Chapter 19

Elliot casts a glance at Willow when she walks away, wanting to follow her but not making a move to do so. He wants to know what the hell is going on, why Faith’s lawyer friend thinks that his law firm owns the man that attacked Faith. Casey and Carver are arguing quite passionately, throwing out legal phrases and words that make almost no sense to him, even after almost twenty years with a badge.

“Miss Novak, I understand what you’re trying to say but it’s of no use," Gunn says. “You can file as many injunctions as you want, it’s not going to make a difference. Lindsey is the property of Wolfram & Hart; end of story.”

“Even if this could be true, which I know it can’t be, wouldn’t that make you the property of Wolfram & Hart also?” Carver frowns.

“No, my contract is completely different," Gunn shakes his head. “Lindsey worked under a different CEO who ran things very differently that we do now.”

Elliot frowns, about ready to follow Willow’s lead when he hears his daughter laugh, loudly. He looks over at the group, Faith, Dawn, Willow, and Lindsey, who is handcuffed on a chair, to see them all talking, laughing…joking around like they’re friends. He doesn’t understand his oldest daughter, doesn’t get her carefree nature because she sure as hell doesn’t get it from him.

A movement by the door catches his eye, and to his surprise, it’s his wife and second oldest daughter. Kathy smiles briefly at him but follows Maureen, who goes straight to Dawn’s side. His wife reacts to Faith like he did, shock, but it’s his daughter’s reaction to the bruises on Dawn’s face that almost knocks him off his feet. It’s just a brush of Maureen’s fingers, gently over Dawn’s cheekbone, but it says so much.

How he didn’t see it before, he doesn’t know. For the first time in his life, he truly understands how people don’t realize what really is going on around them because he didn’t. He remembers years ago, when him and Liv were working on a case where a boy hid the fact that he was gay from his father his entire life. Liv asked him what he would do if one of his kids were gay. He remembers saying they weren’t, not even letting himself think of the possibility.

But now it is. Now it’s more than a possibility. He knows body language, sees the way Dawn and Maureen turn towards each other, the way they whisper…thinking back, just the way they always touch.

He doesn’t know what to think. Doesn’t know what to do. The religious part of him, the man that’s gone to a Catholic church his entire life can’t comprehend the idea of one of his children being gay. It goes against everything he’s been taught to believe in. The cop in him understands every aspects of the homosexual lifestyle, both the good parts and the worst. Knows the bigotry that they’ll face, even from the people they consider friends.

But the father in him doesn’t care about it. All he cares about is what he’s always cared about; that his kids are happy and healthy. And while it’s not the life that he would have chosen for Maureen, he knows he’ll support her in every way, despite what he’s been taught to believe.

“Charlie-boy, cavalry’s here," Faith shouts.

Like the group around him, he starts looking around but there’s nobody new in the room or is there anyone walking into the room. Gunn speaks first, telling Faith that she’s seeing things. But within seconds, the elevator door opens and a man walks through. He’s tall, about six-two, with spiked dark brown hair and dressed entirely in black, from his shoes to his coat. He’s young, late twenties at the most, and a rather handsome man.

“Angel!”

Elliot winces as Dawn literally throws herself at the man’s body, expecting to see them both go tumbling to the floor. Only they don’t. Angel doesn’t even take a step to counter Dawn’s weight.

Angel isn’t at all what he pictured when Faith described him. This man is too young, in his mid to late twenties. He’s soft spoken, teasing Dawn before hugging both Willow and Faith. He wonders briefly about Faith’s ‘soul man’ comment but files it away for later. They do a little meet and great, before getting down to business.

At first glance, he would have thought Angel to be relatively harmless, not like the lawyer that attacked his daughter, until he actually sees them together. And then Angel changes, an air of danger surrounding him. More than an air, actually, the man radiates danger, as much as any perp he’s ever arrested. He fights the urge to reach for his weapon, something he rarely does anymore. He’s an ex-marine and he can take care of himself but for some reason, he’s fairly sure the expensively dressed man in front of him could kick his ass without breaking a sweat. A glance at Mike shows the same thing, the other man wrapping his arm protectively around Faith. Who seems much too relaxed for his wellbeing. She should be in a hospital, healing, not standing in the middle of a police station, looking rather bored.

