(Untitled)

[loaded_gunn_]

((moving onward from hereI watched, confused as Illyria left the lobby, stalking up the stairs like she owned the place... for a moment, I wondered how exactly she knew where she was going, before, with a jolt, I remembered why that would be

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[xspikex]

Ah leave it to the street thug not to get a Shakespeare reference. Really wasted on the bloke. Should've probably saved that one for Percy. Then again, he'll probably not be doing any leading on in quite a while. Wonder what the bloke's up to. Shakin' my head I followed him down the street.

"Peaches is cranky period," I pointed out. Yeah well, okay. Maybe that was just to me. But still, he's a cranky bugger, and they can't deny it. Following him into a small dinner, I wrinkled my nose. Doubt they'll sell any blood here. Bugger, he'll have to go out and get me some later. Bollox on that. Like I don't have enough shit going on.

"And now we get a drink and food." Sighing, which really wasn't needed but damn, did it feel good, I walked up the counter. "Hey there pretty," I leered at the waitress. She giggled as me and I gave her a cocky grin. "Me and my mate here will have your special and a bottle of whiskey. We be over there, k? Sweets?" I jerked my thumb over my shoulder and she nodded.

"Appreciated it, love." Winking at her, I turned back toward Gunn, put my hand on his shoulder and led him to the booth I pointed out. "See? That's how easy it's done. Considering this here's a self service place." Flopping down in the booth, I put my feet on the opposite chair.

[loaded_gunn_]

I admitted after a moment, "Yeah... you're right there." Yeah, Angel was cranky, generally. Lately, he had been even more so, but I remembered a time when he wasn't cranky all the time... but things changed. We had seen enough of that.

As we sat down, I raised an eyebrow as Spike began hitting on the waitress. Trust him to immediately bounce back from an apocalyptic battle and start hitting on chicks right away.

"I'd hate to think what would happen if you needed to knock over a bank or something," I said quietly, rolling my eyes. "Probably just sweet talk some secretary into giving you the cash right from the vault, huh?"

[xspikex]

I gave him a cocky grin and laughed. We just got done fighting some sodding Armageddon, found out our friend was dead as a doornail but still walking around. Hell, he told us we were all pretty screwed. But here we were, bantering around like... Well not old time, since I aint got old times with them. But close enough.

"I'm the big bad yeah?" Flashing him a cheeky grin, I nodded as the girl came over to put down a bottle of whiskey. "Thanks precious," I winked at her. She blushed and then moved off to get our food, no doubt.

"So," I started, sobering up a little. Fishing my fags out of my pocket, I lit one as I gave Gunn a look. "Looks like we're pretty fucked eh?" Bloody peaches and his goddamn ideas. When did they ever go as planned? Bet he was gonna brood over this for at least a century. At least I'll have Percy to keep me company, he'll be so thrilled!

[loaded_gunn_]

"Depends on what you mean by that," I said dyly. "If you mean we still have to work for the enemy we didn't quite destroy, yeah. If you mean that we failed to get everyone out alive, yeah. If you mean... hell, pretty much anything, then yeah, we're screwed."

I reached over and snagged the bottle of whiskey from Spike, pouring myself a shot. I probably shouldn't have been drinking, but it wasn't like I was on any medication, right? And I wasn't driving anywhere anytime soon, so it wasn't like it mattered. Hell, being drunk right now might solve quite a few problems... or at least make them go away for a while.

I waited quietly until the waitress brought the food over, blushing and smiling again as Spike winked at her. I rolled my eyes as she walked away, and sighed.

"Can't keep from making friends everywhere you go, huh?" I asked, picking up a french fry from the basket, and munching on it. Hey, since it wasn't a classy restaraunt, their special seemed to be French Fries and a thick burger- although, both looked pretty damn good to me right now.

Looking up as I swallowed a mouthful of burger, I asked Spike, "So where do you think we go next? I mean, where do you think our Fearless Brooding Leader will lead us next?"

[xspikex]

"What can I say," I shrug, "I'm a friendly sorta bloke." Flashing him a grin I don't really feel, I pick up the beer and sip it. Not as bad as the usual American rot, but it's not English either. Least the Watcher had some descent English beer. And he pointed out some of the better pubs. Regret never taken him up on that offer to get drunk sometime after I got me body back. Should've. Maybe we still can. Bugger all we got enough reasons to get drunk.

