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Play It Again, Sam Part 5
Having some free time just now, and instead of hoovering the floors and other bothersome things, I thought I'd post some more fic. Hey - who needs a clean house, when there's fanfic in the world? (I mean fanfic generally, not my own little contribution. Just so you don't think I'm getting big-headed or anything).
I might be slow replying to comments, but I hope you don't mind.
Previous chapters here.
Play It Again, Sam
Part 5
“So, why did the army want a monkey paw?” asked Spike, picking up another book.
Angel looked up. “They didn’t - well from what the Major said, they were more concerned with the sudden gathering of the Venenum Cæruleus demons from all around the world - hence Riley’s team to find out what they were up to. They did know that there was something mystical involved, but I told him that we were dealing with it, and he didn’t complain.”
Spike smiled. “Now imagine if they’d gotten hold of it?”
He held up his hand mimicking a phone and lowered his voice. “Mr. President, we have obtained a magical monkey paw, what course of action do you want to take?”
Wesley frowned. The three men were sat in his office, desk littered with books, and in the middle a glass cube, in which the monkey paw floated serenely.
“There is no telling what the army might have done. Most probably more demons would have come to retrieve it, and there would have been a bloodbath. So actually they were extremely lucky that we got hold of it. I doubt anyone will challenge Wolfram and Hart for it.... we have excellent word-of-mouth advertising.”
Spike looked at him sharply, but Wesley met his stare calmly, and Spike muttered something about the advantages of evil law firms.
“Speaking of the army,” Angel said, “what are we going to do with Riley - and his wife? Spike - this was all your idea, I hope you have a plan! Actually, I take that back, your plans are usually rubbish. Damn, I really don’t have time to deal with this.”
Spike looked at the other vampire. “Don’t worry Peaches. Don’t have a plan as such, but since I can’t eat the wanker like I promised him, I thought it’d be fun to kill him with kindness instead! I figured we could send them sightseeing tomorrow. Get Lorne on it, he’ll probably be glad to have a project - and he’ll get to show off his pet movie stars!”
Wesley smiled. “Spike, that’s a brilliant idea! And then in the evening Angel could take them on a double date, presuming Nina is free.”
He turned to his boss, earnestness in his voice. “Angel, you really need to go out and have a break, you’re working much too hard.”
Angel looked from one to the other.
“I am NOT -”
Spike smiled slowly and cut in. “Wesley, you are a genius! Angel! What happened last time you met Mr ‘Kill-all-demons’? You beat him up, right?”
Angel thought for a moment. “Well, we were interrupted by some army guys, and later Buffy was rather pissed off because I’d roughed him up a bit...”
Spike’s smile was now one that a vengeance demon would recognise instantly. “Didn’t you see how freaked out he was earlier in your office? All you have to do is to treat him like a cherished client, and he’ll be more roughed up than if you put him in the training-room with Illyria for a day!”
He began to laugh. “And personally I really want to see his face when he meets Lorne!”
Angel started to smile.
Sometime later Angel closed another book that had proven of no use at all.
“I thought it was just a myth,” he said glumly, looking at the small, hairy, decapitated hand.
“As you know, the basis for myths and fairy tales is very often rooted in fact.” Wesley said absentmindedly, trying to read three books at once.
“Yeah - like the Gem of Amarra. Took a bloody mountain of research, but I found it, didn’t I!” Spike remarked, flicking through an ancient book with no concern for its age or value.
“You found the Gem of Amarra? When? Where?” Wesley said, stunned, and tore himself away from his tomes.
Spike looked at Angel: “You never told him?”
Angel looked distinctly uncomfortable. “Well, it must have slipped my mind - there’s always some apocalypse going on, you know.... ”
Spike smiled grimly. “Didn’t fancy talking about the hot pokers I guess. Not to mention that god-awful music! Can’t say I blame you. Never cared for torture you know, but I was desperate... I suppose I ought to apologise.”
Angel stared at him. “You’re apologising?”
Spike shrugged. “Why not - if you want an apology, that is? Buffy never -”
He suddenly stopped and his face lost all expression. Angel and Wesley glanced at each other, wondering what had happened.
Spike rose quickly and looked up without meeting their eyes. “Need a smoke, see you in a minute.”
And he was out of Wesley's office striding towards the lift.
“I presume this business with the Gem of Amarra took place before my arrival in LA.” Wesley said casually.
Angel was still looking at the space Spike had vacated.
“What? Yes. But that had nothing to do with Spike torturing me, and everything to do with Buffy. What the hell happened between them?”
Wesley looked uncomfortable. “Maybe we should just leave the research till the morning. I can get my department to find out how to destroy the paw, no need for us to stay up half the night.”
Angel considered this. “Fine. It’s a shame we can’t sell it on the black market, it would fetch a fortune.”
Wesley looked at him. “You can’t possibly mean that.”
