Angel / Protocol / Part Nine

PART NINE

They made it out the apartment door when a flash of white hair caught Angel's attention. "Hey, look who it is."

"Oh God," Spike muttered. He turned around, taking stock of the gathered party. "Gang's all here, is it?"

"We're taking Wes on a tour of the place," Connor said.

"Don't let me interrupt the fun then," Spike said.

Angel grabbed Spike by the shoulder before he could walk away. "Spike, why don't you say hi to the newest member of the family?"

"We've met," Spike assured him.

Angel tightened his grip. "Spike, why don't you -"

"Ow! *Ow*, I said," Spike tried to shrug Angel off. When he couldn't manage to do it he heaved a put-upon sigh, then gave Wes a dour look. "Hello to the newest member of the family."

"Hello, Spike," Wesley said, evenly. His face was back on company manners, but Angel thought he sensed an edge to it.

"Spike would like to apologize for the way he behaved the other day," Angel told Wes. He gave Spike's shoulder a squeeze. "Right?"

"Wrong," Spike said.

Angel gave Spike a look, and applied more pressure.

"Ow. Ow ow ow ow *Ow!*" Spike finally managed to jerk away. He made a show of rubbing his shoulder. "Bloody Hell. You know if you want to work me like a puppet - "

"Language," Angel warned. "You know I don't like it when you - "

" - could at *least* do me the courtesy of fisting me first," Spike finished.

" - talk like that in *front* of my *kid*," Angel said, gesturing at Connor. "And you did *not* just say that in his hearing."

Spike blinked, genuinely puzzled. "Say what?"

"I'm *not* a kid," Connor protested.

Spike pointed to Connor as though he'd just gotten backup. "See? Lad's all right. No harm, no - "

"What's fisting?" Connor asked.

"You know," Angel said, to no one in particular, "I really thought the most annoying thing about today would be the attack in the tunnels. I really did."

Spike began to sketch something in the air with his hands, making sure he had Connor's attention. "It's when you - "

Angel grabbed him and pushed him down the hall. "You, thataway. And *you* - " he pointed at Connor " - talk to Wes."

"Boy's gotta learn sometime," Spike said.

"Keep walking," Angel told him. He continued to push Spike down the hall until there was enough distance between them and the others for privacy. "I ask you to be *nice*."

"I was being nice!" Spike said. Off Angel's look he immediately amended it. "Well, for me anyway."

"Then apologize," Angel said.

"I will *not*," Spike said. He shook off Angel's touch, but continued to walk beside him.

"Why?"

"For starters, I'm not sorry."

Angel sighed. "He's my *husband*. I *need* you to be nice to him."

"Nice's got nothing to do with sorry," Spike said. "You're telling me to say I'm sorry for giving him the go-over and I bloody well am *not*. He's a Council lad."

"He's my husband," Angel repeated.

"He was theirs first," Spike reminded him. "For years. For decades. For his entire life, which is a lot when you're a mortal."

"Yeah, and?" Angel asked.

"*And*," Spike said, pointedly, "you think he can turn his back on all that and never think twice? Getting the goods on this place, on *you*, much as I hate to feed your ego, is like Christmas come early for his type. Hell, bet you right now he's chatting up your boy so he can try to get what he can out of him."

***

"So, what's fisting?" Connor asked.

Wesley cleared his throat. "I don't think that's the kind of conversation your father had in mind for the both of us."

"He said I should talk to you," Connor said.

"I believe he meant for you to take over the tour," Wesley said.

"Oh," Connor said. He gestured around him. "So this would be a hallway. You walk in it. Or run, if you're in a hurry."

Wesley smothered a grin. "It's very nice."

"Good thing I was here to point it out to you," Connor said, rolling his eyes as only a teenager could. "'cause I'm sure you didn't have hallways back where you come from."

"Not like this," Wesley admitted. He looked around, noting how closed off everything was. How there was no form of outside light. They truly were trapped inside the earth. He took a deep breath and tried not to think about it. "But it's all a bit different, really."

"Guess so," Connor said. "You didn't have as many demons, right?"

"A decided lack of them," Wesley agreed. "At least, not in the living quarters. Minus one exception."

"Who?" Connor asked.

"A friend of mine," Wesley said. "Lorne. He's from another dimension. He used to work for me."

"Until you found out he was a demon and fired him?" Connor asked.

"Until I came here," Wesley said. He clamped down on the wave of homesickness that touched him. "Now the only demon of matter in my life is your father."

"That's gotta be weird, huh?" Connor asked. He paused as the hallway forked into two paths. "That way's the kitchen. Just go down the stairs. Any time of day, they'll make something for you."

"Good to know," Wesley said.

"My room's over there," Connor added, indicating a closed door. He then resumed walking. "So is it?"

"Pardon?"

"Weird," Connor said. "Being married to my dad."

"It is an honor to be married to your father," Wesley said. It was the only response he *could* say.

"But he's a vampire," Connor said.

"Correct."

"And you're Council."

