Main Pairing: Xander/Spike, Angel/Spike
Setting: Mirror Universe, BtVs/Angel (Set: sometime early after Spike got chipped)
Rating: NC-17
Warning: contains graphic depictions of, but not limited to: non-con, torture, warfare, violence, general insanity and lawyers .
Archive: Contact Author   to request permission
Disclaimer: Joss and Mutant Enemy own it all. No money being made here.

Perchance to Dream

by
Lady Sanguied

Part One

“Name?” The bored voice came from a soldier standing before him, machine gun aimed towards his face.

He remained calm, despite the flash of fear streaking up his spine and the gun aimed in his face. If this failed. “Harris, Alexander- Human.” He handed over his clearance card.

The soldier took the little plastic card, before adjusting his smog mask and turning the card over, he scanned it through a machine attached to his hip. “You’re cleared for three hours Mr. Harris. Please enjoy your stay.”

Xan took the card back and quickly walked towards the gate. As it opened, he called over his shoulder as he started towards the large building. “Yeah thanks, I will.”

From the outside the building looked like any other. After the fall all buildings looked torn up from the floor up, but this, this had a menace, a presence that filled him with dread. Maybe it was the building, maybe it was what he knew. Xander paused mid step, shit, he’d forgotten to ask the soldier if there’d been any arrests today. At least that way he would’ve known if Will and Queen had made it. There was no going back now. He’d just have to hope.

There were two more check points, before he actually made it to the door and he had only two hours before he had to meet the team in a utility closet on the fourth floor. He’d studied the building plans for weeks and Will had quizzed him endlessly. Now there was no doubt in his mind that he could find the closet, but finding what they had risked their lives for, was a whole other matter.

The lobby was crawling with soldiers. He kept his head down, the carpet looked new, dark red, and fluffy. He hoped he was leaving acid rain induced rubber marks on it, as he walked towards the walls. Each onyx covered wall held a computer and as he made his way to the closest, he sent a prayer to whoever would take pity on him.

He touched the computer screen. “Please insert identification card and be ready for retinal scan.”

He did as the computer asked and stood very still for the scan, even though his hands shook. A wall came up around him, protecting him from the casual glances of the guards, and others in the lobby. For the first time he let out the breath he’d been holding since the gate.

“Thank you Mr. Harris for your loyalty to Wolfram & Hart, (Xander bit off a nasty remark). You have been given three hours to enjoy the accommodations of this building. Please begin by making your first selection.”

He scanned through the lists of options and found the one he’d been schooled to press.

“You have chosen, pleasure.” He pegged the button that said this was correct.

“Please pick, breed.” He skimmed the list. Damn, he’d no idea this building was big enough to hold all the different types of demons, vampires, humans and even a section called ‘others’.

“You have chosen vampire, is this correct?” Damn machine, he wished Will had been the one to do this part. Then again Willow had enough to do, this was the least he could do for her. He shoved the correct button.

“Please choose, gender?” And there were of course more offerings than just male- female, he didn’t bother trying to sort it all out and hit ‘male’. He barely refrained from punching the correct button. He glanced at his timer, by now the rest of the team had entered the building. He hoped they’d made it at least; damn worrying about them wasn’t going to get this done faster.

“There are 45 male vampire’s in this building. Would you like the computer to choose, or would you prefer a picture listing?” Xander moaned 45, but it could have been much worse. He reminded himself they had at least four times that many humans. “You have chosen, picture listing. You may see all pictures, or narrow your search by physical feature.”

“What feature would you like to narrow search to?” He speed-read the options. There was only one he knew for sure, hair could be changed, but eyes.

“You have chosen blue eyes. There are 25 with blue eyes, would you like a picture listing?” Xander sighed and hit the ‘yes’ button and felt like a pervert in a grocery store.

He peered at each picture as it floated in front of his face. He started to panic, as the list grew smaller. He was nearly panting when he reached 25, without seeing who he was looking for. He bit off the scream of desperation. They knew he was in this building. He hit more buttons and prayed with fevered curses.

“You have chosen, more. There are 2 more vampires with your qualifications and they are high-level clearance. If either is chosen you will be added a large penalty.”

“Yeah, yeah, damn machine.” He hit continue.

A picture pulled up. Same eyes, but they were missing something, no time for that, same eyebrow scar. He mumbled. “Jackpot.” The name pulled up under the picture, William Taylor Banning, not the name he thought they’d use. Before pounding the ‘yes’ key, he paused and decided it wouldn’t hurt to see who the other poor sucker was.

A face popped up, he didn’t recognize him, that meant nothing. He read the name out loud to help it stay in his memory. In case he ever needed it later. He could always sell the information. “Nicholas De’Brabant, aka Nick Knight.”

He hit the back button. He really didn’t want to know why these two had been singled out, and ignoring the possibilities his mind provided, he hit ‘yes’.

“You have chosen a high-level. There will be a penalty of 50 WH credits. Please insert your card to have the credits charged.” Xan groaned, 50 WH credit would’ve been more than a couple of thousand in the old world order. Xan silently begged that Willow had put that much onto the card. She’d said she added enough ‘in case’ credit, but how the hell much was ‘in case’ credits these days? Here’s hoping. He inserted the card.

“This charge will leave your card with a worth of 10 credits. Are you sure you would like to complete the transaction?” *Go Willow! *

*For the last time, yes *, he tapped the key. The card was spit back out; he pocketed it and then waited.

“The room is number 666- level 10, please take the key offered below. You now have 2 and half hours remaining. Thank you, hail the New Order of Wolfram & Hart.”

The screen dropped from around Xander. He backed away with a mumbled. “Hail the New Order.” With a sod off, whispered beneath his breath, as he headed towards the elevators.

He had to insert the room key to get the elevator to start its rise and he paced as he waited. Damn it all, if he, or they were caught that was it for them, they’d be dead. Gone like so many of their number. His team was the best, he reminded himself and they’d make this.

The elevator stopped, just as he’d started taking calming, not hyperventilating breaths. He stepped into the hall as the elevator called out to him, “Hail the New Order.” Xan kept the nasty comment beneath his breath and stopped cold, biting his lip to keep from whistling. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in somewhere so clean and upscale. Before the new order that was for sure, wow. He checked the blinking arrows on the wall in front of him, before going left for the number he wanted.

Even numbers were on the right side of the hall. He kept his eyes that way, as he hurried past. He was running out of time here, damn computers. Then number 666 was staring him in the face that had to be that number didn’t it? Jeez, if he believed in signs, this would be a bad one.

Taking a deep breath, he inserted the damn key. The door slide open, the room was rather dark and he tried not to jump as the door slide shut behind him. Xan really hated going into dark rooms. He raised his hand and felt the wall for the light source, there wasn’t one. He waited for his eyes to get used to the minimal light.

The only thing he could hear was soft music, classical and romantic. His eyes made out a shape, white and low to the floor and he felt, rather than saw it move. Not knowing what else to do he asked out. “I need more light.”

The room must have been on computer, cause the light rose enough to make him gasp. The white thing was the vampire he’d been looking for, in complete white, kneeling on the floor and with his head down. All Xan could see was the top of long, dark blond hair.

“I live to fulfill your fantasy, Master, ‘ow may I serve you?” The head did not rise. The words were soft and yet still very British. Xan felt like he’d been punched in the gut. What had they done to him?

Xan, at a loss, kneeled in front of the figure. He watched his own hand shake as he tilted the figure's chin up. “Oh God, Spike.”

The figure's eyes were wide and all so blue, so childlike and so very fearful. This wasn’t the vampire he’d known, where was the brash, the rudeness, the smirk?

“Xan, is that you?” Such hope, god he felt like a total shit for taking so long to get here.

“Yeah, it’s me. We’re going to get you out of here.”

“We’re?” He looked around Xan, and seeing no one, he tilted his head up at him.