The vampire looked at him with a strange look on his face, that made Wesley ill at ease. “We need money, this place is expensive to run.”
He got up, and when he got to the door, half turned. “If you see Spike, tell him I got a report of a few new vamp nests, if he wants something to do. I have some maps that might be helpful. Goodnight Wesley.”
And he was gone.
Wesley shook his head: “I should be used to it by now. But... vampires. Sometimes I wonder....”
Carefully picking up the cube, he went to store it away safely.
Go to Part 6
I might be slow replying to comments, but I hope you don't mind.
Previous chapters here.
Play It Again, Sam
Part 5
“So, why did the army want a monkey paw?” asked Spike, picking up another book.
Angel looked up. “They didn’t - well from what the Major said, they were more concerned with the sudden gathering of the Venenum Cæruleus demons from all around the world - hence Riley’s team to find out what they were up to. They did know that there was something mystical involved, but I told him that we were dealing with it, and he didn’t complain.”
Spike smiled. “Now imagine if they’d gotten hold of it?”
He held up his hand mimicking a phone and lowered his voice. “Mr. President, we have obtained a magical monkey paw, what course of action do you want to take?”
Wesley frowned. The three men were sat in his office, desk littered with books, and in the middle a glass cube, in which the monkey paw floated serenely.
“There is no telling what the army might have done. Most probably more demons would have come to retrieve it, and there would have been a bloodbath. So actually they were extremely lucky that we got hold of it. I doubt anyone will challenge Wolfram and Hart for it.... we have excellent word-of-mouth advertising.”
Spike looked at him sharply, but Wesley met his stare calmly, and Spike muttered something about the advantages of evil law firms.
“Speaking of the army,” Angel said, “what are we going to do with Riley - and his wife? Spike - this was all your idea, I hope you have a plan! Actually, I take that back, your plans are usually rubbish. Damn, I really don’t have time to deal with this.”
Spike looked at the other vampire. “Don’t worry Peaches. Don’t have a plan as such, but since I can’t eat the wanker like I promised him, I thought it’d be fun to kill him with kindness instead! I figured we could send them sightseeing tomorrow. Get Lorne on it, he’ll probably be glad to have a project - and he’ll get to show off his pet movie stars!”
Wesley smiled. “Spike, that’s a brilliant idea! And then in the evening Angel could take them on a double date, presuming Nina is free.”
He turned to his boss, earnestness in his voice. “Angel, you really need to go out and have a break, you’re working much too hard.”
Angel looked from one to the other.
“I am NOT -”
Spike smiled slowly and cut in. “Wesley, you are a genius! Angel! What happened last time you met Mr ‘Kill-all-demons’? You beat him up, right?”
Angel thought for a moment. “Well, we were interrupted by some army guys, and later Buffy was rather pissed off because I’d roughed him up a bit...”
Spike’s smile was now one that a vengeance demon would recognise instantly. “Didn’t you see how freaked out he was earlier in your office? All you have to do is to treat him like a cherished client, and he’ll be more roughed up than if you put him in the training-room with Illyria for a day!”
He began to laugh. “And personally I really want to see his face when he meets Lorne!”
Angel started to smile.
Sometime later Angel closed another book that had proven of no use at all.
“I thought it was just a myth,” he said glumly, looking at the small, hairy, decapitated hand.
“As you know, the basis for myths and fairy tales is very often rooted in fact.” Wesley said absentmindedly, trying to read three books at once.
“Yeah - like the Gem of Amarra. Took a bloody mountain of research, but I found it, didn’t I!” Spike remarked, flicking through an ancient book with no concern for its age or value.
“You found the Gem of Amarra? When? Where?” Wesley said, stunned, and tore himself away from his tomes.
Spike looked at Angel: “You never told him?”
Angel looked distinctly uncomfortable. “Well, it must have slipped my mind - there’s always some apocalypse going on, you know.... ”
Spike smiled grimly. “Didn’t fancy talking about the hot pokers I guess. Not to mention that god-awful music! Can’t say I blame you. Never cared for torture you know, but I was desperate... I suppose I ought to apologise.”
Angel stared at him. “You’re apologising?”
Spike shrugged. “Why not - if you want an apology, that is? Buffy never -”
He suddenly stopped and his face lost all expression. Angel and Wesley glanced at each other, wondering what had happened.
Spike rose quickly and looked up without meeting their eyes. “Need a smoke, see you in a minute.”
And he was out of Wesley's office striding towards the lift.
“I presume this business with the Gem of Amarra took place before my arrival in LA.” Wesley said casually.
Angel was still looking at the space Spike had vacated.
“What? Yes. But that had nothing to do with Spike torturing me, and everything to do with Buffy. What the hell happened between them?”
Wesley looked uncomfortable. “Maybe we should just leave the research till the morning. I can get my department to find out how to destroy the paw, no need for us to stay up half the night.”
