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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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2020-11-05
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3,719
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11
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Reciprocation

Summary:

Fandom: AtS
Characters/Pairing: Spike/Angel, Buffy, others
Genre: bit of slash
Warnings/Ratings: PG13 for kissage
Summary: Buffy and the others received the card from Company Christmas Card and chose to reciprocate. Buffy decides to deliver it. For Luba and everyone who wanted a sequel to Company Christmas Card.
Submitted through the Spike_Slash mailing list.

Work Text:

Reciprocation
by Lilithangel

"Giles?"

"Is everyone there yet, Buffy?"

"Dawn is here. "Willow is due to arrive any minute with Xander doing that orbie thing she does."

"What's going on guys?"

"We'll wait for the others to arrive, Dawn."

"Ouch... Whatever it is Buff it better be good. Will's method of transportation might be quick but it is hell on the inner ear. Hey Dawnie." Xander caught the excited Dawn in a hug then turned to Buffy.

"Have you got it?" Willow asked Buffy as they hugged.

Buffy nodded solemnly.

"I was catching a flight here in two days time you know," Xander continued.

"This is a potentially volatile situation Xander and we felt it merited instant attention."

"G-man, good to hear your voice," Xander said throwing himself onto the sofa with Dawn, "or should I call you Charlie?" he joked.

"So what's this all about?" Dawn demanded.

"This," Buffy handed over a card as Andrew slipped into the room and sat down with them.

Dawn looked confused and then shocked at the picture on the card, "Is that? But he was burnt up..."

Xander took the card from Dawn and swore.

"So what does this mean?" Willow asked.

"That's what we have to establish."

"Oooh you got the same card as I did," Andrew said happily.

"Why would they send us a Christmas card?" Willow asked.

"There has to be some underhanded reason," Xander replied, "it's not as if we keep in regular contact."

"Come on guys," Buffy said, "we don't know for certain that Angel has gone bad. He did hand Dana over to us."

"Only after Andrew brought out the slayers to convince him," Xander said.

"They are still doing some good," Andrew added, "Spike at least was still out on the street protecting the innocent striding through the night a troubled hero..."

"Wait," Dawn said, "why isn't anyone else surprised to see Spike alive and kicking in L.A with Angel?" she looked around the room accusingly. "How long have you guys known?"

"We were told he was there a couple of months ago and Andrew confirmed it when he was over there Dawnie," Buffy answered.

"And nobody thought to tell me or go and see him?"

"If he wanted us to know he would have contacted us," Buffy said.

"Why wouldn't he. We cried for him, mourned him. Well some of us did." Dawn cast an accusing eye at Xander. "Why wouldn't he want to let us know he survived?"

"Maybe because he wanted you to remember him as a hero and not hating him," Andrew said still looking at the card, "I wonder how they got him to wear the sweater? It looks really good on him."

"What are you talking about Andrew?" Buffy said.

"He sacrificed everything knowing all of you still hated him and only wanted him around for what he could do for you," Andrew replied.

"We didn't, not really," Dawn said.

"What was the last thing you said to him Dawn?" Andrew asked.

"That is not the issue right now." Giles interrupted.

"Giles is right," Willow said, "we need to establish whether there is another message to this."

"And what we are going to do about it," Buffy added taking the card back from Andrew.

"They are obviously trying to tell us something," Xander said.

"Yes," Dawn said, "Merry Christmas by the look of it. How evil of them."

"Dawn, Angel and company have taken over the running of a notoriously evil law firm with large dealings within the demon fraternity. We cannot take the chance that they have been seduced by the power."

"This is Spike we're talking about," Dawn said insistently.

"Yes, Spike who tried to rape your sister and has thousands of deaths on his hands. He's still a vampire Dawnie," Xander said.

"He was good enough to look after me when nobody else could be bothered. He got his soul back because of what he tried to do." Dawn was standing and angry tears were falling. "Buffy you know how awful I felt after Sunnydale, how much I cried when I realised that I could never tell Spike that I didn't mean what I said to him. How could you keep this from me?"

