Perchance to Dream

by
Sanguied

Part Eighteen

Angel couldn’t understand it. Spike was screaming and yelling about the cold water yet as soon as it had turned cold. Spike had been gone, huddled in a towel and drying off. Where, of course, he as the idiot Sire, who had let Spike get clean first, had to stay and rinse off in the most god-awful arctic water.

It was the fastest rinse off vampiric speed could manage. As Angel dried off, he could feel the laser beams his childe called eyes, watching every movement. Spike hadn’t left his side since they had returned. When Angel insisted the blond take a shower. Spike said he would only take one if Angel took one as well. Angel, in all effort to see an end to the blood covering the blond, had agreed

Which allowed Angel to get a look at a naked Spike for the first time in literally lifetimes. Spike was just as beautiful as Angel remembered, if not a little on the skinny side.

Angel picked up the clothing Xan had left for them and threw a side the note on top, which read. ‘Angel man- Take care of my clothing- better than you would your own. P.S Thanks for hauling my ass out of there today. Xan.’ Seeing the last line again, Angel retrieved the note and decided to keep it, if anything for proof.

Angel offered Spike the clothing that had to have been left by Wil and he was ignored. Spike stared into a mirror, which held no reflection of anything but the wall behind him. Still ignoring the out stretched hand, the blue eyes looked towards him, while still maintaining the pose in the mirror. “Peaches, I think this mirrors broke.”

Angel turned towards the mirror, leaned over and saw nothing. He shook his head at the nonsense and turned back towards his childe. “No, it would be broken if you did see yourself. Or did you forget? You’re a vampire and the whole no reflection cause.”

Spike did look at him now. “Did you? I can’t help what I am. Didn’t ask for it remember? I have to eat but I can control myself.”

Angel dropped the clothing. Who said his boy wasn’t smart? “I know Spike. I know you can try but I also know how strong the urge to feed is. The first time you mess up and there will be a first time, you will die either by my hand or Buffy’s. Buffy may not even give you the first chance.” He couldn’t admit in the past that he had proven less than willing to stake his own. He couldn’t let doubt enter the picture. Unlike what Xan had said, this wasn’t a matter of pleasing Buffy. It was a matter of being able to live with him self.

“You’re not even going to give me a chance, are ya? Bloody hell peaches. Neither of us can change what we are.” Spike was pissed, towel clutched against himself and patrolling the small bathroom.

“Spike.” Angel noticed his voice rising. This was not a conversation for a small bathroom. He grabbed the clothing with one hand and with the other he grabbed his childe. Taking both out of the bathroom and through the main room and into their bedroom. Angel was surprised they’d made it into the bedroom before Spike yanked his arm away. Angel tossed the clothing onto the bed. No need to make a mess and shut the door.

He took a deep breath. No one like Spike could breath life into the undead and tried again. “Spike, I know what I am but I have an advantage over you. The soul allows me,”

“Bollocks.” The blond hissed shoving Angel once and stopping, only to make a grab at his towel. “Don’t give me that soul crap. I know full well you feed off of humans. You’re not the only one with friends in LA.” Angel’s shock must have shown. Spike nodded and continued. “Besides, hello. I know damn well the gypsy’s didn’t give you a ‘soul’. They gave you a conscious. One you never had even as a human.”

Angel’s eyes followed the path of the blond vampire’s waving arms, trying to pull him self off the edge. “Spike no one knows what you’ve just said and if you tell,”

The blond stopped several feet away from him and turned his way. “You’ll stake me yourself. I know. Don’t you think if I were going to tell, I would have by now? Hell, the look on your employee’s faces would be worth it alone but I didn’t and I won’t.”

Spike rummaged through the pockets of the duster and pulled out an abused cigarette then lit it. Angel watched the light shine off the metal lighter as it dropped from the blonde’s hands and onto the floor. Spike said more but Angel couldn’t make himself listen. He looked at the lighter on the floor. The lighter he had given Spike. Spike had kept his secrets and hadn’t told anyone. Though it would’ve been a great way for Spike to destroy him or at the least have a good laugh.

Angel thought of the young man Spike had once been, a conscious was one thing that young human had not been lacking. Spike knew all his secrets but the largest. “I slept with Darla.”

Spike stopped cold. Whatever he’d been saying falling away. “But you’re not Angelus, are you?” The blond backed up. “I mean, when?”

“It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t that long ago. What does matter is that I figured it out. Sex has nothing to do with the curse. It’s all about redemption, as long as I know I still have to redeem myself and not forget myself. It’s fine.”

