Title: A Perfect Fit. Chapter 10 of 19
Genre: General, Romance, Humor, bit of action
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel: the Series
Pairing: Spike/Other, Buffy/Angel
Rating: R for sexual situations and language.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Buffy and Angel. Candy is my own original character and I do own her. This story is for entertainment purposes only. I'm not making any money off this.
Summary: Begins three months after the final battle in the alley in Angel, Not Fade Away. What's left of Angel's crew has moved back to The Hyperion, including a restless Spike. Someone interesting comes to LA, when Faith suggests that only Angel can help her. Many characters from both shows will make appearances. Angel, Harmony, Gunn, Illyria, Lorne, Buffy, Giles, Dawn, Angelus, Willow and others.
(Previous Chapters Here)
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raynedanser
Chapter Ten ~ Dinner for the Masses
Spike had some business to take care off, so Candy was in the kitchen helping Dawn. When Candy first offered to help, Dawn didn't know what to say. The vampire insisted that she knew her way around a kitchen as home economics was the thing in her day, even if she hadn’t cooked in a long time. In the end she was glad for the help.
The dinner party just kept getting bigger. Gunn's girlfriend Anne was now on the list of guests and she just had to invite Connor. She was still trying to wrap her mind around the idea of Angel and Darla having a kid. Not to mention the fact that he was just a year older than her and kind of cute. She found out that the walking, blue haired comic book character didn't have to eat, because her insides were all petrified and stuff. Dawn invited her to sit at the table anyway. It was only polite, since she'd offered to get some of the things she needed for tonight at the store. There was Giles and herself plus three vampires who wouldn't be eating. Although Spike might nibble a little, since he was weird like that.
The table in the industrial kitchen was pretty big, but it wasn't going to hold them all nicely. When Dawn lamented that fact, Candy saved the day again. She showed Dawn the large open dining area with tons of tables and chairs that were just beyond a second set of double doors in the kitchen. They even found linens and all the other stuff needed to have a nice dinner party.
Gunn came in once and peeked into all the pots and pans on the stove. He thanked Dawn for doing this as he hadn't had a decent home cooked meal in months. It was the least she could do. After all it was his food stash they were using up during their stay.
Dawn was in the dining area setting the final touches and Candy was babysitting the oven to make sure the bread sticks wouldn't burn and she stirred the sauce. Spike came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Look at my woman,” he said in his deep bedroom voice. “She's all domestic and such.”
“Spike, there's no way you can find this sexy. You don't even eat,” she said as she turned around to face him. She sighed and the way she was staring at him reminded him of his conversation in the hall with Angel the other day.
“Everything you do is bloody sexy, pet,” he said. “This would be even better if you were wearing one of those apron things and nothing else.” He raised an eyebrow and smiled as he ran his hands up and down her sides.
“Oh god, Spike.” She laughed and turned turned to stir the sauce.
He wanted to freeze this moment. She thought he was funny. She laughed at his jokes. He turned her around and kissed her then and she forgot all about bread and sauces.
“Excuse me,” Dawn said as she came in. “Do you mind moving the make out fest to another part of the kitchen, please? I need access to the stove.”
They pulled apart. Without breaking eye contact with Candy, Spike said to Dawn, “I'm going to borrow your assistant for a moment. She'll be right back.”
Dawn just shook her head. Her sister always told her to never trust a vampire. "You'd think a vamp could handle stirring up a pot of marinara sauce. But noooooo."
Spike sat down in the lobby and pulled her onto his lap. He liked having her there. She was light, but not bony and it did things to him when she wiggled. “If I bought you an apron, would you wear it?” he teased her.
“I'd put on anything you want,” she answered and took his head in her hands and kissed him. When they broke apart she asked, “So did you get all that business taken care of?”
“Some. I had calls to make, but only got to one. Lorne loves to talk and I was telling him what we learned yesterday. He still thinks it would be a good idea for you to get a reading.”
“Lorne can't fool me,” Candy said. “You two just want to see me make a fool of myself in front of an audience.”
He smirked at her. “Any way, I then spoke to Giles, whom I woke up by the way. He must have been at it all night with the sodden research. Now I need to go and make one more call.” He stood up with her. “Can you survive with out me for a few minutes more?”
