Ever since the death of Winifred Burkle everything had changed. The place just wasn't the same since she had died. It had been a tragic waste of life that nobody had seen coming. Everybody acted differently and Wolfram and Hart was a changed place. Angel hardly spoke to anyone anymore as he was always in some meeting or another with the sleazy Hamilton. Gunn immersed himself in his work as did Lorne. And as for Wesley, poor bastard. The woman he loved died in his arms only to be replaced by something so devoid of emotion you could almost say she was robotic. She didn't deserve to consume the body of the sweet, innocent Fred, it just wasn't right but what could any of them do about it ?

Spike had spent most of his time since her death either at his apartment staring blankly at the television as he drank until he could remember no more. Or he would sulk around the offices of the law firm trying to make some sense of why Fred was gone.

It just happened that morning that while the blonde vampire was lurking inside the building that he was surprised by the sudden appearance of his old grandsire. After having no one to converse with for so long Spike was almost glad to see the other vampire until he saw the sullen look on his face. That meant either of two things. Something bad was happening or Spike had done something wrong to piss Angel off without even knowing it.

"Spike I need to talk you in private. Meet me in my office in half an hour." That was all that was said as Angel walked off back into a world that the others could not follow him into anymore.

Unsure of what to make of Angel's sudden need to talk with him Spike decided to actually do what the elder vampire had asked of him, but just this once though, wasn't like he was some lap dog to do as others commanded, he was still the big bad even if he did have a soul. He did what he pleased and went were he wanted which was why he was being so lame by hanging around a law firm with nobody talk to except perhaps Harmony and that was a scary place to go. He guessed he wasn't the same vampire he used to be. He supposed everybody changed as the years went by, even somebody like him. He had gone from having a sire to falling in love with a slayer and gaining a soul. Who would have known or predicted that would ever happen to the vampire formally known as William The Bloody.

Time soon went by quickly and Spike found himself inside Angel's office sitting down beside the other vampire.

"So what's this about Peaches ?" The blonde vampire asked not liking the expression of Angel's face.

"It's Wesley. Since Fred's death he hasn't been the same."

"Well can you really blame him ? The bloke lost the woman he loved only to have her be around him nearly every day as a constant reminder of what he lost, would you be the same if that happened to you ?" Spike said knowing that if it was hard for him to have Illyria around then it sure had to be rough on Wesley.

"I'm well aware of that Spike, he isn't the only one to have lost somebody very dear to him." Angel replied thinking of his beautiful Cordelia who had also recently passed away. It seemed lately everybody he loved or cared for were dying around him and there was nothing for him to prevent it from happening. But no that wasn't true, after all that was the reason why he had asked Spike to come and see him.

"I need you to do a favor for me without any questions, understood ?" The vampire asked with wide, concerned brown eyes as he stared at his young grandchild sitting next to him.

"Fair enough. What this favor then ?"

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Spike stood outside the door to Wesley's office. After a long conversation with Angel he had agreed to the favor the elder vampire had asked of him. He wasn't exactly sure why he had said yes in the first place. Perhaps it was because of Fred. He knew how much she loved Wesley and the blonde vampire wanted to keep some part of her alive by protecting the man she had given her heart to. Sides it's what Fred would have wanted him to do, she had done plenty to help him become his human form again as well, not to mention he kind of had a soft spot for the young Texan girl.

Not knowing what he was going to say or do he simply knocked on the door before walking inside. He instantly stopped moving when he spotted Wesley. He was sitting on the floor with many open/closed books and notes scrawled out all around him in one big circle. The human looked like he hadn't sleep for a week, he also was in need of a shave and a shower from the scent Spike picked up straight away when he first entered the room.

"You got a free moment Wesley ?" Spike asked inching over to the obviously stressed out man as the vampire knelt down just outside of the mess the ex-watcher had created.

A day of mainly sleeping, watching day time television and emptying the last of the contents out of Angel's personal bar fridge upstairs in his apartment complex above his office floor and Spike was bored out of his mind. There was only so many episodes of Judge Judy you could watch before they seemed to be about the same bloody thing. This person wants to sue this person because they looked at them the wrong and other pointless shit like that. