FIC: Vampires, Demons and Torchwood, Oh my! (14/?)
Name: Vampires, Demons and Torchwood, Oh my!
Rating: R
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, Spike/Buffy, Willow/Tosh, Xander/Anya, Martha, Owen, Faith, some minor OCs, the Doctor, Donna.
Summary: Sequel to Magic and Mayhem at the Rift. The Scoobie gang, now fully integrated into the Torchwood group and settled in to their new lives, discover there’s more coming through the rift than the odd demon and alien. This story is set post Exit Wounds, so there are minor spoilers. However, I have major problems with Exit Wounds and, as such, only some of the storyline happened (same goes for Reset which, although it happened, did not end like it did in the series in my head. Dead Man Walking and A Day in the Death DID NOT HAPPEN. I’m in my happy place now ...). Episodes like Adrift, Something Borrowed and Out of the Rain did happen, though (Like I said before: happy place) and may be referred to or even flash-backed to from time to time.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood or Buffy the Vampire Slayer … I do however own the cracked story idea - and proud of it, thankyouverymuch! I don’t own the title of this story either, however, that was thought up by the wonderful ickle18(I say wonderful because anyone who can come up with this title must be), the daughter of missthingsplace THANK YOU!
My other stories and links to the chapters of Magic and Mayhem (and Vampires, Demons and Torchwood) can be found here, at my master list.
Repeat after me, loyal readers: Yay for Sophie's writer's block going!!
Done that? Now say: And let it never return!
Thank you!
Here you go, this chapter is for
teachwriteslash who poked me for more! -pokes back-
I'm also working on some one-shots set in this universe about the time inbetween Magic and Mayhem and Vampires, Demons and Torchwood. Dunno if they'll get done but hey, I'm trying :P
Previous chapters: Ch.1, Ch. 2 Ch.3 Ch.4 Ch.5 Ch.6 Ch.7 Ch.8 Ch.9 Ch.10 Ch.11a Ch.11b Ch.12 Ch.13
Chapter 14: Confrontation
Monday 18th August
10:31
Buffy rested her head on her hand, leaning her elbow on her pillow and gazing, fondly, at the sleeping form of Spike. If someone had told her even a year ago that this was her future she would have called them a liar.
But yet, here she was, watching Spike - William the Bloody - sleep, peacefully, naked, by her side.
And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
She had woken half an hour before and had decided not to get up just yet. She was waiting for Spike to open his eyes and gaze up at her with those beautiful blue eyes of his, shining with the intensity of love he felt for her. She still wondered, at times like this, if a vampire could ever, truly love, but then he’d open his eyes and she’d see the answer.
Yes.
She reached out, stroking his head gently, running her fingers through his silky blonde hair. His eyes flickered open and he looked up at her. He smiled. “Mornin’,” he greeted her.
She returned the smile. “Good morning,” she said.
“Did you wake me for any particular reason or ...” He looked at her face and sat up, looking at her, intently. “What’s happened?”
She blinked at him. “What?”
“You look ... concerned about something,” Spike said.
“No, everything’s fine,” Buffy replied, genuinely, leaning forward and kissing him softly. “Never better.”
Spike raised an eyebrow, pulling back just a bit. “You sure?”
She nodded. “Now,” she said, “I’m here for the first time in days. I’m sure there is something you would rather be doing than analysing my facial expressions.”
“There is,” Spike replied, moving forward and kissing her hard, putting his hand around the back of her neck and pulling her closer. Her arms encircled him and her eyelids fluttered closed as she entwined her fingers in his hair.
He pushed her backwards against the bed and let his kisses become more tender than passionate as his mouth left hers and he began kissing her neck.
Buzzzz.
She reached towards the bedside table to answer her phone. “Leave it,” he growled, nipping her neck, petulantly. It was a sign of how far they’d come that she trusted him not to injure her with his nips.
“I can’t,” she said, checking the display, “it’s work.”
Spike muttered something she suspected contained a lot of swearwords and continued his progress down her body, kissing, licking and nibbling. Buffy closed her eyes, willing herself not to pay attention to his ministrations as she answered the phone.
“What?” she snapped.
“Buffy, it’s the school, it’s acting weird. You have to come in straight away,” Willow’s voice said down the line.
“C-can’t it wait?” Buffy stammered, trying to ignore Spike, who was now below her navel.
“It really can’t. I’ve already called Jack in; you need to come in.”
“Fine,” Buffy growled, pulling the phone from her ear and flipping it shut. “I have to go in,” she said.
“I was hoping to go in, myself,” Spike said, his words dripping with innuendo.
“To work,” Buffy clarified. “I have to get into work.” She sat up and reached down, pulling Spike to sit, his face level with hers. “I’m sorry,” she said, kissing him softly. “I wanted to stay.”