I watch Gunn tuck into his food, nicking one of them mini fries meself every now and then. At least he's not lost his apatite. Could do with a bit of blood myself. Doubt Captain forehead is thinking about that. He'd be to busy playing the mea culpa game. Like none of us have a brain and knew what we were getting into. We'd know from the start that some of us wouldn't make it to the alley. Especially Percy knew that.

"Lead us?" I let out a humorless laugh. "He aint gonna lead us nowhere, Charlie boy. He's to busy blaming himself and drowning in the guilt. As if neither of us can make a choice on our sodding own. It's not fair to Wes. Makes his choice and his death kinda meaningless."

Shrugging, I sip some more beer and then let out an un-needed sigh. "From what Percy told us, we got no other choice then to go back there. I suppose we can work from the inside out again. 'Cept this time we got someone in Hell too." Tipping my nose, I give him a narrowed eyed look. "We got us our own little spy in hell."

[loaded_gunn_]

I stopped eating, and looked up at him. "I don't know what we can do this time... if we failed this badly last time, what makes you think that it will be any different this time? And what makes you think that Angel will even go back, let alone let any of us go back? He'd be more likely to go out and have a kid first, before he'd let us go back there..."

I took a fry, trailing it absently around the rim of the plate, before popping it in my mouth. "'Sides, I don't know why they want us back there anyway," I said after a moment. I mean, we tried to kill them, they tried to kill us, doesn't make a very good working relationship."

I poked at my plate, then looked up at Spike, dead serious. "Why do you think they want us back there, Spike? So sooner or later, we can all end up dead, all end up right under their thumb, so they don't have to worry about anomalies anymore." I sighed, then continued.

"They've been against Angel from pretty much the moment he got into town. They've got some big apocalypse type deal they want to go their way, and Angel's a key. By keeping him where they want him..." I sighed again, and said quietly, "It means they're that much closer to getting what they want, and apparently, we can't even do anything to stop it."

[xspikex]

What do I think? How should I sodding know. No one ever asked me what I thought before. And damn, the man still talked as though he had all that shit crammed up in that brain of his. Got a stick up his arse too. Must be a team Angel thing. Bugger, I hope it's not infectious, cuz it looks like I'm gonna be stuck here for a long time

"How should I know," I shrugged, taking another swig from my drink. I so needed to get me some blood later. "Maybe they just like to annoy Angel. I can understand that," I winked at him. Hey, it's true. Nothing more rewarding then bothering the gelled head. Except, now he was brooding and made is less fun. He really ought to knock it off with the whole mea culpa sting. That aint gonna bring back the cheerleader, or Fred or Percy.

"'M thinking they're holding Percy as a trump card. Cuz, it's obvious Mc Broody over at the hotel is already self flagellating himself over that." Yeah, still bugs me that he's all with the 'woe me, I killed him'. Like that git can't make his own choices. He knew what he was gettin' himself into. "We'll just have to be on our guard this time and be extra sneaky."

Slammin' the bottle down, I glanced at the food he was pokin' around on his plate. "You gonna eat that at all? Today? Cuz I need to get me some blood to at one point. We can't all live on fries." Damn, probably needed to get some for peaches as well then. When had I become such a nice bloke?

[loaded_gunn_]

I rolled my eyes slightly, and glanced back up at Spike.

"Everyone likes to annoy Angel," I said flatly. "'Sides, everyone knows Angel annoys you just as much, Spike." I smirked slightly, then popped a fry in my mouth. After a moment, I also took another bite of the burger, and rolled my eyes at Spike. There, was he happy now? Not like we had a whole hell of a lot else to be doing, right? Or even anywhere to really go...

"Yeah, because lemme tell you," I said dryly, "Wes is the key to bringing Angel down." I swallowed, then continued, "I think they've already ensured that Angel's not going anywhere. They've destroyed his family, but Wes isn't going to be the sole thing that convinces Angel to go back to the dark side."

I glanced around the bar, then shoved my plate with the half-eaten burger away. Taking a last swallow of my Coke, I nodded to Spike.

"There, happy? I'm done. Now how do we get out of here without payin'?" I asked. This could be interesting to watch... after all, from what I gathered, Spike had always been a bit of a smooth operator in terms of this.

[xspikex]

"I think he is," I tell him seriously. "Capt'n forehead is already with the guilt about the cheerleader and Fred and whathisname, that Irish bloke Doyle. Wes just the last straw."