Angel considered this. “Fine. It’s a shame we can’t sell it on the black market, it would fetch a fortune.”
Wesley looked at him. “You can’t possibly mean that.”
The vampire looked at him with a strange look on his face, that made Wesley ill at ease. “We need money, this place is expensive to run.”
He got up, and when he got to the door, half turned. “If you see Spike, tell him I got a report of a few new vamp nests, if he wants something to do. I have some maps that might be helpful. Goodnight Wesley.”
And he was gone.
Wesley shook his head: “I should be used to it by now. But... vampires. Sometimes I wonder....”
Carefully picking up the cube, he went to store it away safely.
Go to Part 6
no subject
I like the camaraderie between the three of them - and it's typical of Angel not to talk about the Gem of Amarra incident, whereas Spike would go on and on! :)
I also like how you're setting up Angel in his normal boss-type way, and then flipping him over at the end to become a bit more suspicious.
The vampire looked at him with a strange look on his face,
Even though I'm pretty indifferent about Bangel, I always feel slightly uncomfortable with the topic of Nina, mainly because the Buffy and Angel story was portrayed as this uber-romance - and it just feels weird for him to turn his thoughts away from Buffy. And so in that case, I don't know if Angel would accept Spike for Buffy - when he's talking about them to Wes, is he interested on a casual basis, or more a "what the hell happened to Buffy?" basis?
And before I go just wanted to wish you a very Happy Birthday for tomorrow! :) Hope you have a great day!!!!!!!!
no subject
Angel acting strangely is me trying to tie the story in with the story-line - how he was separating himself from his team and going along with Hamilton, arousing their suspicion.
About Nina - I have to say I really like Angel with Nina. Particularly since it's not a huge romance, but 'acceptable happiness', which I think is doing Angel a world of good.
is he interested on a casual basis, or more a "what the hell happened to Buffy?" basis?
I'm not going to answer that - well, not yet! :)
no subject
::sends thank-you hugs::
no subject
Guh! Keep me hanging!!!
no subject
no subject
Calms down enough to say: THANK YOU!!!
Honestly this birthday is just getting wonderfuller and wonderfuller (grammar? What's that?)!!!
I really can't say thank you enough!
::tries to stop smiling, but can't::
Has to leave, suspecting guests might arrive at any moment.
(Oh, and I have several fics that I intend to read, once I manage to squeeze a few extra hours out of the day).
Happy happy birthday!
There are several variations of this toast in English, but this the one I like best:
*holding glass to toast you* "Health, wealth, happiness and time to enjoy them." *drinks to you*
Re: Happy happy birthday!
I had such a lovely day (that I'm now going to write a long post about) and a big part of that was all the lovely greetings I got from everyone - I just feel so privileged at the moment.
One thing you could do for me though is to tell me exactly how you came across the birthday-list. I know it's there, and I have a direct link, but I don't know how to access it from my friends-list (I think it's 'flist'). Thank you! :)
no subject
Okay, that totally made me laugh. Loved the imagery, too, of the paw floating in a cube on Wesley's desk. Nice visual.
Overall, fun stuff. I see what you mean by the story not really being about Riley - currently, Riley and Sam are pretty much onlookers, there to react to what's around them with their mouths hanging open, which is seriously enjoyable, plus the added wrinkle of Sam getted flirted with by Spike... heh heh heh. Evil, I tell ya, evil.
And in this chapter, a nice Spike and Angel bonding moment over making Riley's life miserable. Plus the Gem of Amarra talk, which raises the continuing themes of things Angel hasn't told his gang, and Spike's enigmatic pauses whenever he happens to think about some uncomfortable bit of history with Buffy. Good buildup. (I should mention I do occasionally have a little trouble telling which character is talking in some of the earlier chapters when you've got a good back-and-forth going.. maybe breakup the paragraphs a bit more? This chapter does flow more smoothly than the ones previous.)
All I've got for the moment - moving on to Pt 6.
no subject
And I'm glad you like my Angel-Spike bonding. Their friendship was one of my favourite things about s5. And as
(Will have to run again, since dinner is ready. I'm blessed with a husband who can cook!:) )
no subject
Liked the Spike/Angel "let's get back at Riley" moment, and Wesley's comment about fairy tales rooted in fact. Didn't Giles make that statement before as well? Makes sense, it sounds like the opening of the first class of "Beginning Watchers 101." If so, nice touch of continuity.
no subject
it sounds like the opening of the first class of "Beginning Watchers 101."
Heee! I hadn't actually thought of Giles' comment, but maybe I had it at the back of my mind. At least I very deliberately tried to find some sort of 'wellknown mythic item' to use. :)
no subject
Nice references to past events. It's always fun when something comes up that Wesley wasn't around for.
no subject
Who says it has to be evil? Remember Ned Flanders... ;)
Nice references to past events.
Thanks! There's loads of them all the way through, although most of them are just there in passing (I couldn't help myself).