“I know,” Spike grumbled. “I know.”
10:47
Jack, Ianto and Martha were only five minutes from the hub when they received Willow’s distressed call saying the high school was acting...
Well, it wasn’t acting like a high school. Put it that way.
“Do you ever have a quiet day?” Martha asked as they walked into the tourist office and hit the button to slide the wall to one side.
Jack grinned at her and she took that as a no.
“Alright, show me what’s happening!” Jack announced, as he strolled into the hub and across to Tosh’s desk. Tosh pointed at her screen. “Yikes!” Jack stared at the image displayed. “Is that for real?”
The windows to the school were glowing green as though there was something going on inside, a large black cloud was hovering overhead and there was a collection of demons kneeling before the school, as though worshipping whatever was inside it.
“No, Jack,” Tosh said, sarcastically, “I took it upon myself to doctor the video to make it look as though something terrible was happening.” She glared at him. “Of course it’s real.”
Jack held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay,” he said. “Where’s Buffy?”
“She’s on her way,” Willow informed him, walking his way from his office, having been using his phone. “As is Faith.”
“Why’s Faith on her way?” Jack enquired.
“Because I called her as well. Two slayers are better than one.”
There was a noise behind them and Angel walked into the main hub from the adjoining hotel. “What’s going on?” he asked.
Willow turned to smile fondly at him. “Well ...” She sighed. “You know how I told you we got pulled across from our universe into Cardiff?” Angel nodded. “Well ... it’s not just us.”
Angel raised an eyebrow. “Who else?”
“Eh ...” Willow looked at Jack for help, but he merely gave her a look that said ‘he’s your responsibility’. She looked back at Angel. “Well ... Buffy and I aren’t the only ones here.”
“You’re not?” Angel enquired.
“No ... Xander’s here ... as are Anya and Faith ...”
“Who are they?” Angel asked.
Willow closed her eyes in despair. “Faith is a Slayer ... Anya, well, Anya is complicated ...” Willow began to say ‘Spike is here too’ but changed her mind. Fast. She doubted Buffy would want her boyfriend being set fire to or staked or beheaded or some other nasty thing.
“Faith ... is a Slayer ...” Angel repeated. “I really did miss a lot, didn’t I?”
Willow nodded. “Now, though, it’s not just people and demons coming through the rift. The whole of Sunnydale high school has come through into Cardiff.” Angel’s eyes widened understandably. “Yeah and half the hellmouth.”
“...half?”
Willow laughed humourlessly. “That’s how we feel too.”
The claxons sounded and the cog door slid aside as Buffy walked in, wearing old, slime covered jeans and an old, grey sweatshirt. She walked straight over to Willow, swallowing as she walked past Angel, his proximity alone making her tense. “What’s going on, Will?” she asked, pointedly ignoring Angel.
Angel sighed, sadly, and backed away from his ex-girlfriend slowly, giving her more personal space, which she took advantage of by stretching her arms, her fist ending up in the space his face had previously occupied, a fact that made him flinch. “This better be good, Will, I was in bed.”
“You didn’t sound very sleepy to me, Buffy,” Willow pointed out.
“I didn’t say I was sleeping. I was about to ...” She looked at Angel quickly. “Well, that’s not important. What’s going on?”
Willow pointed at the screen. “That.”
“And I thought we’d escaped the hellmouth. What’s the plan?” She looked at Jack.
“The hellmouth is your domain,” Jack said. “We ... don’t have a clue.”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “I guess we should go and check it out tonight.”
“Why tonight?” Tosh asked.
“Because that’s when the bad guys come out to play,” Buffy replied. “And when we can have support from” - she looked at Angel again - “those who prefer night-time.”
Angel looked at her curiously, but said nothing.
“What do we do until then?” Jack enquired.
“Call in the gang, do some recon with the CCTV cameras and plan a strategy.”
“Oh, fun!” Willow exclaimed, with her trademark grin.
Buffy rolled her eyes. “But not right away. When ... he gets in, like he usually does.” She looked round at Angel and back at Willow. “Owen in the infirmary?” The witch nodded. “Thanks.” She turned, continuing to ignore Angel, and walked straight down towards the vaults.
“A lot has changed, Angel,” Willow said, touching the vampire’s arm.
“I noticed,” Angel replied.
“She has a lot to tell you about ... things. Give her time.”
“Will she take me back?”
Willow sighed. “I don’t know.”
11:13
Buffy turned away from the doorway between the steps down to the vaults and the main hub and blinked away tears. She wasn’t going to cry over him. She wasn’t.
