and was once more by her side. Pulling her into a hug, Spike gently rubbed his hand up and down her back, the other cradling her head against his shoulder.

“Oh luv,” Spike sighed, his arms tightening around his distressed girl. “That wasn’t your fault. You’d been ripped from heaven and I certainly did not help matters any.”

“But you didn’t know how to help.” Buffy said as she pulled her head back so that she could look him in the eyes. “We talked a lot after you died and we figured that you and Anya were more alike than any of us wanted to admit.”

“How’s that pet?”

“Anya did not know how to act in a human society anymore after spending over eleven hundred years as a demon.” Giles answered. “We went through great pains in order to teach her how to reintegrate herself, to fit in once more, but what we failed to notice was that you were going through the same learning process that she was.”

“Anya had help.” Dawn said, shrugging. “You didn’t. It’s no wonder you screwed up. It’s like getting onto a toddler for doing something they shouldn’t but without explaining before hand what they can and can not do.”

“How touching.” Darla sneered. “You’ve realized your all idiots.”

Turning her back on the group, Darla effectively dismissed the Scoobies in favor of Angel. She was only putting up with her new mission for Angel and their son the rest didn’t matter.

“ Come on Angelus. We’ve got so much to talk about.” Taking his hand she began to drag him out of the hotel despite his protest. Whistler shuffled along behind them, smiling at the snickers that followed their exit. When the door closed on the departing trio a slightly awkward silence settled over the group.

“Spike?” Buffy called out quietly, effectively breaking the silence.

“Yeah pet?” Spike answered as he turned cautiously hopeful eyes onto his slayer.

“I love you.”

The radiant smile that spread out over Spike’s face could have lit up Los Angeles. Wrapping his arms around Buffy, he picked her up and spun her around in circles, their joyous laughter filling the hotel and causing the rest of the group to break out in smiles of their own.

Placing her feet back onto the ground, Spike placed both hands on either side of her face and gave Buffy the gentlest of kisses. It was filled with love, joy, and a promise of a future together. It made her knees go weak and only her hold on his waist kept her upright. Do to the mushy feelings coursing through her body, Buffy failed to notice when his gentle smile turned sinfully wicked.

Yanking her upwards once more, Spike heaved Buffy up onto his shoulder as he turned and rushed up the stairs leading towards the hotel’s bedrooms, ignoring the Scoobies laughter at his antics.

“I’ll see you lot later!” Spike called out over Buffy’s giggled threats of violence. “I’ve got me a slayer to shag!”