"He didn't contact us Dawn," Buffy replied just as heatedly, "he obviously didn't want us to know he was back. What was I going to tell you?"

"How about, hey Dawn Spike survived and is in L.A. That would have been a good start."

"Enough!" Giles' voice was so loud it created feedback on the phone.

"What happened and how is immaterial at this point. We have to determine our next course of action."

"It's a Christmas card not a declaration of war." Dawn rolled her eyes. She took the card back off Buffy and stared hungrily at Spike. "He looks happy, doesn't he look happy? He and Angel are smiling at each other, that's new isn't it?"

"Well if that doesn't prove something is going on I don't know what does," Xander said.

"Shut up Xander." Dawn turned to him. "You've never given Spike the benefit of the doubt, none of you have." She rushed out of the room still clutching the card.

Buffy sighed and looked helplessly at the others. "What do we do now?"

"Perhaps Dawn is right. We should treat this as a simple Christmas card until we know otherwise."

"And I could deliver a return card from all of us," Buffy said, "that way I can maybe find out some more about what's going on over there. Willow can do the orbie thing and I can be back in a day, two days tops."

"Is that such a good idea," Xander said, "what if that was their plan all along?"

"Willow can keep a tracking thing on me and if anything goes wrong she can ping me back. You could do that couldn't you Wills?"

Willow looked thoughtful for a moment and then nodded. "It shouldn't be too hard to do."

"That's settled then. Now we just need to organise a photo for the card."

"Why do we need a photo?" Xander asked.

"We have to have a card as good as theirs," Buffy said, "Giles can you pop over as soon as I organise a photographer?"

 

Buffy took a moment to get her bearings after Willow's transportation spell. They had agreed that she would turn up a little way away from Wolfram & Hart just in case they were able to pick up the magical signature.

The group photo hadn't been the best with Dawn refusing to be a part of it but she did add her own note to the card once Buffy promised to let her get in touch with Spike if Buffy gave the all clear. It had been either that or Dawn would have caught the first plane back to America regardless.

The only other place she could think of was the old hotel Angel had been working out of. It was obvious nobody had been looking after the place by the look of the graffiti and the smell.

The sun was setting when she flagged down a cab much to her annoyance. Obviously they had not managed to work out the time difference properly. Either that or Willow had sent her through time again.

L.A was decked out for Christmas so at least the month was right. Sitting in the cab Buffy tried to plan what she was going to say again. She still wasn't sure how she felt about Spike's return and him setting up shop with Angel. When Andrew had confirmed it she had been happy and relieved. Spike's sacrifice had overwhelmed her even as it gave her the opportunity to say she loved him without fear of the consequences.

Spike had been there when she needed him and she had been grateful for that. Even as she couldn't forget the darkness inside when she was with him, darkness she wanted and hated in equal measures. In Italy she had been able to ignore the darkness and just have a good time and she didn't know if she wanted to give that up for Spike or Angel.

Angel was another whole kettle of fish that she definitely wasn't prepared to deal with. Especially the fact that he and Spike appeared to have some semblance of a friendship going on.

The cab pulled up outside Wolfram & Hart and just as Buffy was searching for the correct money something raised the hairs at the back of her neck. It was the feeling she always got when vampires were near, but with the added kick that only came from a souled vampire.

Looking up Buffy saw an expensive convertible drive past and caught a glimpse of familiar white hair. She ignored the cab driver's amused look when she told him to follow that car. It seemed like a much better idea to confront Spike away from Wolfram & Hart and the others. Maybe she could get to the bottom of his return and silence without any awkwardness with Angel.

The cab nearly lost the other car several times as Spike demonstrated his driving abilities had not changed any. Buffy was not surprised to see Spike pull up outside a bar even if it was a far nicer one than she would have expected.

Spike had vanished inside by the time Buffy paid off the driver. She clutched the locating talisman Willow had given her once for courage and then entered the bar.

She saw Spike pick up two drinks and head for a booth in back. She saw him stiffen as he put the drinks down and knew he had felt her presence. By the time she got over to him his eyes were guarded.

"Slayer."