She wasn’t sure what got to her more, though ... the fact that Willow believed there was a possibility or a conversation she had once had with Angel ... a conversation that had never happened to this Angel, but one she remembered like it was yesterday.
“I need a little bit of a break. Please.”
“You still my girl?”
“Always.”
It was true back then, but didn’t feel true now. She wasn’t his girl anymore, she was Spike’s … she just didn’t know how to tell either of them that.
11:28
“Well this is fun.”
Jack looked up at the door to his office, in which Ianto was standing. “What is?”
“We’re not allowed to talk about Spike in Angel’s presence until Buffy is ready to tell Angel that she’s sleeping with his enemy … Angel is making moon eyes at Buffy every time she’s in the vicinity…”
“Angel makes moon eyes?”
Ianto glared at him. “That’s not the point. Buffy’s ignoring Angel like she’s scared she’ll fall for him again, Willow seems to be poised to catch Buffy when she falls and I can’t help thinking a group of teenagers ...”
“They’re not teenagers, they’re over twenty ...”
Ianto glared at him a second time. “I can’t help thinking a group of young adults have taken over our hub and turned it into college at lunchtime!”
Jack chuckled. “It does seem that way, doesn’t it?” He stood up and walked round his desk to stand toe-to-toe with his partner. “Don't you think it livens the place up a bit though?”
Ianto groaned. “Yeah, to the point that I feel like I’m at my parents’ house at Christmas.”
“Am I meant to understand that analogy?” Jack enquired.
“At Christmas, my parents have the entire family round for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day ... all my aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents ... everyone.” He pulled a face. “It turns into a nightmare. Half my relatives don’t even like each other.” He laughed. “Can be funny on occasions, though. But it just feels like Christmas here at the moment.”
“Oh, that’ll be fun,” Jack said, with a grin. “Christmas with this lot! I feel a Torchwood Christmas party coming on.”
“And I didn’t think this could get any worse,” Ianto moaned.
15:37
The tourist shop door opened and Spike ran in, a blanket held over his head, smoke emanating from his body.
“Morning Spike,” Anya said, without looking up from the computer; she had smelt the burning.
“Mornin’,” Spike replied, taking off the blanket and dumping it by the door to collect later. “Anything exciting happening?”
Anya shrugged. “Not much. Some drama about the high school, Angel and some plan to see what’s going on with the high school tonight.”
Spike nodded distractedly as Anya hit the button and the wall slid to one side. He walked towards the passageway and stopped. “Did you say ‘Angel’?”
Anya bit her lip. “Oops.”
15:41
The first thing Jack heard when Spike arrived in the main hub was Willow scream, “Angel! No!” He jumped up from his desk at the same moment as Ianto jumped up from his lap and the two of them ran out into the main hub to see Angel poised mid-staking, Spike stood in front of him, a look of anger and hatred on his face. They were frozen. Willow and Tosh were stood, hands joined, free hands pointing at Spike and Angel respectively.
“Can’t hold them much longer,” Willow said. “Do something!”
Jack jumped into action, running across the hub and prising the stake from Angel’s hand, pushing him away from Spike to avoid any nasty accidents or fights. “Get Buffy,” he commanded Ianto, “I’m guessing she’s the only one who can deal with this.” Ianto nodded and headed down towards the infirmary in which Buffy was hiding.
Willow grimaced. “Have to let go,” she said, releasing them from stasis. Angel fell to the floor, face first, bashing his nose and making it bleed. Spike did a funny pirouette and managed to balance. He looked at Willow and Tosh.
“Nice magic,” he complimented as Angel got to his feet. Willow smiled at him and nodded a silent ‘you’re welcome’.
“What the hell is he doing here?” Angel yelled, pointing at Spike and not taking his eyes off him for a moment.
“He’s one of us,” Willow told him, gently. Spike, for once, didn’t argue.
“He’s ... what?” Angel spluttered, looking at Willow in shock. “How the ...” He calmed himself down. “How can he be one of you?”
“He has a chip and he’s ... He doesn’t hurt people anymore. He’s no longer evil.”
Spike, again, didn’t argue, but Angel started laughing.
“This is a joke at my expense, right? You’re not serious?”
Willow nodded. “Deadly serious. Spike is one of us now.”
It took Angel all of ten seconds to decide that didn’t matter and punch Spike square in the nose, causing him to have a matching nosebleed. “Bloody hell!” Spike yelled, holding his nose. “Leave the nose!” Angel hit him again and he yelped a second time.
There was the sound of footsteps behind Angel and Spike and he looked round to see Buffy approaching. She saw Spike’s nosebleed and ran over to him, touching his nose, gingerly. “What did you do?” she yelled at Angel, rounding on him.
“Can we not turn the hub into a circus?” Jack requested. He was ignored.
