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Chapter 11:

Spike's POV

When things get quiet at Wolfram and Hart... that's when you need to worry. Hell, when things get quiet anywhere that's when you have to worry, but it holds especially true for Wolfram and Hart.

And I know I sound like a bloody Scooby when I say that, but it's true. It like the calm before the storm. Wesley and Fred are starting to look at me weird, they're calling me twitchy. Well excuse me if I don't have the best track record when things get quiet.

Liam is still here. It's been quite some time now and he's still here. I don't know how to get rid of him. Part of me doesn't want to. He's a great drinking buddy. And part of me knows that he isn't the end of this little charade that the bloody Powers are playing. There's gonna be something else.

Angelus... I could deal with Angelus. Liam... there's really nothing to deal when it comes to him. He's smart for a potato head. The unknown... I don't know what I could be facing. Could be anything. Easier to stick with what I know and I know Liam.

I started letting him walk around Wolfram and Hart a little. It's not healthy to be cooped up like that. He was getting really sick of it. As long as he stays away from all the people I've told him to stay away from, which is almost everybody, and Lorne follows him from a safe distance it's fine.

"I'm telling you we need to tighten security around here." I say in an exasperated tone.

"For what reason? We haven't received any threats that I'm aware of." Wesley says.

He looks just as exasperated as I feel. Course his is indignant. I'm right about this, I know I am.

"I'm telling you I can just feel it. Something is going to happen. Besides isn't it better to be safe then sorry?" I say.

"Spike, sweetie, maybe you're being a little paranoid." Fred says in that cute hesitant tone she does when she's trying to calm someone down.

She tries to pretend it's part of her sweet nature, but I know better. She's treating me with kid gloves. You'd think they'd respect the opinion of a century and something year old vampire. Wonder how Angel deals with them second guessing him.

"Maybe he's onto something, guys." Charlie says.

I could kiss him. I could literally kiss him. Even if he's only doing it to play Devil's Advocate. They scowl at him. Wesley gives him that 'don't encourage him' look that he does so well. In my opinion it makes him look like an overprotective father.

"I'm just saying, everything in our history has taught us that the things that go bump in the night attack when we least expect them too. Spike may sound like some crazy homeless guy on the street, but he might be right. And let's not forget that if someone did attack and they decided to go after Angel he'd be a little less than invincible."

They look like they might actually believe it. I guess it pays to be articulate.

"Still, everything in our history says that Wolfram and Hart security doesn't exactly keep everything out like we'd like it too." Wesley says.

I gotta agree with him there. I seriously wonder who's in charge. I think I might find out one day and give 'em a few pointers.

"Wouldn't hurt though. To just tell them to be extra careful. I mean... maybe if they're extra careful, they'll be regular security instead of lax." Fred says.

Wesley seems almost irritated that I've turned the both of them against him. Almost, but not quite. He let's out a sigh and what sounds like a 'fine'. I try not to hoot in victory.

"Well that was a pleasant experience... and by pleasant I mean not pleasant."

I look up to see Lorne standing in the doorway.

"Where's Liam?" I ask.

"Oh yeah don't mind me. I just spent the day following around a lost little puppy dog who couldn't even bother to hide his disgust and on top of that he had me go through all of Wolfram and Hart... twice."

I look at him expectantly and he sighs.

"I left him in the elevator... where do you think he is? I made sure he went back to his room like a good little Irish boy. He's currently requesting your presence."

"Why?"

"I don't know why. He's not chatty when he doesn't want to be."

I sigh.

"Fine, I'll go up and see what's wrong with him. Work on that security thing. I say as I walk into the elevator.

They shake their heads and get to work.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Liam's POV

I don't know how long I'm waiting there for him. It's a little while, but not too long. I'm anxious to talk with him. I'm getting pretty sick of being treated like a child. It's not like I can't take care of myself. Sure this New World is a bit scary and I don't necessarily know everything that goes along with it, but does he really need to send people to follow me? I don't think so. I'm not a child.

He slides into the room and he looks irritated. He must have been in a meeting or something.

"Yes?" He asks when he's in front of me.

"I don't want you having that... Lorne creature follow me around anymore." I say as firm as I can.

"Come again?"

"You heard me. I'm an adult. I can look after myself. I don't need to be followed around by... creatures."

"Really... and what do you think I am? Just cause I don't walk around exposed like Lorne, doesn't mean I'm not a creature, Liam. You gotta know that I have Lorne follow you around as a safety precaution."

"That's right because I'm supposed to be this big important Angel character." I say crossing my arms over my chest.

"You know if you don't want to be treated like a child you have to stop acting like one."

"I'm not acting like a child. Would you even spend this much energy on me if I wasn't supposed to be some great hero savior person."

He looks puzzled for a second. He doesn't know how to answer that question. My guess is no.