Spike looked shell-shocked. Actually, Angel was a little shocked himself. He had wanted to tell Gunn, Cordelia, and Wesley first. But after he had so messed up with them, he had waited till the time was right and that time just never came.

“What about Buffy?” Spike sputtered.
“What about her?” Angel was distracted. He was trying to remember how this conversation went so wrong.

“What about her? Why aren’t you shagging her silly?” Spike flicked his ashes onto a plate, which looked rather expensive and he shrugged uncaring and ground the cigarette out on it, careful not to look Angel’s way.

Angel ignored the plate and its destruction. “We’re over and never should have happened. I forgot myself with her and that was my mistake. I forgot who I was. I thought I could reach redemption through her. I know now that is not true. I thought, I loved her and in a way I do and always will, but I fell for her goodness, her rightness, not her.” Angel was ashamed of how he’d acted with Buffy. One of a thousand regrets and if he let Spike go now, would that be another?

“Well then good and all that supportive lot but what does that have to do with me?” Spike still had the towel wrapped around himself modestly with a slightly confused expression on his sweet face. Every inch looking like the young man Angel had fallen for once upon ago.

Angel stepped closer to Spike, invading his personal space, tipped his chin up and kissed him, gently, softly and with only a small nip to that temping bottom lip. “Its my way of telling you not to worry about Angelus.” He wrapped an arm around the blond and his other hand held Spike’s chin tilted up towards him. “Did your ‘friends’ also tell you who I fed off of?”

With a gleam in his eye, the blond nodded, within the confines of the grip on his chin. “Yes, bad guys. The nastiest you could find and not often.”

“Spike…William.” His tone was serious and he tightened his grip on the slight blond. “I have to know. Can you do this? Can you just feed once a night off of a certain type of human? Can you go with bagged if you don’t find someone like that? Cause I want to love you. I really do and I won’t let myself if I have to stake you in a month.” If he said it enough times he might make himself believe he could actually stake this childe, no matter what he did.

Spike closed his eyes and thought the question over. He knew Peaches wouldn’t take a quick response. His sire wouldn’t believe he could make this so easy, even when it was. The chip had stopped him from feeding naturally. What would it be to just feed off the bad guys? Especially, when he had so much to lose and so much to gain, just by watching his step. Could he do this, easy, did he want to, definitely.

When he looked up. Angel was staring down at him. “Yes. I can do it.” He didn’t say anymore. He was afraid anything else he might say would sound like a smart comment.

If Spike needed breath it would have been knocked out of him by the force he hit the wall with. Angel’s mouth descended on his and Spike retained just enough sense to drop the towel surrounding him and to pull at Angel’s until it to fell on the floor.

Angel bit the tongue that ran across his lips. Spike’s hands worked around his neck, fingers into the back of his hair and he moaned when Spike’s legs lift and wrapped around him.

One hand balanced on the wall, the other sliding between the blonde’s ass cheeks, Angel groaned as Spike thrust against him. He was already painfully hard and every pivot of those hips drove Angel slowly out of his mind.

Angel kissed and nipped his way down until Spike had no choice but to turn his head. Angel traced the large vein with his tongue. The demon came out to play, ridges forming- eyes changing and his fangs dropped into the soft neck.

Spike moaned and slammed his head against the wall. Angel lifted him higher and Spike felt the hard cock against his entrance.

Angel rocked against the small entrance, tempted to ask and maybe look for some kind lube but Spike was pressing down against him. Angel withdrew his hand and let Spike do what he pleased. Just so happened it pleased them both. Spike wiggled and impaled himself fully with a hiss. Angel pulled his fangs from the skin and lapped at the wound.

Angel used the wall to brace them. Spike’s shoulders scrapped against the wall as they moved and powerful thighs clamped then released around Angel’s waist. Angel threw his head back and bit down on the yell rumbling from his cock.

He reached between them and wrapped his hand around the blonde’s weeping cock. Spike tossed his head and thrust against the hand, speeding the rolling of his hips. Unable to spare a hand, Angel couldn’t force lowing fangs to his neck and he hissed. “Bite now.”

Spike looked like he was going resist the urge then wrapped both his arms around Angel’s neck and lowered his head. Angel felt the fangs brush his neck and with a hard thrust forward Spike was nursing his life fluid and Angel didn’t bite back the yell of bubbling joy and fulfillment.