“Since when do you care about Spike?” Angel demanded.
“Since ...” Buffy bit her tongue. It was now or never. “Since I fell in love with him.”
The whole hub went silent. Spike gaped at her. “What ... what did you say?”
Buffy sighed and turned to look at him. “I’m in love with you.”
“Shit!” Spike yelled, angrily. “Shit, shit, shit!”
Buffy blinked at him. “I was anticipating a slightly different response.”
“No, don’t you see?” Spike moaned. “I died. He dusted me and now I’m dreaming this because it’s what I want but it isn’t real.”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “Spike, do you really think you’d be going to heaven?” Spike looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He shook his head. “Then really, if you were dead, I’d be dumping you and saying I hated you and never wanted to sleep with you ever again.”
Spike stared at her, running the logic through in his head.
“You’re in love with him?” Angel and Xander said in sync as they got their voices back. Buffy hadn’t even noticed Xander in the hub. Oh, this was going to be fun.
Buffy nodded. “I am.”
“You are?” Spike asked, obviously wanting confirmation.
“I am!” Buffy said, again.
“How can you be in love with a soulless monster?” Angel demanded.
“I... don’t know,” Buffy admitted. “I think the answer would be; easily, though. And I seem to have a vampire fetish.” She grinned at Spike, who grinned back, pulling her into his arms and kissing her, softly. They didn’t care that they were surrounded by the gang. After an announcement like that, kissing was practically mandatory.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Xander said.
“Join the club,” Angel agreed.
Willow smiled softly. “I think they’re sweet,” she said, taking Tosh’s hand, gently.
Angel stared at Spike and Buffy, who were still kissing, his non-beating heart breaking, silently. “I can’t watch this anymore,” he announced, turning from the group and walking away. Xander followed him, the two of them united in their disgust.
“I’m going to have to talk to Buffy,” Jack said, quietly, to Ianto. “We need to reduce the drama levels in this hub.”
“Not just yet,” Ianto said. “Let them have this moment together.” His eyes flickered to the monitor on which the school was proudly displayed, glowing greener by the minute. “You never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Or, in this instance, tonight.”
Jack followed his gaze. “You think we’re in trouble?”
Ianto nodded. “I’ve known we’re in trouble ever since this lot arrived. A whole other world is filtering through into our city and there’s nothing we can do to stop it.”
Jack reached out and put his arm around Ianto, pulling him against his side. “We’ll cope. We always cope. We’ll face it together.”
“Buffy said there was a battle in the future...”
“Possible future,” Jack corrected.
“She said Willow, Tosh, Owen and I were dead.”
Jack looked round at Ianto. “I know,” he said. “But now I know about it ... I won’t let it happen.”
Ianto sighed. “Everyone in Torchwood dies young. I’ll be lucky to see thirty.”
“You’re a real ray of sunshine today,” Jack said, sarcastically.
“I deal with death, destruction, demons and aliens every day ... it’s going to make me depressed, snarky and sarcastic, sir,” Ianto said, with a smirk.
“You were snarky and sarcastic long before you joined Torchwood, I’d wager,” Jack said, grinning.
Ianto rolled his eyes and scanned the hub. “Um ... what happened to Martha?”
Jack blinked. “I think she went up to the kitchen? Said something about coffee?”
Ianto’s eyes widened. “She’s not touching my coffee machine, is she?!”
Jack laughed. “I don’t think so,” he said. “She may have faced down the Master single-handedly, but she’s not stupid.”
Ianto glared darkly at Jack, a genuine glare. “Are you comparing me to the evil son of a bitch that killed our son?”
Jack sobered. “No. Never.”
Ianto sighed. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I just ...”
“I know.” Ianto cupped Jack’s cheek with his hand. “I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
Jack leant into the touch, letting his eyes flutter closed as Ianto leaned in and kissed him, softly. “Oh, God, it’s catching,” Xander said, as he returned with Angel. Seconds later, the two of them left again, too disturbed to stay.
Ianto pulled back from Jack, smiling. He looked round at Spike and Buffy, who’s embrace had become more passionate, and noticed that the entire hub had cleared. Not even Willow and Tosh were around anymore. “We scared everyone away,” he said.
“I don’t care,” Jack replied, grinning. “Though maybe we could use that tactic against demons.”
Ianto glared at him. “I am not kissing you in front of demons,” he stated, firmly.
“You kissed me in a cemetery,” Jack pointed out. “You shagged me in a cemetery.”
Buffy pulled away from Spike and looked round at the two of them. Ianto blushed. “You two shagged in a cemetery?” she asked, with a smirk.
Ianto leaned forward and buried his blushing face in Jack’s shoulder, causing the older man to laugh and nod, subtly at Buffy. “I can feel you nodding,” Ianto accused.
