__A Chat With Spike__
By Escargoat
Giles sighed as he heard the answering machine pickup. He had hoped to speak to Angel personally, but instead
found himself being transferred to his “voicemail.” At the beep, he began to talk.
“Angel, this is Giles, I am returning your call…”
“Bloody Hell, Rupes, what are you calling the big Poof about?” Spike’s voice floated through the line.
“Spike?” Giles’ voice was slightly disbelieving.
“The one and only.”
“What are you doing on Angel’s phone? I though you were, well, a ghost.”
“I’m haunting his big fancy speaker thingy. That’s what I do now, right? Haunt things?”
“Don’t you have something better to do with your time?” Giles said exasperatedly.
“Don’t you?” Spike retorted.
“I haven’t the foggiest idea what you’re talking about. I need to speak with Angel about something now if you’ll
be so kind as to get off of the line,” Giles let the sentence dangle.
“One, I’m not so kind. Two, you can’t tell me that you’re really gonna let her do it are you?”
“Spike, have you gone insane?”
“No, but you may as well have. The Slayer, Buffy, you really going to let her waltz off with the Immortal?”
“He seems like a decent enough fellow, and I really don’t think that I need a say in Buffy’s love life.”
“Oh come on, go try that on another ghost. You may not need, but you want. I know you. I’ve seen that look in your
eyes when you talk about her. Hell, I’ve seen that look in my own, even still see it in old Angel’s eyes when he
talks about her. She does something to a man that you can’t get rid of even though you try.”
“Now I’m certain that you’re deluded,” Giles responded.
“Maybe so, but at least I’m not lying. You love her, old man, and you want her. And what’s more, you’re going to
go let her walk off with another man and wait another two years before the romance fizzles. You’re just going to
wait for her to be ready, but someone else always gets there first. Parker, Riley, hell, even me, how many times
do you need to play that record, Watcher?”
“I fail to see why you should take an interest in this matter. You certainly are not doing it out of your
overwhelming desire to see me happy,” Giles snapped back unable to live in denial any longer.
“You’re right there. Couldn’t care less if you live or die, but I love her. And I know that I can’t make her happy.
Couldn’t when I had a body and a soul, really can’t now. But you Rupes? You’re alive, and unlike that pillock,
Riley, you aren’t going to let go when things get rough, or haven’t you learned that lesson?”
“What would suggest I do?” Giles said wearily.
“Go after her, you idiot. Stop her from throwing away another two years. Have at her before you get any older than
you are.”
“What if she doesn’t want me?” he whispered uncertain of when Spike went from enemy to confidant in the
conversation.
“If she didn’t want you around, she wouldn’t have tried to make things up to you after Sunnydale. All you have to
do is make things up to her now. Oh, and by the by, you should probably try not to look so old and beating up her
current boy toy would help.”
“I hardly think that Buffy would enjoy me beating her boyfriend.”
“Well, no, but I was hoping for a bit of payback for my counseling services.”
The sound of footsteps came over the line. “Spike? What are you doing to Angel’s phone?” Wesley’s voice came over
distantly. The line went dead abruptly as Spike hung it up.
Giles stared at the receiver for a moment before setting it down in the cradle. He could call Angel later. Right
now, he had a flight to book.
* * *