Angel’s hand clawed at the wall and paint peeled beneath his fingers. He slid his hand up to let his forearm brace them. Spike hit the wall hard and with the blond pinned. Angel controlled the movements, increasing pressure and speed in both his hand and hips. His lover’s shoulder rubbed past his mouth and as the blond continued to feed. Angel bit his shoulder to muffle his own screams.

The thighs around his waist trembled erratically and every muscle in Spike tensed. Angel felt the pressure at his neck relax and his blood begin to make a trail down his shoulder and hard breathe against his shoulder.
With soundless screams Spike’s body thumped against the wall straining as the cock in Angel’s hand burst with endless streams and Spike’s body tightened around him. Angel growled as the pressure surrounding his own cock became exquisitely painful and he let the painful pleasure drive him over and down. Spiraling, standing so still, letting the feeling wash over him and drowning him in haze.

He kissed the bloody shoulder and lapped at the slowing blood stream. Angel huffed between nips then tilted to sucking on the lobe of an ear. Slowly, he gathered the pieces of himself from around the room. Spike’s head left his neck with one more kiss and then lifted far enough away to kiss his lips. Angel’s tasted himself in the blonde’s mouth and moaning he pulled away.

Leaning his forehead against the blonds. He stared into those dazed ‘baby blues’. Angel opened his mouth to say those words instead out came. “Come to LA.”

Spike tilted his head and a smirk pulled at the corner of his puffy lips. “Why? So you can have nightly service or so you can watch over me?”

Angel pulled back, far enough from the wall to help the blond onto his own feet. Angel rolled his eyes as he pulled out of the slim body. Spike put a hand on the wall, determined to stand, no matter what his feet had to say about it.

Angel grabbed his chin fundamentally halting Spike’s gradual decent down the wall. “Yes. Also because I love you and want you in my life.”

“I love you too Peaches and if you want me. I’ll move to LA.”

“I want you in my life and on that bed, now.” Angel laughed at the look that crossed Spike’s face. Somewhere between lust and ‘what the hell have I gotten myself into’. Still chuckling he grabbed the blond up and carried him even as Spike yelled to be put down.

Angel didn’t listen. He was alive. He had committed far above his quota of good acts today and he was humming, ‘Love is a wonderful thing’, out of pitch as he dove on to the bed.

Part Nineteen

Xan stared into his cup of coffee. The new coffeemaker hadn’t improved the coffee past the mud stage. Perhaps, it was the time to look at the operator of the machine, rather than the machine.

He made himself take another gulp. He stared at the office around him, wishing it were his bedroom. Half paying attention to the words issued at him, he wished he could have stayed with his lover that morning. Instead of waking early and leaving a note for his lover and a pillow in his place.

Thinking of his Wil brought a goofy smile to his face. Not to mention, he’d been right about Angel and those walls. They’d been damn lucky the place hadn’t fallen on their heads last night. The picture alone made him laugh and he muffled it, quickly. When the meeting stopped to swing his way. He controlled himself and nodded for them to continue.

It had already been a full morning for him, as promised he’d told Willow, Wes and Giles, (when the watcher had shown up two hours ago), to get to work on a way home for their guests. He hadn’t seen his counterpart yet and the watcher had seemed surprised to see him up and about at 6:00 in the morning. So he guessed he wouldn’t see his counterpart for a while.

Nor had he seen his Wil or the other vampires. Due to their nature of sleeping all day, especially after the workouts Angel and Spike had given his walls. He doubted he’d see any of them before lunch or perhaps dinner.

Realizing he was grinning again. Xan pushed it down to look suitably somber. It was a hopeless cause. The only time he had been unable to find that smile today was when he had spoken to the families of the dead. Then he had to swing by his room to look in on a sleeping Wil just to find it again.

Xan sighed and tilting his coffee cup mentally prepared himself for another gulp. He was going to miss Spike and Angel. They reminded him of the good old days. With the exception that now he had his own blond vampire and jealously didn’t twist his gut whenever he saw them together.

He would wait till Angel had gone before breaking the news about their Angel. He’d seen the looks his family had cast towards the vampire, the missing, the longing, and the sadness. It would be just to hard to break it while that Angel was still here.

He’d caught himself just wishing he could ask them to stay, which he couldn’t do. They couldn’t stay, it wasn’t right and it was selfish. However even with all the pain between them Angel, their own Angel, had been his closest friend, his equal and someone to help shoulder the responsibility. Once this other Angel was gone. He would know the past was gone with him. Then the mourning would begin.
Spike, now he would miss that guy and not because he looked like his lover, maybe a little. He loved Wil but he missed the past and having his counterpart around helped Wil remember who he was, and how to become that person again faster than any other method would have.