“They’re waiting for us. Come on get up, my knees are killing me.” Xan pulled himself up and dropped his hand to help the vampire. God knew how long he’d been in that position.

It was unneeded, the vampire jumped up. Xander had forgotten how small the vampire was. Shit, not to mention, he’d never seen Spike in white. A long, white sweater and silk, white, well sort of like, see through, old world Dockers pants. In all, Xander realized the Spike he remembered and this one were so different, and yet, exactly the same. He’d just forgotten.

“We don’t have much time. Do you want to change and maybe put some shoes on?” He glanced at his timer. They had an hour to get to the closet and they were going to need as much of that time as possible to get to the darn place. And the vampire wasn’t moving, just staring.

“You’ve really come to get me out of ‘ere? It’s been so long.” Xan paused, poor guy, he looked rather delicate. Xan was tempted to explain what had taken so long. However, that would waste time, time they didn’t have.

“I’ll explain later, when we’re out of here and back at base.” Spike looked like he wanted to ask something, but decided against it. Xander knew what it was, first where was Angel and then second, who was left? Xan was glad the blond had put it off, he really didn’t have time to walk that road, maybe that one was best left for Will.

“I can’t leave.” The vampire looked so miserable, even as he mumbled.

“What do you mean you can’t leave? You’re leaving.” Xander was aspirated. Maybe he should just knock the vampire out and hope for the best. Then again that would be a compromise to the mission.

“I have this collar, so they can control me. I can’t leave this room.” Spike fingered a gold band around his neck. Xander wordlessly lifted the leg of his worn leather pants and pulled out a flat, gray card.

“Turn around.” The vampire gave him a hopeless look, but followed the instructions without comment, which twisted his stomach with a slight pain. Spike, listening without question.

The gray card took a moment before glowing red, signaling the collar had been turned off and he released it. Willow was his god, she’d thought of everything. He handed it to the vampire, who threw it across the room with a disgusted growl. “Any more problems? Hurry if you want to change.”

“This is the most covering outfit I have, so I’m not changing and,” the vampire dropped his gaze to the floor, “I don’t have any shoes.”

“Oh then we should get going.” The floors in the building were nice and carpeted. So they wouldn’t have a problem with the shoe thing until they were outside and then he could just carry the vampire.

“Is there anything you want to take?” Xander looked around the room, wow. He didn’t have a chance to look around before. Lit, glass covered cabinets covered every available wall, showcasing various torture devices, whips, chains and bondage materials. Jeez, this place was better stocked than the adult shop on 5th Ave. Complete with the biggest bed Xan had ever seen, before or after the new order. The room was made for sex, in any shape, size and creed.

He was almost afraid to ask. “Is this your actual room or is there another where you keep your stuff?”

Spike looked around, seeing it all from Xander’s point of the view, and sighed, shame coloring the blond features. “This is it.”

Xan didn’t bother looking at the sex toys. The rest was more amazing, clean carpet, a real bed, a refrigerator- and a working microwave. He hadn’t seen perfect working stuff like this in a long time. He’d gotten so used to Will’s fix-ups, he’d forgot what they had originally looked like. “Where are your clothes?”

Spike nodded towards a door in the room. Xan figured at the very least, he could get some clothing for the vampire and if Spike didn’t want them they could sell them.

The room was small, but packed with clothing. The vampire hadn’t been lying when he’d said the white outfit was the most covering he had. Every outfit in the small room was cut to profile the blond vampires’ looks. He didn’t even bother wondering why there were young girls’ dresses in the mess. Spike wouldn’t want any of these, but the materials were the best and they were so well made. Xander was sure they’d fetch a good price. He grabbed a pile, found a sack and shoved the clothing in and now to get the hell out of here.

As he left the room, he groaned at having to leave the microwave and frig behind, damn shame, but that would surely drawn attention. He could just see himself just trotting along with the appliances, not to mention Spike, and the clothing. Then having to explain to every guard and Willow why he was taking the whole room.

Xan looked up and froze. Spike had systematically opened every glass-covered cabinet and broken everything. Chains, whips, everything lay in torn tatters around the room. Yet, Xander hadn’t heard a thing, how the hell?

Xander didn’t ask out loud, he didn’t want to mention it at all. If he did, Spike might tell him what they’d done to him and Xander couldn’t stand hearing that. Not now, maybe never.

Spike looked at the bag of clothing in Xander’s hands and with a snort of disgust he moved to take them away. “No, they’re not for you. We’ll sell them, okay. We’ll use the money to get you some decent ones and some shoes. Come on, be reasonable, you’re going to need some credits to get something black, right?”

The vampire dropped his hand and Xander headed towards the door. When he got a glimpse of someone, he pushed the vampire away and headed towards it. He hadn’t seen this doorway before and as he called for the lights, he realized it was a bathroom. The person he had chased in here was his own refection.

It had been awhile since he’d looked at his own face. A short beard made him look older than his twenty years and a scar could be just slightly seen through the beard. His eyes looked old and tired, and for the first time, he could understand why Will was always telling him to take a break. He looked like a mercenary. He looked mean and he’d thought Queen C had been kidding him when she’d said he scared the new troops. He tried to smile, that improved the picture. At least he was clean and groomed.

He had to remember to smile more often. It felt strange, so he probably didn’t do it enough. Long leather coat, blue shirt and black leather pants, did he look like one of the head leaders of the resistance? Yep, which meant they had to move fast. God, no matter how much more he was wearing than Spike, Xan still felt naked without his guns. He needed to get to the team.

He didn’t jump when the hand touched his own, but he did turn and grab it. It was only Spike, who was looking up at him with curiosity. Enough of this, he turned from the mirror and his inspection, to the door.

It was easy, too easy, as they used to say in the movies, and by the time they reached the closet, Xan was sure they were being tricked. Spike clung to him and followed every instruction without back talk, which helped out, and Xander had to admit having the vampire cling to him, didn’t feel all that bad.

He listened at the closet door before entering. He heard Willow’s voice and deemed it safe. Without a gun he really had no choice, “Trust in Willow.” he mumbled before turning the knob.

He pulled himself and the vampire through the door and was met face to face with a gun, which now adays didn’t upset him all too much. Guns were too often in his face. Calmly, he reached out and took it from the red head holding it. “Hey Will, when I said watch my guns, I didn’t mean shove them in my face.”

She smiled and hugged him. She leaned back to look at his face. Her green eye taking him in, the other eye with a metal iris read his vitals to be sure it was him. Once both eyes were satisfied, she looked towards blonde. “Spike.”

The redhead began giving the blonde the same treatment and Xander stepped around them to Queen C. He could hear Spike ask about Willow’s implants.

Xander sighed, they all had to make sacrifices for the cause, some more seen than others. Will’s implants were some of the more obvious kind. Her eye had been removed and replaced with a robotic. With it, she could download information faster than with any normal eye. Not to mention scan for life signs and vitals and God knew what else. She also had a jack up cord inserted into her wrist, which allowed her to access any pc system, even with the robotic parts, she’s still Willow and all friend.

Cordelia Chase, known only by that name to her oldest friends, to everyone else including their troops, she’s Queen C, a bitch and a topknot shot. Where Willow’s hair is long and braided down her back and looks more like a mystic than a rebel. And he was perhaps more the mercenary type. Queen C’s all resistance rebel. She wears her hair black and short, army fatigues and all three of her guns are always fully visible. Queen C always looks ready for a fight, and is known to give better than she gets.

The Queen was currently looking over a pc screen, her eyes glazed, as she glanced up at him, before retuning to the screen. Without looking back up, she spoke. “I think Will and I set off an silent alarm sneaking in. I think they know we’re here and they just want to know what we want. I sent Wes and G to check out the floor. If they’re not back in 5, then they’ve been taken down. According to this, the air vent we came in on is down now and we don’t really have a way out. Unless you can talk Will into doing something.”