“Dawn, don’t let him get to you," Angel says. “You have no idea what kinda person he is.” Elliot wonders about the statement, listening intently as they back and forth about trying to save Lindsey’s soul, which the lawyer doesn’t seem to concerned about. He frowns when Faith calls Angel her sponsor, wondering what the hell he sponsored her through.

Then Angel sighs, deeply, and mutters under his breath. “I’m kicking his ass. Both of them.” And Elliot straightens as the does the rest of the cops in the room, ready to stop a fight. Only there isn’t one. A loud call for ‘POOF-DADDY’, in a British accent, followed by that same British voice arguing with another British voice.

Faith smiles, looking at Angel. “Dude, how drunk is he?”

“Very drunk," Angel sighs. “And when Spike is drunk, he’s rather…playful. That’s why he was supposed to stay in the limo.”

Elliot wonders what that means, expecting to see some kid come trolling in, briefly wondering if this Spike is Angel’s son, which Deakins questions and is shot down. Then this Spike does saunter in, all black leather and bleached blonde hair looking like a criminal from the top of his head down to the dirty boots on his feet.

“Yo, poofeister, why the bloody hell did you leave me?” Spike walks across the room, not seeming a bit drunk. “You know I wanted to see my girls.” He talks to Willow first and then Faith, before turning to Dawn.

“Spike, you’re not supposed to drink," Dawn scolds, something a teenage girl shouldn’t have to do to an adult. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothin’ bit. I’m fine.” Dawn doesn’t look to believe Spike’s statement, just cups his face like a concerned parent. Spike just hugs her. “I missed my platelet.”

Elliot wonders about the nicknames, this Spike hasn’t called anyone by their real name. Then Spike lifts Dawn up and spins her, the teenage girl giggling loudly before kissing his forehead and making him put her down. But he doesn’t let go, instead Dawn pulls him over to Maureen. Despite the looks and the fact that he knows Maureen and Dawn are together, he has to ask. “Spike’s your…boyfriend?”

Dawn just laughs as she pulls Spike in front of her while Spike looks put out. “Oh, blood hell no. I used to baby-sit her. She’s my little sis, right bit?”

Elliot can’t believe that, can’t believe that any parent would let the man in front of him watch their kid because he knows he wouldn’t. Spike has that same air of danger that Angel does, only a little less dominate. That thought is only solidified when Spike nuzzles Dawn’s neck. “Mmm, bit, you smell good. Bloody delicious, actually.” And then Spike looks at Maureen, a slow smirk crossing his lips. “Hey there, cutie.” He’s about to cross the room, pull the man away from his daughter, when Faith stops him, telling him to back off. Which Spike doesn’t, instead continues to look at his daughter in a way that makes him want to kill him. “And stop looking at my daughter that way.”

Dawn slams her hand over Spike’s mouth before he can say anything, “It’s nothing, Elliot, and Spike doesn’t mean anything by…” She screeches, yelling at Spike to stop licking her.

“Yep," Spike smirks a few minutes later, while Angel rubs his forehead, looking entirely put out, which he seems to blame on the other British man for letting Spike out of the limo.

“Yes, and then the bloody prick bit me when I wouldn’t let him out," The other man, Wesley he thinks, says, glaring at the bleached blonde who only smirks further. His daughter laughs, a full belly laugh, while Spike defends his actions. Elliot files away the ‘watcher’ comment, wondering what the hell that is.

“That’s his ‘you’ve been a bad boy and now it’s time to get a spankin’ voice.” While Spike’s words are whispered to Dawn, he’s looking at Angel, a pure sexual expression on his face. “I think I’m in trouble now.”

Elliot’s investigated enough sexual crimes to feel the tension between Angel and Spike, just the way they look at each other. He just watches as Spike pulls out ten empty bottles and dumps them on a desk, before holding a full one up and making some drunken statements about perspectives. Deakins tenses, scowling as the blonde drains the tiny bottle, which Angel yells at him for doing.

“Can’t smoke either but who the hell is going to stop me?” The bleached blond drops the now empty bottle behind him and pulls out a pack of cigarettes, which Dawn yanks out of his hand, scolding him like he’s the teenager and she’s the adult. And the pout and whine that Spike responds with, only cements that. He’s wondering if it’s not the relationship that Dawn has with Spike, her the adult and him the teenager.