“I'll do my best. I just have to double check that there aren't any wooden spoons in there. Dawn is a little up tight about dinner.”
“Well she takes after her sis, there. One year Buffy killed a whole bunch of Indians who messed up her Thanksgiving.” He was getting in to the story as Candy hung on to every word. “Then the Scoobies all sat around the table and calmly ate, because she cooked it and they were going to eat it. Terrible, yeah? And with me tied to a sodden chair with not so much as a drop of blood.”
“Don't listen to him, Candy. I was there for part of that. The tribe was attacking them. It was all in self defense,” Angel said as he came down the stairs. “And Spike here, was tied to the chair because he was soulless, but newly chipped and they weren't sure how dangerous he was.”
“Okay,” she told Angel and turned to Spike. “I'm going back in there. I like the girl, but I hope she's done spazzing over a little dinner.”
Spike watched her walk away and it was like she had a spell on him. When she was around, the rest of the world kind of faded into the background. Then he remembered Lorne. “Candy!” he called out to her and she pushed the doors open. Candy turned back. “Ask Dawn to set another plate for Lorne. I sort of invited him as we were talking.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Spike hung up the phone and leaned back in Angel's chair. He'd locked the door when he first came in and he could take a moment to recoup after that call. Red had been surprised to hear from him. He wasn't sure before he called if Willow knew he was alive. No one had told her. He'd found her number in Angel's address book. He had been surprised at how happy she was to talk to him. She was a rare bird, that witch. He'd threatened and attempted to kill her many times before his chip. He caused a lot of havoc after the chip, yet she still considered him to be one of the gang. She'd even called out to her friend, while they were talking, telling her she was talking to one of the Scoobies. He never would have thought.
He was too seasoned, too hardened by time to get all choked up. Shaking off the mood, Spike stood up and paced. Red was willing to help him out on this one. Without her, the idea would be a flop. He didn't know very many practicing witches and she was certainly the most powerful one this side of the pond. Like the student of Giles she was, she was anxious to get on with the research. She had admitted that the idea had crossed her mind as well, but after Angel's gang had moved over to Wolfram & Hart, she had put the thought aside.
She couldn't promise him anything, but she did say she'd call him back if she found something useful. That was good enough for him. Willow would have to fly up here, if she found a solution. She was in charge of the South American group of slayers and was currently in Brazil in what used to be a hot bed for demon activity. They were wrapping things up there and leaving behind a couple of slayers, before heading to Peru.
Spike was going to keep his plans to himself for the time being. He wasn't one for doing nice for others, but this was an exception. He cared about them both. Even thinking that made him cringe. It was official. He'd gone completely soft. If Drusilla could see him now. He shook his head. She'd wail about sun shine and such, then dust his bloody arse.
*~*~*~*
Spike looked around at the table full of people and food and thought that Dawn should be satisfied with the results of her efforts. At first the table was quiet, but now everyone was talking at once. Dawn was sitting next to Connor, which he suspected she had planned on purpose, but Connor was listening to Buffy tell stories about Angel. It was a strange motley group, but here they all were, sitting down together having conversations and a meal.
Candy had prepared some blood with burba weed, which Spike swore would be great. In deference to the human crowd, she had poured the concoction into big java mugs. She watched Spike take his first sip, next to her.
“This is good,” he told her.
Angel held his mug up to her in silent salute.
“So I snapped out of it and there's Spike with a fist full of wig,” Buffy was telling Connor. She was smiling and her green eyes were shining with the memory. “I beat the crap out of him and he went running with his tail between his legs. I'm now very careful about what I wear on Halloween.”
“You looked nice in that antique dress, but I always liked you just the way you were,” Angel told her remembering their conversation that night in her bedroom.
The two shared a warm look and Spike had to push down that feeling of jealousy and longing. They really were for each other. He was jerked out of his musings by Connor's belated laughter.
“Uncle Spike got his ass kicked by the Slayer,” he slapped the table and kept laughing.
“Do something about your spawn, Angel. And tell him not to call me Uncle.” Spike glared at them both.