“Alright. I’m on it, how long we got?” Queen C was not known to be shy, which was why she was their main recruiter. If you made it past the Queen, you were all right.

“Depends if Wes and G walk through that door Xan. At tops, 20 minutes.”

Willow was at one point the best magic they had, the implants changed that. Another sacrifice they hadn’t known before hand, her magic was altered by the implants. She was still powerful, but very unpredictable. Now Wes was the best they had and he learned everything from Willow that he could. And while Wes was good, damn good, his power was still not as great as the redhead’s had once been. Because Willow never really knew the outcome of her spells, getting her to do one was nearly impossible and only a select few could get her to even try.

With help she might improve, but in the new order, who could afford a therapist? She was talking in hushed tones with the vampire, who looked grimmer with every word he heard from the witch. Xander picked up the rest of his own personal armory from the table Queen was working at and wandered over to the pair. “I hate to interrupt kids, but this is about to be a rather public party. Willow, we need some of that magic stuff.”

Willow’s eyes turned anguished and she buried her head in her hands. Xander knew how to make this work. Working with vampires for years now he knew how well their hearing was and he whispered Spikes’ name under his breath. When blonde looked up at him, Xander quickly whispered for him to go along and keep quiet with what he was about to say. The vampire nodded and dropped his eyes. Xander again mourned the loss of the old Spike.

“Willow, sweetheart, listen. If they catch us they’ll kill us, right?” He kneeled in front of the box she was sitting on and pulled her hands from her face. One eye had a tear slowly making its way down the lovely face the other coldly regarded him. Xander concentrated on the green eye. She nodded her head at his words, unable to speak. “Yeah, we’ll be dead and it will all over for us. The leaders of the resistance will be no more, but they’ll carry on, so no big loss, but what about him?” He pointed with his head towards the vampire. Willow followed it looking at the blonde, who looked stark white with terror.

Xan pushed on letting his urgency show. “What do you think they’ll do to him? Will, the room I found him in was just a sexual torture chamber and now he’s tried to escape. What do you think they’ll do? They won’t kill him, it will be far worse.” He had his in and he pressed it, without mercy. “What about Wes? Sweetie, remember how scared he was to come here. He was so afraid; do you think they’ll just kill him? Remember how much he would be worth to them?”

Willow nodded, sniffing, her green eye flowed freely and she reached out, raising a hand to the vampires’ face. The blond violently flinched from her. Her green eye flashed pain then it was as cold as the gray, still looking at Spike, she hissed. “Those bastards. I’ll try, as soon as G and Wes return. I’ll use Wes to stabilize a portal to the old magic shop headquarters.”

Xander patted her knee, as he heard noise outside the door. He stood and moved beside it as it opened. G reacted as calmly as Xan had at the guns presence. Wes pushed it away from his face as they came in, but both waited at the door, until Willow nodded that it was them. Xander lowered the gun. “What’s the sit?”

G only had eyes for his girlfriend, moving Queen C’s way to give her a kiss. It was a ritual whenever one had been away from the other. Wes jumped in. “They know we’re here. Troops on the way up, about 10 minutes and we’ll be surrounded.”

“Wes, help Will with a spell, G, Queen get us loaded up.” Queen jumped up, shutting down the pc and grabbed the various items they had brought.

Gunn reloaded his gun, cocked it at ready and looked towards Xander. “Locked and loaded man.” G had noticed Spike when he came in. No doubt Wes had as well, both were too cautious not to. Xan watched, as G put his full attention at the vampire. “Long time no see vamp, ready to rejoin the fight?”

Instead of saying anything, the vampire just nodded with a slight smile. When Gunn looked to question, Xander motioned not now. G dropped it, but he looked concerned when Spike was quiet, all was not of the good.

Wes was the only one on the team that didn’t use a standard weapon. Instead he used a green ball that formed from his hand. The green ball was actually natural only to Wes even Willow couldn’t copy the act, or the power. A lovely green light that made Wes’ hand’s glow and was as deadly as any standard weapon. Honestly, much more so. Wes used it with pinpoint accuracy, and over the years, it was as natural as breathing for Wes to always have it. Instead of the playful little ball it was normally, Wes had expanded it to full size. It glowed dangerously in his hand, as the threat to them came closer.

Even after all this time, that energy ball grabbed Xander’s attention. He didn’t notice for a moment what Wes was doing, until he looked up from the ball and noticed how the man stared at the vampire. Xander was standing close enough to hear him whisper to Willow. “Are you sure that’s Spike? I don’t remember him being so young and quiet.”

Willow nodded sadly, the green eye again threatening tears. “It’s him, Wes. They just really hurt him.” Wes took her at her word, cause they all knew the electronic eye could not be fooled. Then she started instructing Wes on his part in the spell and Xander drifted away. He helped Queen C and ignored what he’d heard. He didn’t want to know about anyone’s pain.

Sweat poured from the redhead, as she twilled her hands and spoke her tongue. Wes shook on his feet, but did not let the ball fade from his hand. All too soon voices could be heard outside the door.

Xander pulled the vampire behind him, readying his gun towards the door. It was all he could hope that most of the guards would be human, knowing it wouldn’t be so. Yet again, he called to a God he was sure no longer heard him. A portal burst to life behind him, he heard Willow scream and start yelling at everyone to go through, they headed that way.

One jump, they had to all go at once and when he felt everyone behind him at the brink of the hole, he pushed. He grabbed Spike with his gun free hand, just as he saw the door burst open and then it was gone.

Having long gotten used to pre-implanted Willow jumps, Xander landed on his feet both guns out.

As a soldier, he took stock of his team and his whereabouts. The magic shop, but it didn’t look at all like he remembered. Instead of a ruin it was a fully loaded shop.

Everyone else looked as confused as he did. Wes still had the glowing ball, everyone but the vampire had all weapons ready. Xander’s eyes covered the room and came face to face with, himself.

Part Two

Xan stared in shock, as very familiar people pulled themselves from the floor. He watched his other self, crawl out from under the table. Without moving his eyes from, well, himself, he called back to his witch, as he realized there were now two. “Will’s what’s the sit?”

“Umm, E-eye says its us, I mean them, so I guess, I kinda over jumped our universe.” He could hear the hitch in her voice. He was going to reassure her, but G beat him to it.

“Good job, witchy woman, we’re not in the new orders hands are we? You did good.”

Xander was about to full heartedly agree, when he saw her and the older man.

“Buffy, Giles?”  He watched them walk towards them and he could not believe what he was seeing. It was like the ghosts of the past. He was afraid if he reached out they would be gone.

Then she spoke. “You’re not vampire Xander, are you?”

Still unable to speak, he nodded no and his Queen C spoke up. “Don’t mind Xan, it’s just on our side of the universe you’re way dead.”

Two hours and five pizzas later, it had been a long time since anyone in the resistance had pizza, not to mention, soda. Both parties sat back from the table, staring at each in amazement and shock, so many differences.

Like where the resistance came from Queen C, Wes and G were with them always. Here they lived in L.A. and were only visiting Sunnydale. Here they had never heard of the new world order, but the L.A. folks sure knew about Wolfram & Hart. Buffy and Giles were alive and people they’d never heard of Tara, Dawn and Anya worked with their counterparts.

Their counterparts had been suitably shocked by the new world order. To hear Buffy and Giles had been killed in the first wave, and that Dawn had never existed. Most awing to them was that the Scooby’s, and their troops were the only thing between death and life for all. Not just with the supernatural stuff, but in a full out war.

Xan glanced down at the vampire sleeping at his feet. The blonds’ head was resting on his knee. The vampires’ counterpart wasn’t here, but would be later. Xan was wondering how the two would get along and how his Spike would like seeing how he used to be.