"Spike, can I sit down?"

"Sure." Spike gestured to the other side of the booth.

They sat in uncomfortable silence until Buffy had to say something. "You expecting someone or just getting a head start?" she gestured to the two glasses.

"Expecting someone but we've got a bit of time for you to have your say," Spike said.

"Why didn't you tell me... us you were back?"

"Went out a hero, pretty hard to top that," Spike answered.

"You didn't think we would want to know, had a right to know?"

"Didn't really think any of you wanted to know," Spike said.

"Dawn is really angry at you."

"I remember what she said to me before. Thought my ending might have given her a few nicer memories, guess not." Spike sipped on his drink.

"That you didn't contact us. She had no right to say what she said to you."

"Yeah she did. You're her sister and she loves you. What I did was unforgivable."

"Then so was what I did."

Spike looked at Buffy in surprise, "you didn't do anything."

"All the times I beat you up, all the times I denied what we were doing... took what I wanted regardless..." Buffy looked down at her hands.

"Wasn't anything I didn't want you to do. I tried to drag you into the darkness, can't really complain when you entered into the spirit of the thing."

"Even when I beat you up and left you to burn in that alley?"

"I survived pet, always do. That didn't bother me none."

"It should have though," Buffy said fiercely.

"It's in the past now." Spike shrugged. "So how have things been?"

"Good," Buffy said relieved for the moment to be on safe ground, "I'm trying to learn Italian. Dawn already speaks like a native. She's going to college and bugging me and Giles to let her train as a watcher."

"She'd be good at that," Spike smiled, "got a ruthless streak in her," he said admiringly.

Spike stiffened slightly and looked across the room behind Buffy. He nodded slightly as if in answer to something but before Buffy could turn around Angel was standing next to the booth.

"Buffy," Angel slipped in beside Spike his face blank.

"Angel," Buffy wasn't sure how to react, "did you follow me or did someone tell you I was in town?"

"No Buffy," Angel replied, "this was just a coincidence. I just happened to be in the bar and saw you both."

"Coincidence?" Buffy snorted but decided not to make an issue out of it.

They sat in awkward silence again but this time Spike had his more familiar smirk on.

"So we got your Christmas card," Buffy finally said.

Angel looked startled and Spike laughed. "So we owe this little visit to Harmony then?"

"Huh?"

"Angel's ever vigilant secretary obviously decided to send everyone in Angel's rolodex a card this year," Spike laughed again.

"Are you sure I can't dust her?" Angel asked Spike.

"She's the only one that understands the filing system," Spike replied.

"So why would a Christmas card bring you all the way here?" Angel asked Buffy.

"I... we wanted to return the compliment," Buffy thrust the card she had been holding into Angel's hand.

"There is such a thing as international mail Buffy." Spike raised a curious eyebrow.

"This seemed like a chance to catch up and see what everyone was doing," Buffy replied.

Something flickered in Spike's eyes briefly, "how long have you known I was back, Buffy?"

"A while and Andrew confirmed it. You never called or wrote."

"Neither did you until now. Did you make the same conclusion about me that you did about Angel or did you just not care enough?" Spike's voice was almost conversational, but Angel seemed to notice something and looked at Spike carefully.

"It wasn't that, I just didn't know what to say," Buffy confessed. She noticed then that Angel was drinking the second drink Spike had bought without Spike saying anything. "You were meeting Angel?"

"Something wrong with us having a drink together?" Angel asked her.

"But you hate each other... don't you?"

"We're negotiating a truce," Angel replied. He hadn't opened the card Buffy had given them and was turning it around in his hands.

"Why are you here really, Buffy?" Spike asked.

"We wanted a feel of what was going on here and I wanted to see you, Spike."

"Why?"

"To see for myself that you were alright... to thank you for what you did." Buffy stared intently at her hands again.

"You're welcome slayer," Spike said, "anything else?"

"Anything else?" Buffy looked confused.

"Come to pledge your support for what we're trying to do here? Come to offer your trust to Angel like you always did before? Or is it just a courtesy snoop and Merry Christmas before you toddle back off to Italy?" Spike's questions were so quick fire that Buffy couldn't have replied if she had wanted to.