"If you were walking down a dark alley.... All by your lonesome and something attacked you I would save you." He says.

"But you wouldn't have me followed around by one of your... teammates." I say.

"Look, it's not really fair to say that. We have a history... you and I. You're important to me not just because you're going to be some hero savior person." He says.

"So why am I important to you?"

He looks like he's debating on whether to tell me or not. I hate that he's keeping all these big secrets from me. I think he hates keeping them though.

"Because without you... I don't exist. You... you turn me into a vampire. I guess... I guess we're like family." He says shrugging his shoulders.

"Family?"

"Yeah... in the vampire sense of the word. If I let something happen to you... if something happens to you... it alters everything, not just you or the people you saved, but the things you did. Everyone you ever turned. Everything that ever happened in the past. Everyone I've ever saved." He says.

"So... you're linked to me. If I die... you die."

"And so do hundreds of others... course thousands of others would live, but that's not the point. The point is you're needed... and I kind of like being undead."

I ponder this for a second. He's sat down on the couch. Guess admitting things takes a lot out of a person. He's not looking at me.

"But... you wouldn't... I mean vampires are bad. Wouldn't... wouldn't it be better if I just died. Then I could... I mean you could have lived out your life and gone to heaven..."

He snorts at that. I don't see what's so funny.

"Trust me my live would have been over anyway. And I'm not going to discuss that with you. You'll just have to take my word for it that everyone's better off the way things are." He says.

I nod my head. Really he would know better than I do. He's lived through it. If he says that after everything- and I don't really know what everything entails- he's okay with the way things turned out, that they're better this way then I have to believe him.

I take a seat next to him on the couch. He looks over at me and smiles a little. Not a big smile, but a smile nonetheless. He pats me on the shoulder and I smile back.

I thought it was going to be weird after his friends left. After I asked all those questions. Truth is we've been closer. I don't know what I'm thinking though. I might be getting a little too close to him. I don't know what's going through my brain. I just know that... when I'm around him... he makes me feel like I can do anything.

I know I sound like a girl. I can't help it though. I don't know how to act around him. I complain that he treats me a child, but that's not true. My father treated me like a child, but he... he treats me like a person. Like someone who has real thoughts and feelings. It's easy to get addicted to being treated like an adult.

"I want to trust you, but I don't see how living marked as condemned is something anyone would want." I say.

He looks at me through his eyelashes. They're longer than a girls. Really he's the most feminine looking guy I've ever met. I've met some, but none like Spike. It's an odd thought that I think he'd make a stunning woman when he's clearly a man, but I can't help but let my mind wonder there.

He smiles and the lets his tongue glide over his way too white teeth.

"Some times living in sin can be fun." He says with a leer and a certain glint in his eyes.

I laugh nervously because I find that a lot of the time Spike makes me nervous. I look away from him. We sit in silence for a few moments before I hear a loud crash and it feels as though the entire building is shaking.

He looks over at me, startled look clouding his eyes and stands up going stock still except for the occasional nod of his head.

"Stay here." He says his voice brooking no argument.

"But what..."

"Just, for once in your time here, do as I say and stay here." He says and I'm not sure, but I think his eyes flash gold.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike's POV

Maybe I should have knocked on wood when I was telling them to up security measures. I didn't honestly think something was going to happen that second. The moment I stepped out of Angel's little penthouse apartment I get attack by some warrior demons. I don't even want to know how bad it's going downstairs if the demons got up here.

They're pretty skilled fighters and it's not like I've got a weapon or anything. So a little hand to hand combat never hurt anybody. It's not like I'm a slouch in that department or anything. I can keep up with the best of them.

A few well placed kicks and punches later and I'm getting nowhere. They've pulled out some weapons and I'm doing my best to dodge the swords and crossbows, but it's a bit hard. Two on one attacks generally are hard to win when you're the one and especially when you don't have any weapons.

We've somehow gotten down the hall away from the door to Angel's penthouse when one of their kicks throws me back to the door. I stay down a bit but I know they're going to come after me. That's when I hear the door open. Something clinks on the ground and I look over into to see the door close.

He threw out a sword. Looks like one Angel would pick if he were here. I grab it and stand up. It's easy to slide it into the first guy. They weren't expecting me to be armed. The sword easily glides into his stomach and I see the shocked look on both of their faces. I turn the sword just to add the extra pain before pulling it out. The guy slumps to the floor. There's a moments glance between me and the other demon before he attacks.

There's a bit more skill to killing him. Clearly he knows I got a sword and I know how to use it so he's dancing around me. Some more kicks and whatnot. Never was good at telling a fight scene despite how much I told Buffy that one time. Most of it was over embellishment.

He lets go of a few more arrows before I stick the sword into him and let out a triumphant cry. I'm about to make my way down the stairs when I hear Liam's voice.

"Wait, if you're going to go down there then you're going to need more weapons."