Actually the quiet blond had caused quite a stir and Xan had left all questions about him unanswered. While the blond had been awake he was never further than a foot from Xan and only spoke once and that was to say no when offered some pizza.

They asked about his hair, which was different than the last time Xan had seen it as well. Dark blond and no longer dyed, the bangs were long, the back short, a pageboy cut, as he thought they were called. It made the vampire look like a kid. The fact that their counterpart’s Spike wore black and this one had shown up in all white, theirs was rude and his never spoke a word.

Xan deflected every question, while letting the vampire know it was okay to stay near him. He just hovered as Xan’s silent shadow. He was tempted to wake the vampire to see if he needed some blood, but thought perhaps he needed sleep more.

The Willow’s were discussing the implants, Queen C was telling Cordelia she didn’t know what she was missing not giving Gunn a chance. As for himself, Xan couldn’t help but think about how soft the vampire’s hair was running through his fingers. He also wondered how the counterpart of himself could be such a child. Then again he had a right to be, he wasn’t the head of a resistance.

Unfortunately now was time to bring up his vampire and explain to both sides of the universe a little of what was going on, so issues could be avoided. “Your attention everyone.” His quiet voice overrode the conversations and he had the floor. His people looked ready to listen, the counterparts looked shocked at the command coming from him. It seemed his counterpart had to do some work in the forceful department. “He’s asleep and I want to get this out of the way, before his counterpart shows up.”

Buffy looked under the table, seeing the vampire asleep against Xan’s leg. “Why wouldn’t you tell us about him earlier, when you were telling us about everything else?”

Earlier he’d said they were escaping a new order building while rescuing one of their own. Now he explained in slightly more detail on how Spike was caught by the new order four years ago. How they had looked for him and when they’d finally found him, it had taken months to get in there after him.

He explained very little about the room, the collar, the clothing and even hinted at what Spike had said to him when he came into the room. Reliving that moment gave him chills. Xan was a seasoned warrior, very little gave him chills, but seeing the vampire on his knees ready to take anything had.

Now his people knew and that would put them on protect and defend mode about the vampire. The counterparts would perhaps treat him a little more kindly than they treated their own Spike. He finished up with. “I don’t think he likes to be touched. I think he’s touching me cause I’m the one that got him out, so just watch it. I don’t know how he’ll react if provoked. Remember my Spike isn’t chipped like yours. I heard you mention a moment ago Ms. Chase, that Angel was out with your Spike?”

“Um yes, I was telling me, I mean Queen C.” Cordelia gave her counterpart a weird look, not sure about the moniker Queen C. “That he was out patrolling, I mean we’re just here researching and Spike got antsy so they went out.”

“So he’ll be coming back here with your Spike I take it. I don’t suppose you could tell me about their relationship.”

Xan and the resistance looked rather very distressed to find out, that on the counterpart’s side Spike and Angel barely got along, more often fighting than not.

Giles noted this and waited everyone out before questioning. “I take it on your side it’s rather different.”

Xander just nodded and looked under the table at his own version of Spike. Queen C took up the mantle. “Yeah you could say that. They’ve been lovers for like years and years.”

G took his ladies hand kissed once and continued for her once their counterparts had come down from the shock and their own distress. “They were good for each other, so leave it alone. It’s not your Spike and Angel, don’t worry about it. In any case, our Angel went out one night to meet someone about finding his Wil and he never came back. We don’t know where he is and we haven’t had a chance to mention to Spike about him yet.”

Xander spoke up. “And we’re not going to, until we get home. We’ll let him think our Angel is back there, we just won’t mention it. We will; however, have to tell him when we return, so I don’t want his last memory of any Angel to be one where the guy is, in any universe, treating him like a jerk. So do you think you could talk yours into being nice to our Spike while he’s here.”

Buffy jumped up. “Yes, I can do that, besides once he hears about it all, he’s sure to agree.”

Queen C stood up as well. “Permission Sir, to request.” Knowing Queen as he did Xan gave his permission, by his counterpart's faces this proved how different they really were. “May I come with you Slayer? I want to take a look around.”

Buffy not trusting her voice for the shock, just nodded.

Xan looked at his Queen C, a warrior with various guns and her army wear. Then as the slayer and Queen C left, he turned his attention to this universes’ Cordelia. He couldn’t imagine her wearing fatigues, much less shooting a gun.

What a few changes in the world could do to a person, not to mention the Wesley’s. His own looked like a young rebel, short leather coat, leather pants, green shirt and the ever-present green ball. The presently small and harmless looking green ball that Wes played with, rolling it between his fingers or between hands.

Wesley his counterpart looked like a young professor. A professor, who not only couldn’t do the green ball but was attempting to learn and doing badly. Xan could tell his Wes was trying very hard not to singe the guy just to shut him up. His Wes was not known for patience and tolerance of questions.

Also there was his counterpart, a child with goofy taste in clothing and a girlfriend named Anya. In all someone that was enjoying his youth, his counterparts’ eyes had very little of the pain he was sure his own had. He was too tried to even be jealous, there was just a small ache for what could have been and perhaps a little glee too, as he looked better with the beard than without. Will’s had been right about that one, his counterpart’s girlfriend kept giving him the eye. He winked at her and loved the jealousy on the other Xander’s face.

The Willow’s were night and day, so different in looks and choice in partner. True, both were lesbians, but unlike Tara, Reboot packed a punch. Reboot did have the same body type as Tara, but four times the presence and mouth. He’d often teased Willow over the past four years, that she must have really been missing Spike’s mouth to date Reboot.

Even with their Spike back, he could sadly continue the joke. Poor Reboot was probably going mad with worry; however, Xan knew she and every one else would follow his orders to stay put and not follow them out. He figured he had at most two days, before his troops would ignore his word and go out looking for them.

A good leader always knows his troops.

Even looking so different the Willow’s both being more heart than anything else immediately liked each other. And unlike his thoughts towards his own counterpart, the Will’s looked to be really hitting it off.

Deeming it safe enough, Xan nodded towards his G, who was talking to his own counterpart, which oddly enough there was, besides clothing choice and a few missed matched scars, very little difference. His G nodded back, signaling he’d keep watch, as Xan shut his eyes.

Part Three

The door pulled Xan out of his light doze. He’d become far too used to having his guard up to let it go while asleep, or even while in a ‘peaceful’ universe. He’d heard his own counterpart leave with his girlfriend about an hour ago and the numerous conversations that went around him before and since then.

The door only pulled him completely up because he didn’t know who was entering, under his lids he watched Queen C bounce in. Knowing this meant she had seen the vampire’s, Xander opened his eyes fully and thanked Giles for the coffee cup he was handed.

Queen C paused on the way to the table to kiss her G and pulled him along with her towards him and the table. Like himself and G, Queen thankfully grabbed a cup of coffee, before sitting on G’s lap next to Xan at the table.

Coffee was the blood of the resistance and living on it for so long, a ‘thank you’, didn’t cover the comfort that came from drinking the black stuff. Besides it was a better tasting stuff than Reboot had ever made.

Giles sat next to them and Xan guessed it was because Giles had had enough of trying to make the Wesley’s get along. He’d heard his Wes singe his counterpart, about 20 minutes ago. As Xan threw a glance that way, he saw his Wes, completely unrepentant. His sweater-wearing counterpart was busy staying far away.

He didn’t give Queen the chance to enjoy her coffee. “What’s the sit, C?”

“We found them.” Her face was alight with glee. It had been awhile since Xan had seen Queen this happy about anything, other than some sweet thing G had done.

“God Xan, they’re exactly like I remember them being, but without all the kissy luvy stuff. I mean Spike, before you know and he was all Spike, all mouth and Angel was as stoic as ever and they,” G held her close as her voice broke and she buried herself into his arms.

No one, besides Spike, once his Spike found out of course, could be as upset as Wes had been about Angel’s disappearance, but Queen was a close third.