Now he was sure Wil in time would slowly break away from what he’d become and into a more natural state. It was in his nature. A personality so strong could only stay hidden for so long.

Xan remembered with fondness yelling and trying to match wills with the old Spike and truthfully, couldn’t wait to do it again. Until then he would love Wil, show him more love and support than any one person should be able. And he’d wait for the day the nightmares didn’t haunt his sleep every night.

This was a new page. A step from the past and though it hurt his heart. No one could go back and thinking of his lover. He knew he didn’t want to. When Spike and Angel stepped through that portal. They would be doing more than just leaving.

They would be shutting the door on a chapter of his life.

“Xan…XAN!” Xan’s head shot up. The whole room was staring at him. Reboot, hands on her hips, glared at him with impatience. “Well Xan, can we go ahead with that?”

Oh boy. Xan looked down at the table. So only those closest would see the blush raising and his expression. He mumbled. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

Reboot sighed. “I said, Willow just called and said they found something that just might work, a way to open a portal. Do you want them to go ahead and wake the others up?”

“Oh Yes, go ahead. In fact are they still in the upstairs training room?” Reboot nodded. “I’ll head that way myself. Call Angel and Spike and let them wake Wil.”

Reboot nodded and then moved onto another topic, a party for their achievements with the armory, to follow the service for the fallen. As she was talking moral, Xan walked past her and into the tunnels, glancing at his watch as the door shut behind him. It had only taken them 4 hours to find a way.

Xan stepped into the training room. Willow, Giles, and Wes were all talking over each other and pointing into the book on the bench in front of them. He coughed. He called out their names, finding all of this being ignored, he yelled. “HELLO- IMPORTANT PERSON HERE!” Which got him quiet, along with glares but he had their attention. “What’s the sit, witchy woman?”

“Well since everything else I’ve tried using Giles and Wes for energy and focus points has worked so well. I figure this should be easy. Oh yeah, Angel and both Spike’s are on their way.”
“So it won’t take long?” He heard the resigned tone in his voice and smiled to make it sound more up beat.

“No. Not at all once we start.” Willow seemed to share his slight hitch and he smiled at her and was relieved when she was able to produce a small one back.

He turned towards Giles. “Well man, I kept my word and I thank you for helping out. Without you yesterday could have been worse. And I have to admit I hate to lose an energy source. Willow says you’ve really boasted her levels and her confidence.”

Giles seemed to fluster with the compliments, taking his glasses off and rubbing them. He didn’t look up as he replied. “Thank you, but really it was nothing. I feel I gave my energy and,” He looked towards Willow. “Focus to a good cause. As for the confidence, with work, she should be as powerful with me as without.”

Xan sighed. They were back to very rare use of magic. He knew it would be some time before Willow would allow herself to work big magic again as she had with the disappearing guards yesterday.

Speaking of disappearing, an evil twinkle rose to his eyes and he glanced to the three then smiled, a wicked grin. “Giles before the others get here. Could I get you to help Willow with one more project?”

Still holding his glasses, Giles looked to his right at Willow and then to his left at Wes and getting shrugs from both sides, he shrugged. “I don’t see why not. As long as it doesn’t interfere with the portal.”

“Oh it won’t. More like a practice run.” The three looked at each other and Xan came closer. “This is what I want you to do.”

Two hours later, Willow stood at the book where it was balanced on several boxes. Wes stood beside her and Giles just a little farther to the right. Xan glanced around G, was holding Queen close and she stared at Angel who was standing to her right.

Angel, on the other hand, was putting his attention between the wall where Willow aimed her words and the two blonds speaking to each other between him and Xan. Xan had his arm around Wil and tried not to listen as the blondes spoke to each other.

Xan let his arm drop when Wil wiggled from under it to lean into his counterpart. Xan couldn’t turn away when the blondes began kissing passionately. He had an urge to raise his hand, stop Willow and take both blondes to his room and try this again tomorrow.

Angel looked like he was thinking the same thing. Xan smiled over the blondes to him. Angel nodded, sadly smiling back.

Xan could again hear his counterpart gagging from the other side of Queen and G. Xan noted that was one thing he wouldn’t miss. Though he did wish they could’ve spent more time talking.