Jack just continued laughing.
~Next~
Rating: R
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, Spike/Buffy, Willow/Tosh, Xander/Anya, Martha, Owen, Faith, some minor OCs, the Doctor, Donna.
Summary: Sequel to Magic and Mayhem at the Rift. The Scoobie gang, now fully integrated into the Torchwood group and settled in to their new lives, discover there’s more coming through the rift than the odd demon and alien. This story is set post Exit Wounds, so there are minor spoilers. However, I have major problems with Exit Wounds and, as such, only some of the storyline happened (same goes for Reset which, although it happened, did not end like it did in the series in my head. Dead Man Walking and A Day in the Death DID NOT HAPPEN. I’m in my happy place now ...). Episodes like Adrift, Something Borrowed and Out of the Rain did happen, though (Like I said before: happy place) and may be referred to or even flash-backed to from time to time.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood or Buffy the Vampire Slayer … I do however own the cracked story idea - and proud of it, thankyouverymuch! I don’t own the title of this story either, however, that was thought up by the wonderful ickle18(I say wonderful because anyone who can come up with this title must be), the daughter of missthingsplace THANK YOU!
My other stories and links to the chapters of Magic and Mayhem (and Vampires, Demons and Torchwood) can be found here, at my master list.
Repeat after me, loyal readers: Yay for Sophie's writer's block going!!
Done that? Now say: And let it never return!
Thank you!
Here you go, this chapter is for
teachwriteslash who poked me for more! -pokes back-
I'm also working on some one-shots set in this universe about the time inbetween Magic and Mayhem and Vampires, Demons and Torchwood. Dunno if they'll get done but hey, I'm trying :P
Previous chapters: Ch.1, Ch. 2 Ch.3 Ch.4 Ch.5 Ch.6 Ch.7 Ch.8 Ch.9 Ch.10 Ch.11a Ch.11b Ch.12 Ch.13
Chapter 14: Confrontation
Monday 18th August
10:31
Buffy rested her head on her hand, leaning her elbow on her pillow and gazing, fondly, at the sleeping form of Spike. If someone had told her even a year ago that this was her future she would have called them a liar.
But yet, here she was, watching Spike - William the Bloody - sleep, peacefully, naked, by her side.
And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
She had woken half an hour before and had decided not to get up just yet. She was waiting for Spike to open his eyes and gaze up at her with those beautiful blue eyes of his, shining with the intensity of love he felt for her. She still wondered, at times like this, if a vampire could ever, truly love, but then he’d open his eyes and she’d see the answer.
Yes.
She reached out, stroking his head gently, running her fingers through his silky blonde hair. His eyes flickered open and he looked up at her. He smiled. “Mornin’,” he greeted her.
She returned the smile. “Good morning,” she said.
“Did you wake me for any particular reason or ...” He looked at her face and sat up, looking at her, intently. “What’s happened?”
She blinked at him. “What?”
“You look ... concerned about something,” Spike said.
“No, everything’s fine,” Buffy replied, genuinely, leaning forward and kissing him softly. “Never better.”
Spike raised an eyebrow, pulling back just a bit. “You sure?”
She nodded. “Now,” she said, “I’m here for the first time in days. I’m sure there is something you would rather be doing than analysing my facial expressions.”
“There is,” Spike replied, moving forward and kissing her hard, putting his hand around the back of her neck and pulling her closer. Her arms encircled him and her eyelids fluttered closed as she entwined her fingers in his hair.
He pushed her backwards against the bed and let his kisses become more tender than passionate as his mouth left hers and he began kissing her neck.
Buzzzz.
She reached towards the bedside table to answer her phone. “Leave it,” he growled, nipping her neck, petulantly. It was a sign of how far they’d come that she trusted him not to injure her with his nips.
“I can’t,” she said, checking the display, “it’s work.”
Spike muttered something she suspected contained a lot of swearwords and continued his progress down her body, kissing, licking and nibbling. Buffy closed her eyes, willing herself not to pay attention to his ministrations as she answered the phone.
“What?” she snapped.
“Buffy, it’s the school, it’s acting weird. You have to come in straight away,” Willow’s voice said down the line.
“C-can’t it wait?” Buffy stammered, trying to ignore Spike, who was now below her navel.
“It really can’t. I’ve already called Jack in; you need to come in.”
“Fine,” Buffy growled, pulling the phone from her ear and flipping it shut. “I have to go in,” she said.
“I was hoping to go in, myself,” Spike said, his words dripping with innuendo.
“To work,” Buffy clarified. “I have to get into work.” She sat up and reached down, pulling Spike to sit, his face level with hers. “I’m sorry,” she said, kissing him softly. “I wanted to stay.”