“What are we doing?” Spike looks around the room, his eyes surprisingly sober for how much he claims to have drank. “And why is that bloke handcuffed?”

“This is Lindsey, he’s evil, we’re helping him," Dawn says it like she’s stating the weather, like the belief that the lawyer is evil is no different than the fact that it might rain. In that moment, he sees what Kathy told him, that Dawn is older than her age.

“Lindsey?” The drunk Brit frowns. “Inn't he that bloke that spent two years torturing peaches? Made his life a living hell, tried to turn him evil?"

Elliot frowns, sees the same look on Mike’s face that must be on his own. He forgets the fact that he doesn’t approve of his daughter’s relationship with the detective his own age and focuses on the what Spike just said. For the most part, he doesn’t believe that a person can be ‘turned’ evil. Either they’re evil or they’re not. There are the circumstances where a person can be made to kill but that doesn’t make them evil. He listens as Angel argues with Spike and then talks to Gunn, who explains what’s going on with Lindsey, saying that if it goes to court, the lawyer will get himself off.

“Darlin’, I used to get mass murderers off on nothing but technicalities.” The lawyer says with a slightly southern drawl, a charming smile on his face. “You take this to court, I’ll be walking out with the court’s apologies.”

Casey tries to argue but Dawn backs him up, saying that the ADA follows an ethical code while Lindsey doesn’t. Then Dawn smiles, a look that is entirely too old and devious for the teenager to wear. She starts spouting off some legal terms, something about Angel as the CEO of Wolfram & Hart being able to issue a protective order over an employee, protecting him from the Senior Partners, whoever they are. Angel looks less than impressed, seemingly unwilling to help the lawyer, until Faith starts talking.

“You forced me to let you help me just like Whistler forced you to let him and Buffy forced both you and Spike to let her," Faith says. "You never asked to have your soul saved, I sure as hell didn't ask for it, and Spike…"

“I asked for it," The blond boasts.

"Oh, please, you just did it to get back in Buffy's pants," Dawn rolls her eyes. "If you had really understood the repercussions of what you were doing, what you would go through, you know you wouldn't have done it."

“Got me there, bit," Spike agrees after a second, head cocked to the side.

Dawn’s next words solidify what he’s starting to know is true, that his daughter’s roommate and Faith both live in a world that they shouldn’t. A world too old, too jaded….too much like his own. "Just like Faith probably would have ended it instead of going to Angel," Dawn adds. "And that back when, Angel would have stayed the heck away from that virgin Gypsy. It's easier to be evil. There's no guilt, no torment, no consequences. It's just pure. People don't ask for their lives to change, they wouldn't. Sometimes, we have to force them and it sucks and it's painful and it's every day….and you're the one that taught me that, Angel. Buffy, for all her preaching, never made me fully understand what it is to help people. You did. Are you really going to go back on everything you stand for just because you don't like him?"

The fact that Dawn can even have the knowledge and the understanding that it’s easier to be evil, pure evil is staggering. He’s only seen a handful of what he would consider evil people in the entire twenty years that he’s been a cop, each one of them chiseling away at the faith that he’s somehow been able to maintain. He’s seen people kill for evil reasons but for the most part, in the end, there was remorse. The ones where there wasn’t, those are the cases that stick the most, that scare him the most. That people can be born bad. He wants to believe that for the most part, people are inherently good, though he knows that it’s not a hundred percent.

She’s too insightful, too jaded to be only eighteen years old. To understand that for the most part, people don’t change unless forced too….it says a lot about the way she grew up. The father in him wants to shelter her, shelter Faith, but he knows it’s too late. They’re both too damaged by what they’ve grown up with. And there’s nothing he can do to change it.

Angel sighs, heavily, looking like he doesn’t want to do what he’s about to do, but doing it because it’s the right thing to do. "Gunn, draw 'em up. I want them signed and filed in twenty minutes. Lindsey, you're going to plead guilty to the gun charges, take the probation…."

“Go to hell," Lindsey sneers.

The look that crosses Angel’s face reminds him of someone that’s been tortured, badly. “I’ve been there, you haven’t. But if you don’t change, you will end up there.”

"I don't have anything to 'redeem'," Lindsey makes sarcastic quote marks. "I've never killed anyone."

The way the lawyer says it, the accusing tone he uses while looking at Angel says it all. There isn’t a doubt in Elliot’s mind that the man in front of him, the man that his daughter claims ‘sponsored her’ has killed someone. The look that crosses Angel’s face only solidifies that.