When Spike had been caught it had been a blow and Angel had been an unholy rack of pain and anguish. Everyone was so busy trying to ease his pain no one had time to really feel pain about the blond vampire. Then when Angel disappeared the grief was unbearable.

Several times he had to stop Wes from a suicide mission, just looking for answers and his death. Queen C was too strong for that but she suffered just as hard. Pain from Spike’s capture and Angel’s disappearance almost took the heads of the resistance to their knees.

Queen C, G, Will, Wes and even himself were guilty of being reckless in their pursuit of the vampires. Once Spike had been found, they would take no one but themselves on the suicide run and he knew they did it as much for themselves as for Angel, wherever he may be.

Having Spike back in their number, sitting at the leader’s table again was going to do a lot for the moral of the troops. He was just going to have to make sure none of them got close enough to see the terrible changes in the vampire. Then again, no matter what his Spike did now it would be blamed on the grief for his Angel.

Queen C was putting herself back together, Giles handed her a tissue. Xan had forgotten how useful the man had been. Or maybe he hadn’t wanted to remember, it had been a long time since he had thought of Giles or his slayer. Some things just weren’t dwelled on.

Buffy came through the door and on her tail was a sight he’d thought to never to see again, Angel.

Xan fully understood Queen’s break down. He had the long leather coat, the face, his hair was short where their Angel had worn his long, but it was Angel, and man was a sight for sore eyes.

This universe’s Cordelia met him at the door and whispered to him. Buffy walked over to the table and stopped next to Xan, glancing again at the sleeping vampire next to him. The vampire hadn’t moved once since falling asleep. Xan didn’t know whether to be jealous that anyone of their number could sleep so well, or upset that the vampire just didn’t care anymore.

Though no one else had, Buffy kept her voice low, like she was afraid to wake the blond. “I spoke to him and told him everything, it’s a go. Angel said he would be nice but I told him not to over do it, so your Spike wouldn’t be upset. Oh yeah, I want to state for the record I like your Spike better than ours and you can take both back with you when you go.”

“Thanks Buffy for talking to him and that won’t be necessary. One Spike is enough for any universe, where is yours anyway?”

“Please don’t refer to him as my Spike it makes me a little sick, but he’s outside finishing his cigarette.” Buffy rolled her eyes.

Buffy refused any coffee but sat at the table across from Xan, giving Queen C and G the eye. Xan pushed past Buffy thoughts from his mind, as Angel disengaged himself from Cordelia. On his way to the table Angel said hello to Wes, then did a double take, looking at both Wesley’s. Angel’s own Wesley nodded a greeting and the one in leather saluted him, Angel somewhat saluted back. Wes laughed at the attempt and reactivated his green ball to toss.

Angel paused staring at Wes before looking at his own Wesley, who just shrugged and went towards the coffeemaker making sure to step clear of Wes and his glowing ball.

Xan wanted to stand to meet the man, but with the blonds’ head still on his leg, he didn’t dare. Instead he took the vampire’s hand when it was offered.

“You must be the other Xander, I have to admit as far as doubles go, you two look nothing alike.”

“I have better taste in clothing, please call me Xan. I have to say Angel, you’re a sight for sore eyes and one I’d never thought to see again.”

“I heard about it from Buffy and Queen C.” He nodded towards the red-eyed woman, who was looking up at him from G’s lap. “I just want to say how noble I think your battle is.”

“I don’t know about noble, but it has to be done.” This man was so close to his own Angel. He didn’t blame G for staring. Wes for avoiding and hell, Queen could barely look at him. Will just hummed softly, half looking and half pretending the vampire wasn’t there. Having none of the options the others had to avoid this, he tried to keep his emotions from his face.

Angel looked around, before looking back down to Xan. “I can feel my childe outside, but I can feel yours too, where is he?”

Xan raised his hand and pointed down to the other side of his chair. Angel wasted no time going around.

“Oh, Wil.” The dark vampire whispered, before kneeing down. It was the whisper of a man who had just realized he’d found something he hadn’t known he’d lost.

Xan figured, just maybe, their counterparts didn’t know the whole story about their vampires. With a past like theirs, one just didn’t stop loving, just sometimes changed names and hid.

Buffy seemed shocked. Was the girl foolish enough to think the vampires had no past? Angel was his Sire, that had to mean something. Giles at least looked like he understood the situation, as did this universes Wesley. Cordelia had the same amount of disgust and shock Buffy did, and his Queen C just started again to cry.

Both Gunn’s were not very emotional and ignored the emotional flow and Wes just upped the power of his green light. Xan watched Wes look into its green deeps, as if it might share the answers to all the madness with him. With that Xan wondered if maybe he shouldn’t order Wes to stay away from his girlfriend for a little while. It was bad enough they were hardly ever apart, but when Wes started acting like his girl, Drusilla, Xan had a right to worry.

Angel lifted the blond from the floor and Buffy was kind enough, or in shock enough to move, letting him have her seat.

Angel was in awe. This Spike looked like his used to, maybe a hundred years ago. He had no eyes for anyone, or anything else.

Buffy mumbled something about keeping their Spike occupied outside for a few minutes and slid out the door. Xan had a feeling the emotions and love Angel was looking at the blond with had something to do with her decision.

Cordelia approached the table and with an odd look towards G and Queen C walked around to Angel’s side. She looked down with him for a few moments. “Angel, what’s wrong, its just Spike? Well another one, you don’t even like your own.”

Angel didn’t even look up at her, but he answered her all the same. “Delia you just have no idea, he’s my childe. I can be mad at him, hell I can be pissed as hell at him. On occasion I may even threaten to kill him, but through all that, he’s still my boy. I’ll always love him and when he hurts, I hurt.”

Xan was happy to know their universes weren’t so different that Angel would honestly hate his own childe. Cordelia tried again. “Angel, he’s impossible to love, no matter how cute he is.” Catching herself, she paused looking for the words.

“Yeah, I know Delia. He tries to be, but I made him. I know what lays under all that brass and rudeness and it’s a very sweet, very lovable person.” Angel had yet to look her way.

Cordelia sensed nothing she could say would make a different here. And so, she returned her attention to Queen C, asking her if Macy’s had survived the new order.

Xan was the only one paying attention to the two vampires when Spike woke up. Xan almost reached for his own gun to put himself out of the pain he felt seeing the hope in those sapphire eyes. He watched the blond lift his hand and touch the older vampires’ hair.

Then those un-souled eyes pierced the older vampires. Xan waited for the outcome, he could hear the pauses in the others conversation, as their attention had also turned the vampire’s way.

“You’re not my Sire. You belong to this universe.” Angel nodded solemnly, his throat too tight to answer. Spike lightly kissed Angel’s cheek before pulling himself off the vampire and walking over to Xan.

Xan held his hand out and was, for some reason, so relieved when the blond took it. He signaled G and Queen C out of their seat, which they gladly did. G pushed the seat next to Xan and the blond sat, staring at the other vampire. He looked up to Xan and whispered. “I want to go home, now.”

Xan whispered. “Soon.”  He turned towards Angel, as the vampire’s fingers lightly touched his check, where he’d received the kiss. To Angel, it felt so like a kiss of long ago, of times unforgettable, but best forgotten. Unshed tears filled his eyes, Angel got up from his seat and stumbled towards the back of the shop.

Cordelia looked around for a moment, before following Angel into the back. Xan turned his attention towards the door when a blur of leather came tearing through. It stopped roughly a couple of feet from the door, Spike. The Spike he remembered from four long years ago. Long black duster, red shirt, black tee shirt, black jeans, hair messed and standing in angles, Doc Martins and the ever present smirk. “Peaches, tell your slayer to stop hitting me.”

