Written for the 12 months of BtVS; 7/27/05: This is my Angel fic. Spoilers for Season V Angel. Rated PG

Not my character - I’m just playing with him.

The Devil Inside

by Slaymesoftly

Spike

I can’t believe the Powers sent him back. Bad enough he gets to go out a hero, making Buffy think he was the one who deserved her cookies; but now he’s back. And in MY office. This place of evil that I’m going to turn against itself.

It’s not enough I have to learn how to run an evil law firm without corrupting myself and my…employees? Friends? These humans that I work with. Yes, I like that one—it certainly seems to fit better. They don’t know me well enough to be friends now. Not anymore. So just like that, four years are gone and my team is reduced to being just the humans that I work with – no, these humans who work with me. That’s better. THEY work with ME. After all, I’m the one the Senior Partners invited in here; they don’t understand what’s happening here. Not the way I do. They can’t tell the difference between the puppet and the strings like I can. They’re just tagalongs now, hangers-on. Like Spike.

He beat me. He has never beaten me, not once in the 120 some-odd years since Dru drained his worthless body and brought him into our family. Spike does NOT beat me. At anything. Until he comes back from being a ghost, and suddenly I’m flat on my back, defeated. By HIM. And all for a “soddin’ cup of Mountain Dew.”

Beats me and then doesn’t dust me. Doesn’t take the prize he’s been itching after for years, and all because he “doesn’t want to bloody hear it”. Meaning he thinks Buffy would be mad at him. Meaning he thinks he’s going to see her, and for long enough that it will matter if she gets mad at him. When did Will get to be so arrogant? Check that. He’s always been arrogant. And cocky. But confident? What makes him so confident that she wouldn’t just stake him immediately?

Would she stake him for dusting me? Of course she would! She might have—through some misplaced sense of loyalty to him—might have some…feelings…for him, but I’m her true love. Her soul mate. Her first and only real love. That’s still true.

Isn’t it?

This thing she has – had, HAD – with Spike was just…proximity. And gratitude. Okay, maybe some lust in there. He is a pretty boy. God knows I’ve succumbed to the lust he can create just by….Whoa! Not going there. That was evil Angelus. Not Angel. Never Angel.

Wesley

This “we’re all a team” thing is getting out of hand. Damn human employees thinking they can tell me what I can and can’t do with my law firm. Who does that miserable ex-Watcher think he is? Questioning my decisions. Marching around as though he has some sort of pull with me—like he deserves some sort of input. He’s lucky I didn’t go ahead and kill him for what he did with Conner. Really shouldn’t be pushing me on this. Damn Limey doesn’t know when to back off. I wonder what a Watcher tastes like…..

Gunn

For a street kid who never finished high school, he sure took to those lawyer upgrades in a hurry. And how the hell did HE become the one who can talk to the big cat? I’M the big cheese here. I’m the CEO. Strutting around here in those fancy suits, spouting legalese and telling me which contracts I have to fulfill and which ones I can skip. You’d think he was making the decisions for the firm. And what’s up with hanging out with Spike…?

Fred

Sweet little Fred. She’ll never turn on me. I’m her “handsome man”, her knight in shining armor, her…wonder why she keeps getting involved with other men? First Gunn, now Wesley. For all her brains the girl clearly has no taste. She should be falling all over me…

Lorne

At least there’s one other demon on the payroll, although he’s maybe not the most masculine one I’ve ever seen. Still, demon. Better than all these wimpy humans. And he never argues with me. Lorne’s a good guy—even likes to hear me sing “Mandy.” I wonder why he doesn’t tell me what he sees anymore when he catches me singing? Must be because it’s always the same thing. I’m the champion for the Powers That Be, only vampire with a soul…strike that. The FIRST vampire to have a soul. Damn Spike! Where was I? Oh yeah. Buffy’s one true love, defender of the weak, leader of men, blah, blah, blah. That’s probably it. He’s seen it so many times he’s getting bored. That’s why he’s spending so much time with Wesley and Gunn….

Scoobies

Just as glad the Scoobies all left for England after the last apocalypse. They really get on my nerves. Always have.

Xander, with his stupid jokes and demon girlfriends. Calling me “deadboy” all the time. Hiding behind Buffy for protection when he can tell I’ve had it with him. Like I didn’t know he wanted her for himself. Stupid jealous boy. I should have made him a minion when I had the chance. Angelus would’ve given him a whole new perspective on what it means to be low man on the totem pole….

Willow. Now she would have been a childe worth having! Except for the powerful witch thing… who would have guessed she was going to be that strong? Should have, I guess, when she was able to put my soul back from her hospital bed. I can’t believe she almost ended the world. What a mate she would make… for Angelus. Not for me of course. I don’t have those thoughts anymore….

Giles the ex-Watcher. I wonder what kind of vampire Ripper would make? Give me a run for my money, I’d bet. I wonder if the grudge he’s holding about that gypsy woman would carry over? Not like it was my fault. Stupid bitch wanted to re-curse me. Wanted to put my soul back. Not that I didn’t- don’t want it. I want my soul. Of course I do. It makes me special. Well, more special…

Buffy

Ah, Buffy. The last of the Chosen Ones. Now there are the Chosen hundreds. Kinda takes the gleam off. Much as I hate to see her with the Immortal – oily son of a bitch – I’m glad she’s gotten over that little obsession with Spike. Can’t believe she cried over his miserable self when she thought he was gone.

Still does think he’s gone, I guess. I’m sure she would have at least called me to ask about him if that wimpy little Watcher wannabe had told her he was here. Not that she would have wanted to see him; but that’s just Buffy. Always taking care of her…friends. She’d want to know how he was, just because she’d feel responsible. That’s all it would be – just duty.

All that “he’s in my heart” stuff was just because I wasn’t around to help her see how wrong it would be. She doesn’t – didn’t – love him. She couldn’t. She loves me. Me. Her one true love. Her soul mate. I’m her cookie-eater. He was just…convenient.

I’ll give her a couple of years to finish baking, and then I’ll pop in on her and tell her I’ve found a way to anchor my soul. If I have by then, well, good enough. And if not? Angelus can turn her and we can still be together forever. Yeah, that’s a plan. Wait for me, Buff. I’m coming back to you

End

Back to Main Fics Page http://spuffystuff.org.Fics.html

reviews/feedback pattific@hotmail.com