“I know,” Spike grumbled. “I know.”
10:47
Jack, Ianto and Martha were only five minutes from the hub when they received Willow’s distressed call saying the high school was acting...
Well, it wasn’t acting like a high school. Put it that way.
“Do you ever have a quiet day?” Martha asked as they walked into the tourist office and hit the button to slide the wall to one side.
Jack grinned at her and she took that as a no.
“Alright, show me what’s happening!” Jack announced, as he strolled into the hub and across to Tosh’s desk. Tosh pointed at her screen. “Yikes!” Jack stared at the image displayed. “Is that for real?”
The windows to the school were glowing green as though there was something going on inside, a large black cloud was hovering overhead and there was a collection of demons kneeling before the school, as though worshipping whatever was inside it.
“No, Jack,” Tosh said, sarcastically, “I took it upon myself to doctor the video to make it look as though something terrible was happening.” She glared at him. “Of course it’s real.”
Jack held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay,” he said. “Where’s Buffy?”
“She’s on her way,” Willow informed him, walking his way from his office, having been using his phone. “As is Faith.”
“Why’s Faith on her way?” Jack enquired.
“Because I called her as well. Two slayers are better than one.”
There was a noise behind them and Angel walked into the main hub from the adjoining hotel. “What’s going on?” he asked.
Willow turned to smile fondly at him. “Well ...” She sighed. “You know how I told you we got pulled across from our universe into Cardiff?” Angel nodded. “Well ... it’s not just us.”
Angel raised an eyebrow. “Who else?”
“Eh ...” Willow looked at Jack for help, but he merely gave her a look that said ‘he’s your responsibility’. She looked back at Angel. “Well ... Buffy and I aren’t the only ones here.”
“You’re not?” Angel enquired.
“No ... Xander’s here ... as are Anya and Faith ...”
“Who are they?” Angel asked.
Willow closed her eyes in despair. “Faith is a Slayer ... Anya, well, Anya is complicated ...” Willow began to say ‘Spike is here too’ but changed her mind. Fast. She doubted Buffy would want her boyfriend being set fire to or staked or beheaded or some other nasty thing.
“Faith ... is a Slayer ...” Angel repeated. “I really did miss a lot, didn’t I?”
Willow nodded. “Now, though, it’s not just people and demons coming through the rift. The whole of Sunnydale high school has come through into Cardiff.” Angel’s eyes widened understandably. “Yeah and half the hellmouth.”
“...half?”
Willow laughed humourlessly. “That’s how we feel too.”
The claxons sounded and the cog door slid aside as Buffy walked in, wearing old, slime covered jeans and an old, grey sweatshirt. She walked straight over to Willow, swallowing as she walked past Angel, his proximity alone making her tense. “What’s going on, Will?” she asked, pointedly ignoring Angel.
Angel sighed, sadly, and backed away from his ex-girlfriend slowly, giving her more personal space, which she took advantage of by stretching her arms, her fist ending up in the space his face had previously occupied, a fact that made him flinch. “This better be good, Will, I was in bed.”
“You didn’t sound very sleepy to me, Buffy,” Willow pointed out.
“I didn’t say I was sleeping. I was about to ...” She looked at Angel quickly. “Well, that’s not important. What’s going on?”
Willow pointed at the screen. “That.”
“And I thought we’d escaped the hellmouth. What’s the plan?” She looked at Jack.
“The hellmouth is your domain,” Jack said. “We ... don’t have a clue.”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “I guess we should go and check it out tonight.”
“Why tonight?” Tosh asked.
“Because that’s when the bad guys come out to play,” Buffy replied. “And when we can have support from” - she looked at Angel again - “those who prefer night-time.”
Angel looked at her curiously, but said nothing.
“What do we do until then?” Jack enquired.
“Call in the gang, do some recon with the CCTV cameras and plan a strategy.”
“Oh, fun!” Willow exclaimed, with her trademark grin.
Buffy rolled her eyes. “But not right away. When ... he gets in, like he usually does.” She looked round at Angel and back at Willow. “Owen in the infirmary?” The witch nodded. “Thanks.” She turned, continuing to ignore Angel, and walked straight down towards the vaults.
“A lot has changed, Angel,” Willow said, touching the vampire’s arm.
“I noticed,” Angel replied.
“She has a lot to tell you about ... things. Give her time.”
“Will she take me back?”
Willow sighed. “I don’t know.”
11:13
Buffy turned away from the doorway between the steps down to the vaults and the main hub and blinked away tears. She wasn’t going to cry over him. She wasn’t.
She wasn’t sure what got to her more, though ... the fact that Willow believed there was a possibility or a conversation she had once had with Angel ... a conversation that had never happened to this Angel, but one she remembered like it was yesterday.