"I *was* Council," Wesley said. "I belong to your father now."

Connor frowned. "You're married to him."

"Yes."

"That's - marriage is - " Connor made a vague pantomime in the air " - it's *partners*. It's not *owning* somebody."

"My marriage to your father is different from most," Wesley said. "I am Council spouse. Marriages to spouses have their own unique rights and responsibilities."

"The formal stuff," Connor said.

"Correct."

Connor pointed out more directions. "Access to the west tunnels, stairs to the practice area, and that goes to Dad's office."

"We're leaving the private wing then?" Wesley asked.

"Right," Connor said. "So you and dad aren't partners?"

"Your father has expressed the desire that we should be," Wesley said. "But that does not negate what I am."

"Which is a spouse."

"Yes."

Connor screwed his face up thoughtfully. "You know, I don't actually know what that means."

"It's a long story," Wesley said.

***

"So if you *hurt* him - "

"I'm not gonna *hurt* him!" Spike said. "Christ's sake, Angel, I *get* it. He's your little love monkey, he is not to be touched, blah bloody blah."

"Long as we're clear," Angel said.

"Long as *you're* clear on me not apologizing," Spike said. "I'll play nice with your boy if he plays nice with me, but don't ask me to start getting sappy around what passes for your in-laws. If he's really on your side - "

"He *is*," Angel said.

" - then we won't have anymore problems then, will we?" Spike retorted.

"He's on my side," Angel said. "He's all over my side. He's got nothing *but* my side. Did you know they make spouses take a love potion?"

Spike didn't look surprised. "Yeah, heard rumors about that."

"And you were going to tell *me* about it when, exactly?"

"Never, as stupid me figured you'd read the bloody fine print," Spike said. "You at least understood the bit where you're married to him now, right?"

"I got that there were rules and regulations," Angel said, ignoring him, "but the *reality* of it is a whole new thing."

Spike gave a bit of a leer. "Wedding night go okay then?"

"Yes - no - yes," Angel said, biting the words off before he could get trapped in the loop of repeating them.

Spike quirked his eyebrows. "Wedding night only go kind of okay then?" Spike frowned, looking back at Wesley. "Pity. Bet he could be a real goer if anybody gave him half a chance and maybe pulled that stick out of his - "

"First off, eyes front," Angel said, turning Spike around. "Second, don't talk about him like that."

"I'm just saying - "

"*Don't*," Angel told him.

Spike studied him for a moment. "My, my. Aren't we all protective of our new toy?"

"Shut your mouth and don't talk about him like that," Angel said. "And - " he glanced back, watching Wes and Connor in conversation, then looked at Spike hopefully. "Do you think the two of them are getting along?"

***

"It's not that I spent my entire life in preparation for your father," Wesley finished explaining. "It's that I spent my entire life preparing to be a good spouse to someone and your father happened to be it."

"Your whole life?" Connor asked. "Really?"

"Since the day I was born," Wesley confirmed.

"How'd they know you'd want to be a spouse?" Connor asked.

Wesley frowned. "It's not about my desires. I *am* a spouse. It's what I was born to be."

"Like a destiny?" Connor asked. "Kinda?"

"I suppose one could call it that," Wesley said.

"I had a destiny before I was born too," Connor said. "Oh - over there's the common area. That's where everyone hangs out. Even Dad sometimes."

Wesley added that to the map he was drawing inside of his head. "I see."

"Anyway," Connor continued, holding open the door as they walked to a new wing, "I was supposed to save the world. Or destroy it. Nobody was really quite sure."

Wesley took that in. "How'd that work out for you?"

"There was this big thing when I turned thirteen," Connor said, "but Dad said later it might've been a co-incidence. Now he says I should just be whatever I want to."

"What do you want to be?" Wesley said.

Connor drew himself up proudly. "A Champion. Like my dad."

"An admirable goal," Wesley said.

"I like fighting the good fight," Connor said. He grinned. "Plus it's just fun fighting."

"You picked the right path then," Wesley said.

"No shortage of stuff to kill around here," Connor agreed. "Being a Champion just makes sense. Though for a while there I wanted to be a vet."

Wesley smiled. "Also admirable."

***

"They're not going to be like family right off the bat," Spike said.

"I'd still like 'em to get along," Angel said. "I mean they're stuck with each other, right?"

"Give it time," Spike said. "'sides, nobody says they have to get along famously."

"Still, it's important," Angel said. "Connor's my son. And Wes - we're married. It's a thing."

"I'm getting that," Spike said.

"It's not easy," Angel said. "Coming here, dealing with a new life, dealing with *vampires*. Do you know he thought he couldn't even write home?"

"Considering who's back home can you blame him?" Spike said.

Angel gave him a look. "That's his *family*, Spike. He thought that being married to me meant he'd never be able to talk to his family again. What kind of a life is that to look forward to?"

"Not for nothing," Spike said, "but probably not the question to ask *me* when you're boring me to death."

"Oh shut up," Angel said.