Angel did his best to keep a straight face, but he wasn't fooling Spike. He wasn't too sure how Angel felt about him and Connor getting on so well. At the other end of the table Anne and Gunn were shoulder to shoulder talking quietly. It wouldn't be long before she was moving in or Gunn was moving out. He hoped Anne would choose to come here.
“Everyone is invited to Caritas tomorrow,” Lorne was saying. “No cover and drinks are on the house.”
Anne wouldn't be able to get away from the center tomorrow, and Gunn would be on surveillance duty for a case they were wrapping up. Unless something came up the others all agreed to go. Dawn was so excited she practically bounced out of her chair. She stole a glance at Connor and they smiled at each other. Yep, his Bit had a thing for Super Boy. He was a good kid and they had some things in common. Even if she had no super powers, her "birth" was every bit as mystical as Connor's.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Dawn said. “I'm going to need a ride to the campus tomorrow. I'm getting a tour of the facilities and I have to work out some last minutes details.”
“Dawn is going to school out here?” Angel asked.
Buffy smiled at Dawn like a proud parent. “Yes. That is why she came along with us on this little trip. She starts her first semester at UCLA this fall.”
“That's where I'm going,” said Connor and gave Dawn a bright smile. “It's actually not that far from here. I'll have to show you around.”
“I'd like that,” Dawn said shyly. "I had a great time in Europe, but I've really missed California. My one worry was meeting new people. School hasn't even started yet and I already know someone."
“I was hoping you would keep an eye on her for me,” Buffy told Angel. “I know you're an adult now Dawn,” she added before Dawn could jump in with protests. “But it’s always good to have someone close by that you can count on.”
“I'd be glad too, Buffy,” Angel said. “We can even keep your room for you, Dawn. That way when you need a break from dorm life, you can come here.”
It was settled then. Connor would take Dawn to the main campus tomorrow for her late afternoon appointment. Afterwards he'd show her around some. They made plans to come back to the hotel for dinner and hang out until it was time to head over to Caritas. Connor explained to Dawn that he had an “adopted” family who didn't know who he really was. They were in Pasadena and he lived with them. He would be in the dorms, like her, in the fall, though. He also had a room at the Hotel that he used often.
Spike watched Giles from across the table. He hadn't said much, but he looked relaxed. “Been working hard old man?” he asked him.
“Yes, Spike, I have. I sometimes wish for the days when I was just a watcher,” Giles sighed. "It's nice to get away for a while. But I must admit, I was on the phone most of last night and again this afternoon. Everyone is excited about the discovery of Candy." Giles smiled at Candy and she looked down at her cup.
“So, do you guys ever hear from Xander?” He hadn't thought about the whelp in a long time, but after talking to Red earlier, he was curious to know what he was up to.
He had directed the question to Giles, but Buffy said, “Xander is doing very well, isn't he Giles?”
“I'd say so,” Giles said and the two shared a smile. “He's married now. You know Anya didn't make it out of Sunnydale?” Spike nodded so he continued. “Xander stayed with me for awhile in London to help with the new slayer training. He met a nice girl and married her after only a month of dating. They are now in South Africa. They head up the group there at that hellmouth.”
“You should see her, Spike,” Dawn chuckled. “Get this, she's a slayer and she has blond hair and green eyes. Does that remind you of anybody?” she asked. “Although she's a natural blond.”
“Hey!” Buffy complained. “She's a nice girl really. A little young, but at least she's not a demon.”
“I still can't get over how you are all spread out around the globe. You guys were thick as thieves,” Spike commented.
“Well, the logistics and training of new slayers is quite daunting. We really needed experienced personnel everywhere.” Giles said. "Truth be told, I miss having the group all together."
Anne excused herself from the table. She had to get back to the center. Gunn walked her to her car. Lorne had to go, too. He didn't want to leave the new manager alone for too long with the club. He kissed Dawn's hand when he thanked her for the lovely meal. This made Dawn blush and Conner laugh. The rest of the group went on clean up duty. Dawn sat back and sighed as she watched them all working. That group went through a whole meal without an incident. Will wonders never cease.