Spike paused, realizing Angel wasn’t in the room to save him, and called for back up. “Red, save me from the Slayer.” Buffy chose that moment to slam into the room after him and throw him into a wall, twice. With his own hands full, coffee in one and the other holding his own Spike, Xan just didn’t have the time to signal the stand down.

Before anyone of this universe could fully comprehend the situation, Buffy was against the wall, held in place by a longhaired Willow. Buffy was looking straight into the one green and one gray eye of a killer. Even their Spike looked surprised. Buffy struggled, but there was no release from the implanted arm of Xan’s Willow.

Xan released both his coffee and his Spike in a hurry, trying to reach the situation. He buzzed by Queen C and G as they joined him. Wes didn’t bother getting up. He just shrugged with a cruel smile.

Xan rushed to her side and grabbed the leather clad Spike, who was in too much shock to resist. “Release her Will’s. They were playing, see he’s fine.” Xander turned towards the vampire. “Tell her you’re fine, now.”

“’ey Red, I’m fine. Let ‘er go okay.”

Willow ignored them all. “You.” She hissed into Buffy’s face, slamming her head once solidly against the wall. “Will not touch him. If you do while I’m here, I will kill you myself. Do” slam “you” slam “understand?”

“Yes.” Buffy’s voice sounded ragged and when Willow let her go, she slid to the floor. Willow turned away from her and patted the leather clad Spike on the cheek as she passed. Then went back to her conversation with other Willow, without so much as a pause.

Xan helped her off the floor. “I’m sorry Buffy. Will’s has always been a little over protective of Spike and then she saw you hurting him. He asked for Red to help and instinct took over. I’ll make sure she doesn’t kill you, I am sorry.”

Buffy looked a little dazed, but accepted his apology. “Yeah, I understand, it’s alright.” Once Xan was sure Buffy could stand on her own he walked back to the table.

He heard his Wes behind him. “You’re lucky Red got there first slayer. You were about ready to get a green bolt in the ass.”

Without looking behind him, Xan called out. “Stand down Wes. No one's hurting anyone here.”

He was tapped on the shoulder and turned to see Spike following him. “So you’re the mate’s from the other side of the mirror?”

“That would be us.” Xander was amazed. He could tell no difference between this Spike and the one from four years ago his world.

Well his Spike would have never called for Red to save him in a play fight, knowing how so called ‘Red’ would react. Their Spike would also never look so surprised that they would protect him, well four years ago he wouldn’t have, who knew now.

Spike looked like he was going to comment, when he stopped cold. Xan looked ahead, the other Spike, his, was standing. Xan stepped back as they circled each other.

The leather clad one spoke up first. “What the ‘ell ‘ave you done with my look, ‘ate to tell you this, but white is not a good color on me.”

His Spike almost smirked and Xan silently cheered. “Least I’m not chipped, mate.”

Xan dropped his smile, shit! They looked fit to kill each other. The leather-clad vampire slid into game face, as did his. Everyone including Buffy backed up. He knew his people just didn’t know what to do and the counterpart’s just looked unwilling to interfere.

Xan was about ready to try to separate them himself, when a breeze pushed past him. Angel stood between the two Spikes, one hand wrapped into a white shirt, the other into a leather duster. He shook them both once and lifted till their feet dangled off the floor. “I give you both to the count of one to get rid of those teeth.” Both dropped the game face fast. “Now lads either one of you want to explain this to me?”

“’e started it, Sire.”

“Did not, Peaches put me down.”

Both blond vampires squirmed in his grasp and Angel didn’t let either go. Instead he turned towards the back where Cordelia still stood. He walked passed her into the room, as he called out. “I think me and my lads here are going to have us a little chat. Please avoid the back.” The door slammed shut a second later.

Buffy turned towards Xan with a slight pout on her face. “Why didn’t your Willow and Wes try to stop Angel from abusing them.”

Xan looked down at her like she was crazy. His Will answered from where she had stayed seated, next to her counterpart, during the whole event. “Slayer, no one gets between a pissed off Sire and his brats. He would’ve torn up any of us that tried to intervene and apart from death, both Spike’s would have been pissed as hell at us for going after Daddy.”

Buffy had her doubts about this logic. However, she wasn’t prepared to argue the point, having no weapons handy, and so she let it go. It was enough for Buffy to know both Spike’s were currently getting their asses kicked.

Xan was hoping the opposite. He hoped Angel was being very careful.

Part Four

In truth, Angel had no idea what to say. Though he did know that he couldn’t very well have them going at each other’s throats.

Angel dropped them both before he shut the door and resigned himself to the glares he was receiving, from twin sets of cold blue eyes. Angel knew he had messed up. He’d embarrassed them in front of everyone and neither looked ready to forgive him.

He hadn’t lied to Cordelia. He knew Spike very well and he knew that the fighting was an outlet for something else.

He opened his mouth to tell them both that they’d be the death of him. Then realized how that would sound later, to the other universe's Spike. When he found out about his version of Angel’s disappearance.

He closed his mouth and cursed himself for getting into this predicament. This conversation was filled with too many landmines. Instead he tried again to get to the bottom of the mess with as little mess as necessary. “Well what was that all about?”

His Spike sneered at him. “I don’t know Peaches. You’re the private detective, why don’t you tell us?”

The other Spike turned towards his double. “He’s a private detective?”

“Yep and a bad one too. Can you see the big lug crawling through the bloody bushes to snap pictures of a cheating bit?” The blond started laughing.

The other universes’ Spike looked him over. “Na ‘e wouldn’t go into the bushes think of ‘is ‘air. Not to mention ‘is big ass feet.”  Then joined his double's laughing.

Angel sighed. The one thing they had to agree on was that their Sire was a loser. He waited them out, tapping his foot against the floor, not dignifying any comments they said about him with an answer.

Angel had to wait for about 10 minutes, as they insulted his hair, long or short, his feet, his soul and whatever odd bit they could come up with. Angel released his anger into his fists, letting them tighten and release. He was not going to blow up at them, no matter how hard they tried to deflect the conversation to him from themselves.

Nothing like sire bashing to bring people together, Angel mused. To bad it wasn’t going to work. He was not going to let himself get mad enough to leave them alone. Soon there was nothing left, just two blonds sitting on the floor and the odd hiccup.

“Are you two quite done?” They looked up at him from the floor and Angel had that feeling in his gut. The bad feeling, the one that said, nice view, great positioning and pushed it far, far away.

“Nope Peaches, I was just about to tell him about the time you told the demon you were fighting to ‘old up so you could take off your coat and check your ‘air.” The leather- clad blond smirked, trying to pull his cigarettes out, while still chuckling.

“T’at’s nothing.” The other replied, holding his hand out for a cigarette, which amazingly enough the other gave him without argument. “My Angel once ‘eld up an attack, so ‘e could pick out which black shirt would be right for the occasion.”

Angel felt as bad for the other Angel as he did for himself, well no, he felt worse for himself, he was the one standing here listening to this. “Look, I was fighting a slime demon. You know that doesn’t come out of leather and I didn’t ask it to wait. I needed that mirror to defeat it.”

Both gave him the same ‘uh huh’ look that Cordelia had given him at the time. He was not going to do this. He was not going to defend himself against his own brat and his double. He was the Sire here for Christ sakes.

“Enough both of you.” Angel guessed, he’d put out a little too much anger and perhaps channeled just a tad too much Angelus. Both froze, stood up and cautiously moved just a little further away from him. He didn’t have to see either set of blue eyes to know there was fear there, damn landmines.

He released another sigh. Only his childe could get him to breath, and in this case, he was breathing double time. He tried again, in a more ‘Angel’ like tone. “You both agree I’m a terrible Sire, alright?” The leather-clad Spike paid him no attention, but other shook his head no.

Ever since Angel had carried them in here, he’d wanted to ask a question. Knowing he wouldn’t get an honest answer if he asked, he waited till they had put the cigarettes out on the floor. Boy that was going to piss Buffy off. Angel then put his question into an action, a theory in process.