“I need a little bit of a break. Please.”
“You still my girl?”
“Always.”
It was true back then, but didn’t feel true now. She wasn’t his girl anymore, she was Spike’s … she just didn’t know how to tell either of them that.
11:28
“Well this is fun.”
Jack looked up at the door to his office, in which Ianto was standing. “What is?”
“We’re not allowed to talk about Spike in Angel’s presence until Buffy is ready to tell Angel that she’s sleeping with his enemy … Angel is making moon eyes at Buffy every time she’s in the vicinity…”
“Angel makes moon eyes?”
Ianto glared at him. “That’s not the point. Buffy’s ignoring Angel like she’s scared she’ll fall for him again, Willow seems to be poised to catch Buffy when she falls and I can’t help thinking a group of teenagers ...”
“They’re not teenagers, they’re over twenty ...”
Ianto glared at him a second time. “I can’t help thinking a group of young adults have taken over our hub and turned it into college at lunchtime!”
Jack chuckled. “It does seem that way, doesn’t it?” He stood up and walked round his desk to stand toe-to-toe with his partner. “Don't you think it livens the place up a bit though?”
Ianto groaned. “Yeah, to the point that I feel like I’m at my parents’ house at Christmas.”
“Am I meant to understand that analogy?” Jack enquired.
“At Christmas, my parents have the entire family round for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day ... all my aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents ... everyone.” He pulled a face. “It turns into a nightmare. Half my relatives don’t even like each other.” He laughed. “Can be funny on occasions, though. But it just feels like Christmas here at the moment.”
“Oh, that’ll be fun,” Jack said, with a grin. “Christmas with this lot! I feel a Torchwood Christmas party coming on.”
“And I didn’t think this could get any worse,” Ianto moaned.
15:37
The tourist shop door opened and Spike ran in, a blanket held over his head, smoke emanating from his body.
“Morning Spike,” Anya said, without looking up from the computer; she had smelt the burning.
“Mornin’,” Spike replied, taking off the blanket and dumping it by the door to collect later. “Anything exciting happening?”
Anya shrugged. “Not much. Some drama about the high school, Angel and some plan to see what’s going on with the high school tonight.”
Spike nodded distractedly as Anya hit the button and the wall slid to one side. He walked towards the passageway and stopped. “Did you say ‘Angel’?”
Anya bit her lip. “Oops.”
15:41
The first thing Jack heard when Spike arrived in the main hub was Willow scream, “Angel! No!” He jumped up from his desk at the same moment as Ianto jumped up from his lap and the two of them ran out into the main hub to see Angel poised mid-staking, Spike stood in front of him, a look of anger and hatred on his face. They were frozen. Willow and Tosh were stood, hands joined, free hands pointing at Spike and Angel respectively.
“Can’t hold them much longer,” Willow said. “Do something!”
Jack jumped into action, running across the hub and prising the stake from Angel’s hand, pushing him away from Spike to avoid any nasty accidents or fights. “Get Buffy,” he commanded Ianto, “I’m guessing she’s the only one who can deal with this.” Ianto nodded and headed down towards the infirmary in which Buffy was hiding.
Willow grimaced. “Have to let go,” she said, releasing them from stasis. Angel fell to the floor, face first, bashing his nose and making it bleed. Spike did a funny pirouette and managed to balance. He looked at Willow and Tosh.
“Nice magic,” he complimented as Angel got to his feet. Willow smiled at him and nodded a silent ‘you’re welcome’.
“What the hell is he doing here?” Angel yelled, pointing at Spike and not taking his eyes off him for a moment.
“He’s one of us,” Willow told him, gently. Spike, for once, didn’t argue.
“He’s ... what?” Angel spluttered, looking at Willow in shock. “How the ...” He calmed himself down. “How can he be one of you?”
“He has a chip and he’s ... He doesn’t hurt people anymore. He’s no longer evil.”
Spike, again, didn’t argue, but Angel started laughing.
“This is a joke at my expense, right? You’re not serious?”
Willow nodded. “Deadly serious. Spike is one of us now.”
It took Angel all of ten seconds to decide that didn’t matter and punch Spike square in the nose, causing him to have a matching nosebleed. “Bloody hell!” Spike yelled, holding his nose. “Leave the nose!” Angel hit him again and he yelped a second time.
There was the sound of footsteps behind Angel and Spike and he looked round to see Buffy approaching. She saw Spike’s nosebleed and ran over to him, touching his nose, gingerly. “What did you do?” she yelled at Angel, rounding on him.
“Can we not turn the hub into a circus?” Jack requested. He was ignored.
“Since when do you care about Spike?” Angel demanded.