Chapter Eleven: A Little Talk
Genre: General, Romance, Humor, bit of action
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel: the Series
Pairing: Spike/Other, Buffy/Angel
Rating: R for sexual situations and language.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Buffy and Angel. Candy is my own original character and I do own her. This story is for entertainment purposes only. I'm not making any money off this.
Summary: Begins three months after the final battle in the alley in Angel, Not Fade Away. What's left of Angel's crew has moved back to The Hyperion, including a restless Spike. Someone interesting comes to LA, when Faith suggests that only Angel can help her. Many characters from both shows will make appearances. Angel, Harmony, Gunn, Illyria, Lorne, Buffy, Giles, Dawn, Angelus, Willow and others.
(Previous Chapters Here)
Beta:
raynedanserChapter Ten ~ Dinner for the Masses
Spike had some business to take care off, so Candy was in the kitchen helping Dawn. When Candy first offered to help, Dawn didn't know what to say. The vampire insisted that she knew her way around a kitchen as home economics was the thing in her day, even if she hadn’t cooked in a long time. In the end she was glad for the help.
The dinner party just kept getting bigger. Gunn's girlfriend Anne was now on the list of guests and she just had to invite Connor. She was still trying to wrap her mind around the idea of Angel and Darla having a kid. Not to mention the fact that he was just a year older than her and kind of cute. She found out that the walking, blue haired comic book character didn't have to eat, because her insides were all petrified and stuff. Dawn invited her to sit at the table anyway. It was only polite, since she'd offered to get some of the things she needed for tonight at the store. There was Giles and herself plus three vampires who wouldn't be eating. Although Spike might nibble a little, since he was weird like that.
The table in the industrial kitchen was pretty big, but it wasn't going to hold them all nicely. When Dawn lamented that fact, Candy saved the day again. She showed Dawn the large open dining area with tons of tables and chairs that were just beyond a second set of double doors in the kitchen. They even found linens and all the other stuff needed to have a nice dinner party.
Gunn came in once and peeked into all the pots and pans on the stove. He thanked Dawn for doing this as he hadn't had a decent home cooked meal in months. It was the least she could do. After all it was his food stash they were using up during their stay.
Dawn was in the dining area setting the final touches and Candy was babysitting the oven to make sure the bread sticks wouldn't burn and she stirred the sauce. Spike came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Look at my woman,” he said in his deep bedroom voice. “She's all domestic and such.”
“Spike, there's no way you can find this sexy. You don't even eat,” she said as she turned around to face him. She sighed and the way she was staring at him reminded him of his conversation in the hall with Angel the other day.
“Everything you do is bloody sexy, pet,” he said. “This would be even better if you were wearing one of those apron things and nothing else.” He raised an eyebrow and smiled as he ran his hands up and down her sides.
“Oh god, Spike.” She laughed and turned turned to stir the sauce.
He wanted to freeze this moment. She thought he was funny. She laughed at his jokes. He turned her around and kissed her then and she forgot all about bread and sauces.
“Excuse me,” Dawn said as she came in. “Do you mind moving the make out fest to another part of the kitchen, please? I need access to the stove.”
They pulled apart. Without breaking eye contact with Candy, Spike said to Dawn, “I'm going to borrow your assistant for a moment. She'll be right back.”
Dawn just shook her head. Her sister always told her to never trust a vampire. "You'd think a vamp could handle stirring up a pot of marinara sauce. But noooooo."
Spike sat down in the lobby and pulled her onto his lap. He liked having her there. She was light, but not bony and it did things to him when she wiggled. “If I bought you an apron, would you wear it?” he teased her.
“I'd put on anything you want,” she answered and took his head in her hands and kissed him. When they broke apart she asked, “So did you get all that business taken care of?”
“Some. I had calls to make, but only got to one. Lorne loves to talk and I was telling him what we learned yesterday. He still thinks it would be a good idea for you to get a reading.”
“Lorne can't fool me,” Candy said. “You two just want to see me make a fool of myself in front of an audience.”
He smirked at her. “Any way, I then spoke to Giles, whom I woke up by the way. He must have been at it all night with the sodden research. Now I need to go and make one more call.” He stood up with her. “Can you survive with out me for a few minutes more?”