"Just saying sometimes my idea of Heaven involves ear plugs," Spike told him.

"Shut *up*," Angel said.

***

"Are there no parts of the - " Wesley tried to think of the right word " - castle which go outside?"

"What?" Connor asked. "Oh, you mean here. There's some. Kind of. Chimneys, tunnels, the front house - "

Wesley seized upon that. "Yes. The front house. I remember it from when I came in. Is that not used regularly?"

Connor shrugged. "It's used for some stuff, but nobody lives there. Dad doesn't think it's safe enough. He just keeps it because it looks nice for ceremonies."

"Ah," Wesley said, quickly hiding his disappointment. "So I shouldn't expect to spend a great deal of time there?"

"Not really," Connor said.

"And that is the only part of the palace which has windows?" Wesley asked.

"Yeah," Connor said. "That's why it's not safe. Not just because the vamps can't go in it during the day, but because it'd be easy for anyone to attack through them."

"Are attacks common?" Wesley asked.

"Common enough," Connor said. "It's not real safe outside to begin with, but plenty of people don't want Dad to have his job."

"Because he's a vampire," Wesley guessed.

"Because he's a vampire with a soul," Connor said. "So humans don't like him because of - " Connor made a face " - Grrr. And demons don't like him because the soul makes him too human."

"How did he get anyone to follow him at all then?" Wesley asked.

Connor laughed. "Lucky for you I'm the one telling this story. Dad *loves* to go on about it."

"You'll be giving me the short version?" Wesley asked.

"I'll give you the highlights," Connor said. "Otherwise with Dad it'd be 'After the big war, blah blah, vision of the future, blah blah' - "

"Your father had a vision of the future?" Wesley asked.

Connor shook his head. "A friend of his. He's the one who got Dad into helping people in the first place. He saw what was coming and he and Dad tried to keep the good guys from getting killed. After a while enough started sticking around that he had to figure out what to do with them. They set up camp in the house because it was big enough, and when the crowds got too big he started them on building all of this."

"It makes sense," Wesley said. "I imagine with enough idle hands he would have been eager to give them something to do."

"Plus not everybody can fight," Connor said. "But people can dig, or hammer, or cook, or whatever. It all works out."

"And they followed your father because he provided them protection," Wesley said.

"Basically," Connor agreed. "Then when he had enough fighters he decided to take over California. He used some old rule about vampire kings. Said this was his territory and anybody who had a problem with that could take it up with him or get out."

"Hence the regular attacks," Wesley said.

"Pretty much," Connor said. "Dad does good work but not everybody likes that he's fighting on the side of the Powers."

"Leaving him stuck in a rather ironic limbo," Wesley said. He looked at the back of his husband for a moment, trying to picture it. "Where does Spike fit into all of this?"

"He and Dad are family," Connor said.

"He's your uncle," Wesley said.

Connor smirked. "Yeah. Sort of. It's weird with the vampire thing. Like my mom turned Dad, so technically she's *his* mom, but that doesn't mean me and Dad are brothers."

"What is Spike to your father?" Wesley asked.

"Grandson," Connor said.

"Is he the one with the soul?" Wesley asked.

"Yep," Connor said. Then quickly warned, "*Don't* ask them about it. They get into a huge thing. It's annoying. Just trust me."

"All right," Wesley said. He thought about what Connor had told him. "If you're your father's son, and Spike is his grandson, then that would make you - "

"Don't forget Mom," Connor said. "Gotta throw in the grandmother/mother thing there too."

"That's quite the family tree you have," Wesley said.

"No kidding," Connor said. "I tried to actually make one one day just to see what it would look like, but Aunt Dru broke it."

"Her particular branch was a bit too twisted?" Wesley guessed.

"No, she literally broke it," Connor said, miming snapping something in two. "She's a little… different. She used to live here but it didn't work out. Now Dad and Uncle Spike just get broody when they talk about her."

"I see," Wesley said.

"Spike's always going to be older than me so it was just easier to call him Uncle," Connor said.

"Was it - I'm sorry if this is inappropriate to ask," Wesley said, "but was it strange for you to grow up with a vampire for a father? Particularly one as infa - " Wesley quickly corrected himself, realizing that he had no idea what Angel might have told his son about his past " - one as famous as yours?"

"You mean the stuff he used to do?" Connor asked. He shrugged. "That's not who he is anymore. He's not Angelus. He doesn't hurt people, he helps them."

"But he used to hurt people," Wesley said.

"I know," Connor said. "But that guy's not my father."

"He's my husband though," Wesley said. Off Connor's confused look, he clarified, "I am married to him no matter what his name is."

"Oh," Connor said. "I don't know about that. But I do know this - "

"What?"

Connor grinned. "Growing up? It's real hard to be scared of the Boogey Man when you know your dad could *so* kick his ass in a fight."

"I imagine he would," Wesley said. "If it meant protecting you."

"He'd do it for anybody," Connor said. "He protects everybody he cares about."

Wesley pondered that as they continued walking.