The wind picked up and the blondes pulled apart. Xan turned his attention to the wall where the blue light had begun to form.

The circle grew and with it the wind, waving forward. Then it snapped back into a perfect passageway. Xander stepped from where he stood and walked up to Xan. Xander looked at him for a moment before extending his hand and Xan took it.

“See ya. Keep fighting the good fight.” The wind made the words hard to hear.

Xan leaned in and yelled back. “Yeah man, you too. Thanks for your help.” Xan was slightly surprised when his counterpart hugged him.

He hugged back just hearing Xander whisper in his ear. “I hope I’m half the man you are. Good luck.” Releasing him, Xander quickly stepped towards the portal.

Xan yelled, just before Xander reached the entrance. “Xander.” The counterpart looked back. “You are.” Xander nodded with a smile and disappeared through the opening. Xan nodded his head. There went the man- the kind child, he could have been.

Xan looked around, watching everyone get their goodbyes. Giles appeared before him not bothering with a handshake, the watcher pulled him close. “I know your Giles was, and is, proud of you. I know I am. Never forget you can win this. I will think of you all often.”

Xan blinked back the tears. Flashes of his own Giles and a blond Slayer, named Buffy, appeared before his eyes, fighting and dying, living and then gone. The boy he was then and the man he was now and he missed them all. Squeezing Giles tightly, he let him go and with him, all the pain of his own loss over their counterparts. Somehow feeling now he’d had a chance to say goodbye. “Giles, I never got a chance to say this but thank you. Your influence made me strong.”

Giles nodded and stepped away until he too was pulled into the circle. The fatherly smile never leaving his face.

The blondes were still saying their goodbyes. Angel stepped from Queen and over to Xan. Still looking at the blonds, actually Wil, Angel held out his arm. Xan gripped it and Angel returned the gesture. Nodding towards Wil, Angel spoke. “Take care of him. In any universe, he’s still my boy. Treat him right.”

“I will. Take care of yours. In any universe, I still love him. Thank you for helping out.”

“I will. You’re a good man Alexander Harris and I know Wolfram and Hart never win with you around. Fight the good fight.”

Xan nodded. “You’re not a bad undead guy yourself. Watch out for Wolfram & Hart on your side.”

Angel nodded and stepped back. He turned to the blondes, grabbed Wil and lifted him from the ground with force of the hug.

Willow yelled. They were short on time. He heard Angel tell Wil how much he loved him and to be good. Xan didn’t bother talking. He grabbed Spike and kissed him deeply and when he let the dazed blond go, Xan heard something from Spike about doing some dealings with Xander.

Xan laughed kissed the blonds forehead and let him go. Angel took the blonds hand. Angel headed towards the portal, his hand still wrapped with Spike’s. Just before the edge emerged with blue lights and with the wind circling around them, Angel raised Spike’s hand and kissed it.

Looking back and smiling Angel stepped through. Spike turned back and waved as he too stepped into the blue yonder and out of sight.

The portal whooshed and then blinked out of existence.

And with it the last chapter of Xan’s life blinked into the past.

He pulled Wil into his arms and stared at the wall where the light had been. Wil wrapped an arm around Xan’s neck and brought him to face level and kissed him. He whispered. “You’re crying.”

Xan looked down at the blond. “I love you.” Wil kissed him gently and leaned against him.

As the others faded away, they stood there wrapped in each other, staring at a wall.

Epilogue

Wolfram & Hart: Headquarters

The elder’s argued around the table. Ambrose sat in his usual place at the center, unbothered and uncaring.

An older man gaffed to the others. “We don’t know he’s dead. We have to find him. He could have been just knocked out.”

Another spoke up. “The information he has could put us in an uncomfortable position. He must be found.”

Agreements arose around the table and another next to Ambrose spoke out. “We all know there is more to us elder’s than a normal human. We are not so easily removed. Besides we could bring him back.” This man gave an uncomfortable glance towards Ambrose and fell silent.

A light flashed, bright and blinding, even Ambrose turned from its glare. Thomas was the first to recover and looked where the light had been. “Found Frank.” He called out as the others looked at a large glass cage that had appeared. Several gulped and arranged themselves nervously. There was no way to bring that back.

Thomas shook his head as he read the words. “I told him that kid didn’t like him.”

Ambrose coldly regarded the cage. “Call clean up. Any suggestions for promotion?”