“I'll do my best. I just have to double check that there aren't any wooden spoons in there. Dawn is a little up tight about dinner.”
“Well she takes after her sis, there. One year Buffy killed a whole bunch of Indians who messed up her Thanksgiving.” He was getting in to the story as Candy hung on to every word. “Then the Scoobies all sat around the table and calmly ate, because she cooked it and they were going to eat it. Terrible, yeah? And with me tied to a sodden chair with not so much as a drop of blood.”
“Don't listen to him, Candy. I was there for part of that. The tribe was attacking them. It was all in self defense,” Angel said as he came down the stairs. “And Spike here, was tied to the chair because he was soulless, but newly chipped and they weren't sure how dangerous he was.”
“Okay,” she told Angel and turned to Spike. “I'm going back in there. I like the girl, but I hope she's done spazzing over a little dinner.”
Spike watched her walk away and it was like she had a spell on him. When she was around, the rest of the world kind of faded into the background. Then he remembered Lorne. “Candy!” he called out to her and she pushed the doors open. Candy turned back. “Ask Dawn to set another plate for Lorne. I sort of invited him as we were talking.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Spike hung up the phone and leaned back in Angel's chair. He'd locked the door when he first came in and he could take a moment to recoup after that call. Red had been surprised to hear from him. He wasn't sure before he called if Willow knew he was alive. No one had told her. He'd found her number in Angel's address book. He had been surprised at how happy she was to talk to him. She was a rare bird, that witch. He'd threatened and attempted to kill her many times before his chip. He caused a lot of havoc after the chip, yet she still considered him to be one of the gang. She'd even called out to her friend, while they were talking, telling her she was talking to one of the Scoobies. He never would have thought.
He was too seasoned, too hardened by time to get all choked up. Shaking off the mood, Spike stood up and paced. Red was willing to help him out on this one. Without her, the idea would be a flop. He didn't know very many practicing witches and she was certainly the most powerful one this side of the pond. Like the student of Giles she was, she was anxious to get on with the research. She had admitted that the idea had crossed her mind as well, but after Angel's gang had moved over to Wolfram & Hart, she had put the thought aside.
She couldn't promise him anything, but she did say she'd call him back if she found something useful. That was good enough for him. Willow would have to fly up here, if she found a solution. She was in charge of the South American group of slayers and was currently in Brazil in what used to be a hot bed for demon activity. They were wrapping things up there and leaving behind a couple of slayers, before heading to Peru.
Spike was going to keep his plans to himself for the time being. He wasn't one for doing nice for others, but this was an exception. He cared about them both. Even thinking that made him cringe. It was official. He'd gone completely soft. If Drusilla could see him now. He shook his head. She'd wail about sun shine and such, then dust his bloody arse.
*~*~*~*
Spike looked around at the table full of people and food and thought that Dawn should be satisfied with the results of her efforts. At first the table was quiet, but now everyone was talking at once. Dawn was sitting next to Connor, which he suspected she had planned on purpose, but Connor was listening to Buffy tell stories about Angel. It was a strange motley group, but here they all were, sitting down together having conversations and a meal.
Candy had prepared some blood with burba weed, which Spike swore would be great. In deference to the human crowd, she had poured the concoction into big java mugs. She watched Spike take his first sip, next to her.
“This is good,” he told her.
Angel held his mug up to her in silent salute.
“So I snapped out of it and there's Spike with a fist full of wig,” Buffy was telling Connor. She was smiling and her green eyes were shining with the memory. “I beat the crap out of him and he went running with his tail between his legs. I'm now very careful about what I wear on Halloween.”
“You looked nice in that antique dress, but I always liked you just the way you were,” Angel told her remembering their conversation that night in her bedroom.
The two shared a warm look and Spike had to push down that feeling of jealousy and longing. They really were for each other. He was jerked out of his musings by Connor's belated laughter.
“Uncle Spike got his ass kicked by the Slayer,” he slapped the table and kept laughing.
“Do something about your spawn, Angel. And tell him not to call me Uncle.” Spike glared at them both.
