Author's Notes: Various characters in the Buffyverse react to Spike's presence in Sunnydale, and his love for Buffy. Comments appreciated, flames will be extinguished. Email can be sent to cobalite@yahoo.com.

Encounters on A Grave: Angel
By Cobalite Ice

He hadn't been ready to come to the funeral. In fact, it took Fred's endless rambles to finally drive him from the Hyperion. So here Angel was, lightly tracing the words on her grave. "She save the world, a lot."

"That she did." A voice shook Angel from his reverie.

Angel spun around. "You. What are you doing in town?"

"The real question is what are you doing in town? I live here." Spike looked at the fresh flowers on Buffy's grave.

"Not tonight, Spike. We'll kill each other tomorrow. I'm busy right now." Angle didn't even bother looking at Spike again, until a bouquet of daisies joined his white roses. He blinked, twice, and stared as Spike sat down next to him, and lit a cigarette. "I think I've been spending too much time with Fred, because I could swear you just put flowers on Buffy's grave."

"Every night since we buried her." Spike enjoyed Angel's confusion.

"We?"

"Yeah, we. The Watcher, Niblet, Red, the Whelp... well, you know their names." Spike blew a ring of smoke in his sire's face. "Just finished a patrol, thought I'd stop by before heading home."

"Home?" Angel whimpered. "And why are you patrolling?"

"Nobody told you?" Spike started laughing. "Sire, when they cursed you, they blighted the entire line. The Master got himself stuck like a wine cork. Darla was staked by her favorite, reborn, and revamped by her grandchilde. Drusilla can't decide if she'd rather have me, you, or Angelus. And I...I made the same mistake you did."

"You killed a gypsy and were cursed with a soul?" Angel was getting one of those headaches he got after talking to Cordelia.

"No, I got captured by Captain Cardboard and his buddies. They put a chip in my head. I can't hurt anything human. I've been working with the Scoobies since last Thanksgiving."

"You were here when Buffy came to see me in LA?" Angel ran both versions of the day through his head, and couldn't come up with a single mention of Spike. "Never mind. So you're a turncoat. Maybe it runs in the family."

"That's not my problem."

"If not the chip, then what?"

"You shouldn't have brought roses. She hates them, ever since you sent her the bouquet of dead ones. Anyone who sent them for the funeral when Joyce died, she trashed them." Spike avoided the question. "Where were you, Sire? She needed you. We must have left a hundred messages on your machine."

"I was in another dimension." Angel snapped back. "If you and Buffy were so cozy, why didn't you save her?"

"You think I didn't try?" Spike spun around, snarling. "You think I let that bitch Glory nearly kill me, and then get thrown off a fucking tower because I wanted this to happen? You think I wanted to see her finally break?"

"What happened to you, Spike?" Angel took a good look at his childe, the bruises marring his face, the still healing leg. "Not the injuries. Why were you here?"

"I told you, I made the same mistake you did." Spike inhaled deeply. "You started smoking again, I see. Want a fag?"

"Stop avoiding the question, and yes I want a cigarette." Angel angrily grabbed the lighter from his coat pocket. "I'd forgotten what it was like, living with someone who isn't all there. I'm beginning to think you went blond in self defense."

"This Fred guy is a nut, huh?" Spike watched Angel lit up. The sight was slightly disturbing. "How long's it been since you quit?"

"Forty years. Addiction is forever, but you won't live another minute if you don't answer my question. Why were you here?" Angel paused. "And Fred's a woman."

"I told you. I made the same mistake you did."

"You don't have a soul, you didn't try to destroy the world. What mistake could you have made...." Angel trailed off. "No."

"Oh, yes. It's hilarious, isn't it?"

"Hilarious, it's ridiculous." Angel started laughing, his first real laugh since he'd seen Willow on the couch. "You, in love with Buffy! A soulless monster with the blood of two Slayers on his hands."

"How many Slayers have you killed, Angelus? Darla lost count after the first half dozen."

"We are not going to throw down, and have a fight on Buffy's grave. It's disrespectful." Angel fought down his game face.

"Angel." A new voice entered the quiet graveyard. "It took you long enough."

"Dawn." Angel got up, and gave her a quick hug. "I'm so sorry. God, you've gotten so tall."

"Actually, we've never met." Dawn laughed at his confused expression. "I'm done talking to Mom, Spike. You ready to go?"

"What do you mean, we've never met?" Angel let Dawn lead him away.

Spike touched the stone. "Goodnight, love." Then he followed Dawn and Angel away.