Angel moved easily grabbing the leather duster of his Spike and throwing him into the other, both crashed to the floor. He didn’t wait for them to sort themselves out. He turned away towards the door. There was only one reason he could have ever gotten away with that maneuver.

He was wary after his stunt to turn his back on either Spike, so he opened the door a crack, with his back facing it and called out. “Cordelia.”

He realized when his Cordelia appeared it could’ve easily been the other, he reminded himself to make the distinction when calling for anyone next time. “Cordelia, grab that cooler we brought for me, heat it up and bring it back here, please.”

Angel watched the two untangle from each other on the floor, with a lot of cursing and graceful movements. Again he had to push that feeling down, maybe he could push it as far as his toes and it would leave him alone, but he doubted it.

“Yeah okay, the whole thing? They piss you off that bad?” Angel decided the unholy terrors weren’t going to come after him with anything wood, like they were in any condition to do anything. Instead they sat on the floor, again with the glares. Oh well, he was the Sire. They could be pissed at him, but they were going to listen.

“Yes the whole thing and no they haven’t pissed me off that bad. They’re starving to death.” He wasn’t explaining that to Cordelia, he was explaining that to the two blonds. He wasn’t dense enough not to notice, oddly enough, that they both quickly found something else to glare at other than him.

“Oh okay, I’ll be right back.” He shut the door as he heard her heels click away. Both Spike’s started to say something and both didn’t. Angel held up his hand. He didn’t want to hear it. He knew the excuses they’d give and he also knew the real reasons.

His Spike really didn’t have any way to get blood, except from Giles and Willy’s. Giles had told Angel earlier, just after they had arrived, that he hadn’t had enough money recently to buy more than very little. Angel knew something the watcher didn’t, Spike couldn’t go to Willy’s anymore, without getting beat up for working with the slayer.

As for the double Angel was pretty sure any incarnation of Wolfram & Hart wouldn’t feed a vampire, a whore that much, they wouldn’t want him at full strength.

Being as neither was rolling around the floor with hunger, Angel figured both situations had been going on for long enough that their bodies had gotten use to the abuse. And they said he sucked as a detective, actually he might, but he knew his childe and neither one would have admitted it.

He’d known when he’d lifted them. They hadn’t weighed anything and he may have forgotten a lot of things. Like most of the 20th century, but he remembered that his boy had never been that light.

He pulled out a foldout chair and sat down. He wanted to cross his arms, but recalled Cordelia telling him that crossing his arms made him look cut off and condemning. She meant it would scare off customers, but Angel figured it would be the wrong message here as well. Yes, he was mad, but he really couldn’t blame them, for once something wasn’t Spikes’ fault.

Angel realized, he’d been yelling at his Spike for so long now, that he really didn’t have anything to say and he knew he had to say something. Angel could read his boy, um boys, like a book and he really didn’t like where their thoughts had gone.

Angel was mentally begging Cordelia to just hurry up. Then he’d have an excuse to do something other than the staring he was currently doing, but he couldn’t help it. They just had enough physical differences to tell them apart, but other than that, they were mirrors and the possibilities were endless.

No, there were no possibilities. He was not going to travel that road. What the hell was he doing in this room? One Spike had never been his responsibility and the other hadn’t been for a long time. That part was hushed down by the part that said this was Spike, which in any universe, was his childe and always his responsibility. Hell, who needed to talk, he had a whole conversation going on all by himself.

His Spike was playing with a lighter, a far off look in his eyes. Just as Angel was going to ask him to quit, Spike with fire was making him a little nervous; the double yanked the lighter away.

“’e”, the double nodded towards Angel, “gave you this didn’t ‘e?”

Angel took a closer look at the lighter in the doubles hand. God that had been forever ago, but sure enough he remembered giving it to the boy. “My Angel gave me one too, but it’s long gone.”

The double tossed the lighter back. “The duster, was it from your 2nd slayer?” The double looked at his twin and Angel swore he saw a little jealousy when his Spike nodded that it was. “Bloody ‘ell, I miss that coat.”

Angel knew what the other Spike had just gone through, after his conversation with Cord, Queen C earlier, his Spike didn’t. Buffy had distracted the vampire from the finer points of the conversation.

Angel realized now that might been a mistake. Without knowing his Spike was going to ask a lot of questions, but since he was now being ignored, Angel couldn’t find a way to deflect the questions. Angel figured this was about the time he should really go get some back up. Where was Cordelia? It wasn’t that much blood.

“What ‘appened to yours?” The bleached version questioned.

“Wolfram & ‘art.” Angel noticed the fight seemed have gone out of them and this was turning into a civil conversation. Then he heard footsteps, damn now she comes, but the steps approaching where far to heavy and he got up from the chair. Neither blonde even looked at him as he went towards the door.

He opened the door, before whoever it was got close enough. Neither of the Spike’s were in good enough condition to have heard the approaching mortal yet, but Angel wasn’t about ready to let this conversation get interrupted.

Talking about Wolfram & Hart might do the other universes Spike good and whom could you trust to talk to, like yourself?

An unapologetic, bearded Xan was the culprit. He handed over the cooler and loudly said. “There you go, all heated up.” Lower, he questioned. “Um, you haven’t done anything rash? I heard some noise from back here earlier.”

Angel caught the others eyes, he wasn’t accusing just concerned, very concerned. Angel stopped himself from growling Mine, not only would it be stupid, he didn’t have the right. He held up a finger for the man to wait a moment, as Angel slipped back into the room.

He was still being ignored and he wasn’t sure for which crime, he’d already embarrassed them and thrown them around. They were still going over the great importance of the leather duster. He set the cooler down on the floor between them.

“Here, don’t make yourselves sick,” neither one made a move towards the cooler. He opened it and took two warmed bags out and threw one to each blond. “I said eat, now.”

Satisfied they were going to do as he said. Demanded, whatever, and having dispensed all the fatherly advice he was going to give, Angel backed out of the room.

Xan had waited at the door. He gave Angel a curious glance when the vampire grabbed his arm. Loudly, Angel pronounced. “Yeah, I’d love to show you around. Why don’t we take a walk?”

Xan played along and let Angel drag him towards the door. Xan was able to call out and order to his people to remain here and behave, before he was outside with Angel.

Xan dropped the act and pulled his arm back. “What are you up to vamp?”

Angel signaled Xan to follow him around the building. “I left them talking about Wolfram & Hart. I thought maybe you’d like to hear how that goes down?”

“Are you suggesting we invade their privacy and listen to their conversation?” Xan stopped, making no move to follow the vampire.

Angel stopped feeling a little guiltily, “Well I thought, you might like to know,”

“Cause if you are, I’ll lead the way.” Xan passed the vampire, towards the back of the store. Angel shook his head and followed.

Part Five

Spike used his teeth to rip into the bag Angel had tossed at him, and when the smell of pig’s blood didn’t assault him, he brought the bag closer. “Damn, I didn’t even think Peaches remembered ‘e could ‘ave ‘uman blood.”

“’ey I’ll take anything that isn’t drugged.” The other blonde ripped into his own bag and for a few moments they were silent.

Between bags, the bleached blonde asked. “They drugged your blood?”

“Yeah, to keep me from acting up. They said I was too ‘hyper.” He laughed a little bitterly.

“Giles does that every once and while, when there’s nothing going on and Buffy bitches about me acting up. ‘e thinks I can't tell.” The leather-clad blonde shrugged.

“Better than starving right and sometimes its better than being completely awake in a room you can’t leave.” The double pushed his bangs from his face.

“Yeah, I know the feeling. Ever been chained up in a tub? I guess they ‘appened to your ‘air too?” Spike raised his own hand to his own shorter, bleached hair.

“Do you think I’d do this to myself? I am fully aware ‘ow I look.”  He yanked said hair in his hands.