"True, legally, you're not responsible for any deaths. But morally, you have innocent blood on your hands and this is your only chance to at least attempt to cleanse them. Not that you have a choice, your contract dictates that. You will do the probation. And Faith, since you're so up on being his 'sponsor', he's your responsibility, the three of you."

To his shock, Faith agrees without hesitation, throwing out the ‘soul-man’ nickname again.

Then with strides that he barely catches, Angel crosses the floor, effortlessly lifting the handcuffed lawyer up off his chair by the front of his shirt. “You step out of line, anything happens to them and it comes back to you….”

“What, I’ll die screaming.” The lawyer interrupts sarcastically, trying to hide the fear in his eyes, which he almost does. But Elliot’s been around enough victims to tell when someone is scared and Lindsey is terrified.

“I'll make what the Senior Partners' are going to do to you look like a fun time at an amusement park," Angel smirks, looking like any other perp that Elliot‘s arrested. "And you know what I'm capable of.” Lindsey frowns heavily, still trying to hide his fear, though not very successfully. At least to any well trained cop.

Then Spike laughs, loudly. "Well, now, you've done pissed peaches off. Next he'll be talkin' bout chainsaws and such."

Angel’s head turns, an animalistic growl leaving his throat, one that has most of the room jumping. “William.”

Spike’s eyes droop half closed, a pure sexual look crossing the bleached blond’s face. “You gonna spank me now, sire?”

“Whoa, whoa boys, any spanking is going to have to be taken outside.” His eldest daughter steps between the two, giving them both a look. “Gunn, get the papers signed. Spike, you need to go outside or something?”

“I need to get laid," Spike grumbles. “Peaches here won’t cooperate.”

“Ew, Spike, I don’t want to know about Angel having sex," Dawn wrinkles her nose. “That’s almost as bad as hearing about Giles.”

“Buffy would kill you and then me," Angel says. “Knock it off.”

“Dude, you two really…” Faith gestures between them.

“Hell, yeah," Spike murmurs. “Peaches might be a broody bastard but he’s hung like a damn horse. That and the fact that he’s the most patient bloke in the world…there’s nothing like it. Man can leave you chained up for days, begging for just one touch….”

“Spike," Angel cuts in. “Stop.”

“I need to get buggered," Spike complains. “Been a long damn time. C’mon, twenty minutes, peaches?”

A slow, sultry smirk crosses Angel’s face, for the first time the dark-haired man indicting how much he’s had to drink. “Oh, William, you know I need more than twenty minutes.”

Spike growls, shifting his weight.

“Okay, that so isn’t something I’ve ever wanted to feel," Dawn pushes away from Spike.

Elliot just stares, not knowing what to do.

“Hell, peaches, I’m staying here for a bit," Spike grumbles. “Ain’t a chance in hell I’m getting back on a plane and not jumping you," He nudges Dawn’s back. “Bit, give me my smokes. I gotta get outa here.”

“Where are you going?” Dawn questions, handing Spike his cigarettes.

“There’s a S & M club over on 49th," Spike replies. “It’ll have to do.” He starts to walk away when Angel stops him.

“Spike, here," Angel pulls out his wallet and counts off ten bills, all hundreds, which he holds out to Spike.

“Thanks, daddy," Spike slinks over, grabbing the bills with a smirk. Then like lightening, he grabs the back of Angel’s neck, pulling the taller man’s head down to fuse their lips together. The kiss is hot and wet, teeth clinking and tongues sucking. It lasts for at least a minute, both men’s lips bloody when they pull apart. “Night, peaches.”

“Goodnight, Spike," Angel licks his lips. “Be careful.”

“Will do," Spike waves over his shoulder. “I’ll call you later, red. Gonna crash with you and the lawyer.”

“Okay," Willow says, wide eyed as she looks between the two men. She waits until Spike is gone, defiantly out of earshot before turning to Angel. “What the heck was that about? Are you cheating on Buffy with Spike?”

“No, of course not," Angel sighs. “My relationship with Spike is complicated. It always has been.”

“You two were lovers," Elliot states, still processing the scene.

“Yes, for years," Angel agrees.