"Spike," Angel said quietly placing his hand briefly on Spike's arm. Spike subsided and lit up a cigarette, sitting back in his seat and blowing the smoke away from the booth.

"Thank you for the thoughtful gesture," Angel held up the card, "but since you and the Council of Watchers still choose not to trust us I don't know how much we have to talk about."

"You're in the middle of evil, Angel, what did you expect us to think?" Buffy demanded.

"I expected you to believe in me. The amulet I gave you that Spike used, that came from Wolfram & Hart and you didn't bother to question me then."

This time it was Spike who placed the calming hand on Angel's arm.

"Give the bit my love Buffy, if you think she would want it, but I think it's best if you go now," Spike said seriously.

"Do you mean that?" Buffy asked.

"When have I ever said anything I didn't mean?" Spike grinned depreciatingly.

"I'm sorry we can't trust you properly Angel but the risk is too great now," Buffy said, "Spike you would be welcome in Italy or England if you wanted to help us."

"Signed on here now. Gonna see it through."

Buffy nodded and stood up, "I'll leave you to your drinks then. Goodbye Spike, I know you didn't believe me before but I did mean it."

"Guess it was too little too late for us, pet," Spike replied sadly.

"Angel... I'm sorry," Buffy said and turned to leave.

Buffy stopped just before the door and turned to look back at the booth. Neither vampire was watching her leave, they appeared to be having an intense conversation. Angel leant in and, to Buffy's surprise, rested his forehead against Spike's.

She had intended to activate Willow's talisman as soon as she left but instead she used the spell Andrew had given her. He had assured her that it would make her completely invisible to humans, demons and electronic equipment. There was something odd going on with Spike and Angel and she wasn't going to leave until she knew what it was.

Dodging bar patrons Buffy was pleased to see that Andrew's spell seemed to be working.

"You really thought I would go with her you pillock," Spike was saying.

"A part of me was afraid you would because a part of me probably would have if she had asked me," Angel replied.

"We're a fine pair aren't we?" Spike laughed. They still had their foreheads touching and Buffy could see that their fingers were entwined. This wasn't just a drink between friends she realised. Some part of her had always known that there was more between the two than just rivalry but to see it confirmed was still a shock.

"Should we have told her?" Spike asked.

"I don't think she would have taken it well, if she had even believed us," Angel said.

Buffy didn't wait to hear anymore she just wanted to go home. Even though she had never really planned anything for the future with either vampire it was still a shock to see that they appeared to have moved on.

"Has she gone properly this time?" Spike asked Angel softly.

"Yes," Angel sighed.

"Think she believed us?"

"She took off pretty quickly. It's a good thing Andrew's spells are so obvious," Angel replied.

Spike chuckled, "maybe we should keep up the game for a bit longer just in case..."

"Just in case..." Angel agreed his fingers caressing Spike's hand.

"Would be a shame to ruin a good trick," Spike rolled his head slightly so his lips were close to Angel's cheek.

"No reason for Buffy to know we still hate each other," Angel turned slightly so their lips were within a breath of touching.

"Yeah... hate you..." Spike closed the distance and pressed his lips to Angel's.

It was a soft kiss, confident but uncertain as well. Both were unused to any softness from the other but it felt good to be gentle. Tongues entwined and explored each other while hands tightened as passion built.

Breaking off the kiss and bringing a surprised hand to his lips Spike looked at Angel, "just so I'm clear, are we still playing for an audience?"

"Um..." Angel looked dazed, "I forget... I don't think so... were you?"

"I don't know... let's check." Spike moved closer and kissed Angel again.

This time it was a firmer kiss, less hesitant. Spike's hand slipped behind Angel's neck holding him in place. Angel's hand made its way to Spike's chest brushing over one hard nipple.

"We should go back to my place and be absolutely certain," Angel said when they finally broke apart.

"Okay," Spike agreed.

They stood and left the bar still holding hands the Christmas card left lying forgotten on the table.

END