‘Normal’ Universe…

Angel glanced down again at the paper in his hands. It was the note Xan had left him. While going through his closet Angel had found it in the pocket of the pants he’d worn getting back.

It had been three months since their return and at first Angel thought of them daily, wondering if they were still fighting and worrying if Wil was okay. Soon it was every couple of days, until he hadn’t thought of them once last or this week.

Angel closed his eyes thinking of Wil, the childe that wasn’t his but was and was so close to the William he had turned.

His own childe had been lucky. It had taken some fast-talking on his part to make sure no one was going to stake the now un-chipped Spike. With no help from Spike who had threatened everyone his first 10 minutes back. However unlikely help came from Giles and most surprisingly from Xander who, when Angel questioned him, said he owned it to Xan and Angel took it at that.

Angel was sure Xan would have laughed his ass off at the changes that had taken place over the last three months.

Angel was so sure he could almost hear the ‘I told you so’.

Cordelia and Gunn were officially dating. It had been slow at first but now it was solid. They went everywhere together and thankfully kept the public affection on a much more subdued level than their counterparts had.

Wesley was trying to acquire a skill with a green ball that formed in his hand. Half the time it didn’t work and when it did everyone cleared. Wes was getting the hang of it enough that he had singed Angel, several times, so far. Now in a fight he had to watch who ever he was fighting and Wesley to boot.

Giles called weekly as always, to exchange information but now he would talk to Angel or even Spike just as well as he would Wesley. Not to mention when Giles called he always ended up talking about Xander. Soon after they’d arrived back Anya and Xander had split up. Xander turned to Giles for help and spending time together had made the watcher and the zeppo good friends and both were better for it.

Angel was still trying to puzzle out why Spike had grinned like the manic he was, when he’d heard to news about Anya and Xander. Licking his lips with a far away look in his eyes. Spike had pulled the phone from Angel and invited Xander to come to LA. Something in Spike’s look had Angel staying within feet of them the whole time Xander had visited.

Yet, none of those things alone had given him pause to think. However, as each happened he spent more time paying attention to the movements of Wolfram & Hart, just in case.

Angel folded the paper and picked up a book off the coffee table. He stuck the note in the front. Still holding the book. He leaned back into the couch.

“Brooding Peaches?” Angel looked over to the door to see Spike leaning against the wall.

“No, thinking.” Angel smiled at the blond. Bring Spike to live with him had been trying but living with the pains of the blond were far easier to live with than living without him. Xan had been right. It all had to with priorities and Angels were right on target.

“Same bloody thing, Peaches. I’m hungry, wanna get something to eat?”

Angel pulled himself off the couch and towards the blond. “Yeah, we could. However, I think we should work up more of an appetite first.” Angel pulled the blond fully into the room and shut the door.

A universe away…

Xan stretched out on the bed with Wil’s head pillowed on his shoulder. Wil told someone to bugger off today and rather than yell at him. Xan had just stood there and grinned.

He had waited two weeks after the counterparts left before he’d broken the news about Angel.

The only one who had taken it well was Dru who he guessed had known. She took care of Wes who needed his crazy girlfriend now more than ever. He was lost without Angel, his pain was palpable and his sorrow deep. He was like a lost little soul wandering and trying to find his way. They would all support him and try to do the best they could. Xan had hopes that he’d move past this without a complete breakdown.

Queen took it badly. In the last three months she had only slowly moved past tears.

Willow, oddly enough, was the strength that held them together as they had grieved. Xan had pulled himself and Wil through it. He had been no help to anyone else and he was thankful Willow had been there.

They had a far way to go but the new weapons had improved their chances and victories were more often than not. People still died and Xan still grieved every loss. Wolfram & Hart’s days were numbered. He’d always known they would fall and now it seemed Wolfram & Hart knew it to.

He thought of their counterparts and wondered how they faired and if all was well. However, his spare time was little, Wil took most of it and missing the counterparts was something he did not dwell on.

He figured he didn’t have to dwell.

He knew that somewhere out there an Angel dwelled enough for them all.

The blond head tossed and a small moan escaped. Xan did his nightly duties and called his vampire from out of his nightmare. Wil opened his eyes and Xan explained. “You were having a nightmare.”

Wil snuggled back down. “No, it wasn’t. It was a dream. A dream about you.”

Xan kissed the blond head under his chin. His mind and body were still at war and had a long way to go but now his heart and soul were at peace. He settled down and closed his eyes with a small smile and waited for sleep to overtake him and his, Perchance to Dream.

Part Twenty-One

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