Angel did his best to keep a straight face, but he wasn't fooling Spike. He wasn't too sure how Angel felt about him and Connor getting on so well. At the other end of the table Anne and Gunn were shoulder to shoulder talking quietly. It wouldn't be long before she was moving in or Gunn was moving out. He hoped Anne would choose to come here.
“Everyone is invited to Caritas tomorrow,” Lorne was saying. “No cover and drinks are on the house.”
Anne wouldn't be able to get away from the center tomorrow, and Gunn would be on surveillance duty for a case they were wrapping up. Unless something came up the others all agreed to go. Dawn was so excited she practically bounced out of her chair. She stole a glance at Connor and they smiled at each other. Yep, his Bit had a thing for Super Boy. He was a good kid and they had some things in common. Even if she had no super powers, her "birth" was every bit as mystical as Connor's.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Dawn said. “I'm going to need a ride to the campus tomorrow. I'm getting a tour of the facilities and I have to work out some last minutes details.”
“Dawn is going to school out here?” Angel asked.
Buffy smiled at Dawn like a proud parent. “Yes. That is why she came along with us on this little trip. She starts her first semester at UCLA this fall.”
“That's where I'm going,” said Connor and gave Dawn a bright smile. “It's actually not that far from here. I'll have to show you around.”
“I'd like that,” Dawn said shyly. "I had a great time in Europe, but I've really missed California. My one worry was meeting new people. School hasn't even started yet and I already know someone."
“I was hoping you would keep an eye on her for me,” Buffy told Angel. “I know you're an adult now Dawn,” she added before Dawn could jump in with protests. “But it’s always good to have someone close by that you can count on.”
“I'd be glad too, Buffy,” Angel said. “We can even keep your room for you, Dawn. That way when you need a break from dorm life, you can come here.”
It was settled then. Connor would take Dawn to the main campus tomorrow for her late afternoon appointment. Afterwards he'd show her around some. They made plans to come back to the hotel for dinner and hang out until it was time to head over to Caritas. Connor explained to Dawn that he had an “adopted” family who didn't know who he really was. They were in Pasadena and he lived with them. He would be in the dorms, like her, in the fall, though. He also had a room at the Hotel that he used often.
Spike watched Giles from across the table. He hadn't said much, but he looked relaxed. “Been working hard old man?” he asked him.
“Yes, Spike, I have. I sometimes wish for the days when I was just a watcher,” Giles sighed. "It's nice to get away for a while. But I must admit, I was on the phone most of last night and again this afternoon. Everyone is excited about the discovery of Candy." Giles smiled at Candy and she looked down at her cup.
“So, do you guys ever hear from Xander?” He hadn't thought about the whelp in a long time, but after talking to Red earlier, he was curious to know what he was up to.
He had directed the question to Giles, but Buffy said, “Xander is doing very well, isn't he Giles?”
“I'd say so,” Giles said and the two shared a smile. “He's married now. You know Anya didn't make it out of Sunnydale?” Spike nodded so he continued. “Xander stayed with me for awhile in London to help with the new slayer training. He met a nice girl and married her after only a month of dating. They are now in South Africa. They head up the group there at that hellmouth.”
“You should see her, Spike,” Dawn chuckled. “Get this, she's a slayer and she has blond hair and green eyes. Does that remind you of anybody?” she asked. “Although she's a natural blond.”
“Hey!” Buffy complained. “She's a nice girl really. A little young, but at least she's not a demon.”
“I still can't get over how you are all spread out around the globe. You guys were thick as thieves,” Spike commented.
“Well, the logistics and training of new slayers is quite daunting. We really needed experienced personnel everywhere.” Giles said. "Truth be told, I miss having the group all together."
Anne excused herself from the table. She had to get back to the center. Gunn walked her to her car. Lorne had to go, too. He didn't want to leave the new manager alone for too long with the club. He kissed Dawn's hand when he thanked her for the lovely meal. This made Dawn blush and Conner laugh. The rest of the group went on clean up duty. Dawn sat back and sighed as she watched them all working. That group went through a whole meal without an incident. Will wonders never cease.
Chapter Eleven: A Little Talk
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