“Want me to cut it off for ya, got a knife round ‘ere somewheres?” He started pulling things out of the duster pockets.

“No way, I wouldn’t trust me to cut anyone’s ‘air. ” The blonde grabbed another two bags, offering one to the other.

“Oh yeah, right mate.” He stopped digging through the duster.

“I really do miss that coat. Don’t suppose you’d let me.” The double reached his hands out.

“You can’t keep it.” Spike shrugged out of the coat, and leaned over the cooler, to hand it to his counterpart. Who threw it on like an old skin and settled back down.

“I miss the docs too.”  The longer haired blond smirked.

“Forget it, mate.”

The now leather-clad blond shrugged. “Can’t blame me for trying.”

“Them lawyers take the shoes too?”

“If you didn’t notice mate, I don’t ‘ave any shoes.”

“Yeah kind a noticed that, before when Angel had us dangling. Slayers never going to let me live that down.”

“I’m pretty sure Wes is going to make sure I remember and when he tells Dru,”

“Your Wes talks to Dru?”

“My Wes is mated to Dru. Isn’t yours?”

“Nope. In fact the Wesley ‘ere is pretty much scared of her and everything else, a real poof. My Dru is somewhere causing trouble with Darla.”

“Our Darla’s dead.”

“Angel stake ‘er?”

“Nope. Wolfram & ‘art no longer needed ‘er and put ‘er out for a sunbath.”

“Well then they did something right. Bloody ‘ell at least you don’t have a chip.”

“What does that thing do pet?” The longer haired blonde had to push his hair back again and tried not to sound too curious.

“Gives me a bleeding headache every time I try to feed or hit a human.” Spike looked at the bag in his lap with disgust.

“I had a collar that kinda did the same thing. If I attacked anyone, they didn’t want me to, it put me on the floor. Sucks, huh?”

“That’s not the half of it, but yeah. What did they do to you? Cause you look like a poof.”

“Thanks mate, needed to ‘ear that. Not being able to see in a mirror and all that. You want to know what they did; they locked me in a room, as a whore. So yeah, I look like a poof, I’m sure cause that’s what they wanted me to look like.”

“That’s a rough bit, pet. Sorry.”

“Did you just apologize to me and that wasn’t pity in your voice?”

“You don’t have the chip, so ‘ell no pity, but ‘ey you wanna fight about it?” The shorthaired Spike jumped to his feet.

The double put his hand into the duster and pulled out the cigarettes -lighting one. He too jumped to his feet. The first good meal he’d had in years running through his system, the energy begging to be used. “Yeah, what if I do?”

“Then I say let’s go.” They were smart enough to move the cooler out of the way.

The place shook from the force of them tossing each other into walls. After Buffy opened the door wide enough to yell at them to knock it off, they stopped. Neither one wanted her to come into the room. Somewhere along the line the double had taken off the leather duster. He reached for it now, pulling out two cigarettes and handed one to his other image. They sat, leaning against the wall and smoking.

“That was fun, ‘aven’t been able to do that in years.”

“I get to fight demon’s that about it. So where’s Peaches in your world?”

“When I was taken ‘e was in the resistance with me, be kind a ‘ard if we were in two different places.”

“What would be ‘ard?”

“You know, being together.” The alternate Spike thought perhaps the chip had damaged his counterpart.

The shorthaired blonde swung his head to his double. “Being together as what?”

The double took the shock to mean perhaps this Spike wasn’t involved with his Angel. But he’d woken up in his Sires’ arms. The Angel of this universe and he wasn’t mistaken about what he saw in that Angel’s eyes, well opps. “I guess you guys aren’t lovers then.”

“Peaches and me, ‘ell no, ‘e ‘ates me.”

The double opened his mouth to correct him, but something totally different came out. “My Angel, my sire’s dead.”

For the second time his twin looked at him in shock. “What do you mean dead? Peaches? Nothing can take ‘im out.”

“First year Wolfram & ‘art had me, I was sitting around once night just bothering the cleaning lady. Next thing I knew I was on the floor. I could ‘ear ‘im in my head. ‘e said goodbye and then ‘e was gone. Felt like someone ripped me ‘eart out, it did. I know ‘e’s dead and no one wants to tell me.”

“You gotta be wrong mate, Angel just doesn’t die. ‘e out lives everything. ”

The longer haired blond wrapped himself in the duster, tears running down his face. “I’m not wrong. I know ‘es dead, I felt it.”

The other Spike didn’t know what the hell to do. He hated it when people cried. So he did the only thing he could think of, he gave him a hug. He could feel the tears hitting the side of his neck, felt the pain, but he still didn’t believe it. Peaches was unstoppable, he knew he had forever to make up with his sire, didn’t he?

He couldn’t imagine not having Angel around. The bloke always showed up, but he hadn’t shown up after the chip, did he? Nope, maybe if he hadn’t had Angel tortured only a few days earlier he would’ve come. Didn’t matter- his Angel hated him. Besides, he didn’t need the wanker anyway.

He made a mental note not to cry in front of anyone, ever. It made him look just pitiful. He could always use it as a last resort, perhaps to get someone to cave in. Then again, just whom did he have to make cave in. No one, as far as pity parties went, this was ridiculous. Spike said the only thing he could think of to make it better. “You can ‘ave mine.”

By this time the double had pulled himself together and he pushed away from his twin, roughly rubbing the tearstains from his face. In the last few years that leather duster had wiped a lot of tears away. “Yeah right, mate.” He jumped up to get the cooler. The blood was still warm enough to get down. He grabbed himself a bag, looking back at his shorthaired double he grabbed another.

“Yeah. Go ahead take the wanker, e’s nothing but a pain to me.” This worlds Spike sounded completely sure this was the answer to both their problems.

With a devilish look that anyone that knew Spike would have said meant trouble. Except for the one person who’d never had that look thrown at him, himself.

The blond wandered back over and handed one of the bags to the shorthaired version. “You might ‘ave something there pet. I mean, we are at war and Angel would be far more useful to us there. Will could send ‘im back, if ‘e ever wanted to come back, we might ‘ave to bring that up to him.”

“Well we could pet, but ‘e’s got this thing with the wankers that be and you know ‘e couldn’t off and leave them.”

The long hair version smiled, ‘got ya’. Then preceded to reel him in. “I don’t know about that, they might be able to let ‘im go for a worthy cause.” His own Sire, lover, hell his everything might be gone now, but if he could get these two together. Then somewhere they would be together and all wasn’t really lost.

Damn, he really was loves bitch and pathetic, neither revelation stopped him from carrying on. “Queen C, I mean Cordelia could live a lot easier without those visions, I ‘eard her carrying on about earlier. The wankers that be could find another white knight, you’ve got quite a plan there, mate.” The double wondered if he’d ever been that exact color of white before, pet looked about ready to be sick.

“Try it and I’ll take your bloody ‘ead off.” Spike seemed to realized what he’d just admitted and dropped his head.

“Yeah, I figured you might say that. I’m you remember? I know how you feel about ‘im.”

“Just don’t go yelling it out.”

“I won’t, just let ‘im know before it’s to late.”

“I will.”

Having settled that and both losing interest in the serious conversation. Spike looked over his doubles white clothing. “You know mate, I ‘ave some better clothing at the crypt. You know, darker. White really isn’t a good look.”

“Crypt, you live in a crypt? ‘ell sounds good to me. Can’t say I’ll miss the innocent virgin look.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything, mate.”

“You don’t ‘ave to. Besides white doesn’t ‘old fond memories for me.”

The shorthaired version summed it up. “Angelus.” Both cringed at the memory.

“Angel wouldn’t treat you that way. I mean he does get pissed, but it wouldn’t be like that.”

“I figured ‘e’d feel too guilty about it. So you want to go get those clothes?”

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