And I'm a vampire. I can smell the tension when those two were in a room together. Bet they're cursing each other now for not givin' into the urges. Unlike me, I go for what I want. I see it? Want it? Take it. Simple as that.

Blinked at him everytime he rolled his eyes. "Careful with that, mate. Or them eyes will roll out one day." Survived the battle but my eye rolled out in exasperation. Funny that. I'm a funny bloke I am. And he's finally done. Christ, took him long enough.

"Watch the master," I wink at him. Pushing myself up from the chair, I saunter over to the girl and flash her my cocky grin. I grab her around the waist and then kiss her breathless. "How 'bout doing me and my friend there a favor, love," I whisper in her ear.

"S-sure," she beams at me, panting hard. Leaning in, I whisper in her ear and she giggles, then nods. I grab her arms and pen and write down a number. Any number. Little shy girl aint never gonna call. Pity though, looks like a tasty little morsel. "Thanks pet," I wink and then saunter out the door.

"Come on, Charlie boy! Time's awasting!"

[loaded_gunn_]

"Haven't rolled out yet," I shot back, then grinned slightly. Before I could continue, though, Spike was out of his seat and halfway across the joint, and... grabbing some girl around the waist, kissing her? I rubbed my eyes, but nope, he was still goin' at her.

As I followed him, I asked incredulously, "So, what, you gave her your number? How's that work? 'No, love,'" I mocked, making up a fake British accent, mocking Spike, "'I can't suck your brains out through your mouth tonight... even though you don't know me. I'm too busy fightin' off the hounds of hell... oh, and a lawfirm. Have I mentioned I'm a vampire?'"

I couldn't believe that we had gotten away with that... probably cost the girl her voice, but then, Spike. Enough said.

As we walked back to the hotel, I sighed and looked up at the sky. It figured that as soon as we stopped fighting hordes of demons, the rain would also stop... then I winced as a drop of rain hit me in the face. Of course... spoke too soon. I glanced back over at Spike, and asked, "Should we pick up some blood for you 'n Angel before we go back?"

[xspikex]

He really ought not to do that. I swear, if it wasn't Charlie boy I'd have clocked anyone who did that. "You doin' that in the good old day's of yore to Wes too? Bet he just loved that." Christ, I can just picture mister uptight. Okay, not so uptight anymore. But from what I heard from Fred he used to be. And I remember the stories 'bout Faith and Buffy's 'other watcher'. Used to have a stick rammed up his arse.

Must've gotten parts of it removed by now. Aint not all that uptight no more.

I turned toward Gunn and pushed my hands in my coat. Cocking an eyebrow I bounced back and forth on the balls of my feet, giving him a scrutinizing look. "We are not amused," I declared, using my posh William accent. Yeah, watcher blokes aren't the only ones who can talk like they just swallowed a hot potato.

Blood. Oh yeah, right.

"Tell ya what mate. I know a cheap place. I'll go get the broody one and myself some blood and then I'll meet ya back at the hotel. Sound like a plan? Sounds like plan to me. Don't you go joining Peaches in his brood marathon now and keep an eye on Blue." Giving him a mock salute, I start to walk away from him.

"Oh and? You're welcome. For the meal." I flash him a cocky grin, glance up at the roofs and then use my vampire strength to jump on it. Sure, its a bit of a show off, but hey, it travels fast. Breaking into a dead run I disappear into the night. At least I can do it just as dramatically as bloody Angelus.

[loaded_gunn_]

"We, huh?" I asked sarcastically. "You got multiple personalities now?" I smirked, then sobered slightly. "Yeah, and-" Suddenly he was gone, and I paused a second. He was just as bad as Angel, I swore... damn vampires, always jumpin' off to be heroic... or in Spike's case, annoying, and leaving the humans behind. You'd think they were part cat or something.

Great, I had just lost Angel's version of a nephew. Who knew what kind of havoc he was going to wreak tonight? I mean, we'd just gotten done fighting for our lives, and he was probably going to go off and sleep with some chick or something. Angel was gonig to be so damn happy now, wasn't he? Like he had been happy to begin with...

I looked up after Spike, before yelling after him hopelessly, "Thanks, Spike..." Before turning to go back home... to the hotel, which, come to think of it, hadn't really been home in a year now. My, how time flew when you were enslaved to a lawfirm.