"I'll do fine with the one sword."

"You don't know if your teammates need weapon..."

His sentence breaks off and a startled look pass over his features. I look down at him and on his white t-shirt a rapidly spreading blood pool is forming. An arrowhead sticks out slightly. He slumps forward and I catch him. I see it just then. Another one of those demons and I can't help it when my face changes and I let out a roar.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Liam's POV

I've never felt pain this intense before. Once I cut myself on one of my father's tools, but even that doesn't compare. The bleeding hasn't stopped and the arrow is still in me. I didn't see where Spike went, but I think it was to go kill that thing. He came back a few minutes later and that's when I see it for the first time.

I remember what that vampire in the alley looked like. It was kind of hard to forget, but I'd never seen Spike like that. He'd told me he was a vampire and I believed that because it made sense, but I'd never seen his face like that of a demon.

I thought I'd be scared or disgusted if I ever did see him like that, but I wasn't. I couldn't be because it was still Spike and despite him looking like a monster I know he went to go off and kill the thing that had hurt me. It was just the sort of thing that he'd do.

Hands trembling, I reached out for him. He moved closer, not aware that he was still in his vampire face and I didn't even care.

"It hurts." I say and I would have berated myself for how childlike I sounded if I didn't think that I had good reason too.

"I know. It's going to be okay though."

"What... how..."

"Wesley is coming with the medical team. They're going to fix you right up. Like nothing ever happened."

"What was that... thing?"

"Just another demon, thought he'd make himself look good by trying to attack the Wolfram and Hart empire. Happens from time to time."

"I'm really going to be okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. These doctors nowadays... there nothing like the doctors back in your day. They could save someone with nine bullet holes in him."

"You know... you could... like you did with that vampire..." I say.

My breath is sort of ragged and my head feels way too dizzy and I'm not even sure what I'm saying at this point, but it means something. I'm saying something.

"I'd have to take out the arrow. This way will be easier. We just have to wait a few minutes. Just hole on for a few minutes."

It's the last thing I hear before I pass out.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike's POV

"He's going to be fine." The doctor says.

"He better be fine." I say just loud and menacing enough for her to twitch a bit.

"No major organs were punctured. The bleeding took awhile to stop, but we got it under control. Just some stitching and a night or so in the hospital to replenish his lost blood supply and he'll be ready to go back home." She manages to say as professionally as possible.

She takes it as her cue to leave when we don't say anything. When she's out of earshot, I go off.

"What the bloody hell happened tonight?" I ask in a growl.

"What always happens. There was a break in security. Some people wanted to attack Angel. It was under control." Wesley says.

"You call them shooting and almost killing Liam under control?" I ask.

"Look, Spike we didn't know how to contact you in order to tell you to keep him safe. It all happened so fast..."

"That ain't good enough Charlie boy. This... this place... if we want any hope of keeping Liam alive so Angel stays alive we can't stay here." I say.

"Spike, we can't just leave. We kinda signed a contract. Angel signed a contract." Fred says. She's gonna end up playing conflict mediator and I know it.

"You can't blame me for wanting to keep him safe." I say.

"But we can question your motives. Perhaps you're involved to... personally in Liam's well being." Wesley says.

"Aren't we all. Because I was under the impression that keeping Liam alive so he can become Angel was everyone's concern."

"It is, but you're too close to this Spike. I've seen the video surveillance."

It takes me two steps to get to him and another step to push him against the wall. He's gasping for air and I hear Gunn and Fred yelling at me to stop hurting him.

"You wanna accuse me of something, fine. Have the stones to do it properly though would you. But never think that I've got ulterior motives for keeping Liam safe. Because it isn't just my ass on the line it's yours and everyone else's." I say.

I let go of him and he's gasping for air. He looks up at me and I know he knows he made a stupid mistake. I sigh and shake my head.

"I'm going out for a smoke."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Liam's POV

I don't know how long it is before I wake up again. It had to be awhile. I wake up in a place that's white and beeping. I look around and see all sorts of things that I don't know about.

"Hey."

I look over to see Spike sitting at the side of the bed I'm in. I smile at him and try to move around, but it hurts to move much.

"Don't move around. The doctor says it's bad. You feeling any better?"

"A little. I... it doesn't feel as bad. Just a little shooting and aching." I say.

"Good. We were all a little afraid there for a second. Thought that maybe you weren't going to make it."

"I've never been injured that badly before. You said I'm going to be fine?"

I didn't mean for it to sound like a question, but that's how it came out.

"Yeah, very fine. You're just going to have to be in this hospital for a little while."

"What attacked me?"

Spike shook his head.

"That doesn't matter. Just... get some sleep. I've got some things to do." He says.

He stood up and looked over at me. His hand came up and he ran his fingers through my hair. He smiled slightly before walking away.

I think maybe I might be going a little crazy.

Chapter 12

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