“Since ...” Buffy bit her tongue. It was now or never. “Since I fell in love with him.”
The whole hub went silent. Spike gaped at her. “What ... what did you say?”
Buffy sighed and turned to look at him. “I’m in love with you.”
“Shit!” Spike yelled, angrily. “Shit, shit, shit!”
Buffy blinked at him. “I was anticipating a slightly different response.”
“No, don’t you see?” Spike moaned. “I died. He dusted me and now I’m dreaming this because it’s what I want but it isn’t real.”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “Spike, do you really think you’d be going to heaven?” Spike looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He shook his head. “Then really, if you were dead, I’d be dumping you and saying I hated you and never wanted to sleep with you ever again.”
Spike stared at her, running the logic through in his head.
“You’re in love with him?” Angel and Xander said in sync as they got their voices back. Buffy hadn’t even noticed Xander in the hub. Oh, this was going to be fun.
Buffy nodded. “I am.”
“You are?” Spike asked, obviously wanting confirmation.
“I am!” Buffy said, again.
“How can you be in love with a soulless monster?” Angel demanded.
“I... don’t know,” Buffy admitted. “I think the answer would be; easily, though. And I seem to have a vampire fetish.” She grinned at Spike, who grinned back, pulling her into his arms and kissing her, softly. They didn’t care that they were surrounded by the gang. After an announcement like that, kissing was practically mandatory.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Xander said.
“Join the club,” Angel agreed.
Willow smiled softly. “I think they’re sweet,” she said, taking Tosh’s hand, gently.
Angel stared at Spike and Buffy, who were still kissing, his non-beating heart breaking, silently. “I can’t watch this anymore,” he announced, turning from the group and walking away. Xander followed him, the two of them united in their disgust.
“I’m going to have to talk to Buffy,” Jack said, quietly, to Ianto. “We need to reduce the drama levels in this hub.”
“Not just yet,” Ianto said. “Let them have this moment together.” His eyes flickered to the monitor on which the school was proudly displayed, glowing greener by the minute. “You never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Or, in this instance, tonight.”
Jack followed his gaze. “You think we’re in trouble?”
Ianto nodded. “I’ve known we’re in trouble ever since this lot arrived. A whole other world is filtering through into our city and there’s nothing we can do to stop it.”
Jack reached out and put his arm around Ianto, pulling him against his side. “We’ll cope. We always cope. We’ll face it together.”
“Buffy said there was a battle in the future...”
“Possible future,” Jack corrected.
“She said Willow, Tosh, Owen and I were dead.”
Jack looked round at Ianto. “I know,” he said. “But now I know about it ... I won’t let it happen.”
Ianto sighed. “Everyone in Torchwood dies young. I’ll be lucky to see thirty.”
“You’re a real ray of sunshine today,” Jack said, sarcastically.
“I deal with death, destruction, demons and aliens every day ... it’s going to make me depressed, snarky and sarcastic, sir,” Ianto said, with a smirk.
“You were snarky and sarcastic long before you joined Torchwood, I’d wager,” Jack said, grinning.
Ianto rolled his eyes and scanned the hub. “Um ... what happened to Martha?”
Jack blinked. “I think she went up to the kitchen? Said something about coffee?”
Ianto’s eyes widened. “She’s not touching my coffee machine, is she?!”
Jack laughed. “I don’t think so,” he said. “She may have faced down the Master single-handedly, but she’s not stupid.”
Ianto glared darkly at Jack, a genuine glare. “Are you comparing me to the evil son of a bitch that killed our son?”
Jack sobered. “No. Never.”
Ianto sighed. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I just ...”
“I know.” Ianto cupped Jack’s cheek with his hand. “I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
Jack leant into the touch, letting his eyes flutter closed as Ianto leaned in and kissed him, softly. “Oh, God, it’s catching,” Xander said, as he returned with Angel. Seconds later, the two of them left again, too disturbed to stay.
Ianto pulled back from Jack, smiling. He looked round at Spike and Buffy, who’s embrace had become more passionate, and noticed that the entire hub had cleared. Not even Willow and Tosh were around anymore. “We scared everyone away,” he said.
“I don’t care,” Jack replied, grinning. “Though maybe we could use that tactic against demons.”
Ianto glared at him. “I am not kissing you in front of demons,” he stated, firmly.
“You kissed me in a cemetery,” Jack pointed out. “You shagged me in a cemetery.”
Buffy pulled away from Spike and looked round at the two of them. Ianto blushed. “You two shagged in a cemetery?” she asked, with a smirk.
Ianto leaned forward and buried his blushing face in Jack’s shoulder, causing the older man to laugh and nod, subtly at Buffy. “I can feel you nodding,” Ianto accused.
Jack just continued laughing.
~Next~