“It’s when they were with Dru and Darla," Dawn explains to the confused looking slayer and witch. “Not that the girls would let them do them together, they were very strict about that, but Spike and Angel had a very dominate and submissive relationship, with Spike as the sub….”

“Dawn!” Angel interrupts with a shout.

“What, you did," Dawn replies, arching a brow. “Spike used to tell me all about it.”

Angel curses under his breath.

“But you don’t now, do you?” Willow asks. “Cuz it would kill Buffy.”

“No," Angel says firmly. “That’s the first time we’ve had any sexual contact since Buffy and I got back together.”

“Then why now?” Faith arches a brow. “What’s wrong with him?”

“Today is the anniversary of the night I left him, Dru, and Darla," Angel says quietly. “Spike’s never really gotten over it. It’s why we were drinking. Drinking always makes Spike…”

“Horny," Dawn supplies.

“Yes," Angel agrees. “And us drinking together….we haven’t done that since the 90’s.”

“What Angel is trying to say without saying it is that they have a very sexual relationship and UST doesn’t mix well with alcohol," Dawn gestures.

“UST?” Elliot asks hesitantly, not certain he wants to know the answer.

“Unresolved sexual tension," Dawn clarifies. “It’s like…okay, Buffy would be Angel’s heroin, he can’t live without her, while Spike is Angel’s nicotine, he craves it but he can live without it as long as he has his heroin.”

Dead silence follows.

“Dawn, I’m pretty sure Buffy isn’t going to like being compared to a highly addictive narcotic," Willow says.

“Why not, it’s the same for her," Dawn shrugs. “Angel is her heroin and Spike is her nicotine. Honestly, I think the three of them should just give in and hook up because the tension between them just makes my brain hurt.”

“Cute, D, cute," Faith smirks. “I’m sure B would go for that.”

“I suggested it but she got all stammer-y and said it would be too confusing," Dawn shrugs. “I told her there’s has to be books on it and if not, I know they make movies…”

“Dawn Marie Summers,” Angel scolds, “you really have spent too much time around Spike and Faith.”

“That hurts, soul-man,” Faith smirks, touching her chest, “right here.”

“I’m sure it does,” Angel smirks back.

“As entertaining as this is, we really need to be going,” Wesley glances at his watch. “Angel, you know we have a time crunch. We need to be going.”

“I know,” Angel agrees. “I just need to talk to Faith first, alone.”

“Why?” Elliot asks.

“That really isn’t any of your concern,” Angel replies. “Faith.”

Elliot expects Faith to argue, to throw out some of that attitude that she seems to have, only she doesn’t. Instead she pushes off the desk, following the dark-haired man without a word of protest. They cross the room silently, stopping by a file case that is across the room, backs to the room. They talk in quiet tones, heads bent towards each other, and he’d give almost anything to know what they’re saying.

-

“Are you okay?” Angel asks quietly. “I read the report on what happened…”

“I’m not okay but I am dealing,” Faith interrupts. “And yes, I am actually dealing. I didn’t mean to, it was an accident. And I know that. I also know that I am responsible for his death and that I have to deal with that responsibility.” She pats him on the arm. “You taught me well, soul-man.”

“How are things going with Mike, was it?” Angel asks.

“Good,” Faith replies. “Scary but good. The real relationship thing, scary as hell.”

“Yes, it is,” Angel agrees. “But if he makes you happy, don’t fight it.”

“He does and I won’t,” Faith says.

“Good,” Angel nods. “And Dawn, how is she doing, really doing?”

“Fine,” Faith shrugs. “Seems to be head over heels for Maureen, and the feeling looks to be returned. She’s happy here.”

“Staying out of trouble?”

“For Dawn, yeah,” Faith says. “We’ll be fine, big guy.”

“I know,” Angel agrees. “We still worry.”

“I know you do,” Faith says. “And I appreciate it. But I’m good, seriously. I happy here, or as happy as I’ll probably ever be. Know what I mean?”

“Yes,’ Angel squeezes her shoulder. “As much as I love Buffy, pure happiness is something I’ll never feel again. Too much has happened, too much has changed.”

“Yeah,” Faith agrees. “No rest for the wicked, huh?”

“None,” Angel laughed. “Take care of Dawnie, try to keep her out of trouble.”

“And Spike?”

“Let him be,” Angel said. “He needs to do whatever he needs to do to find some semblance of happiness. We all do.”

-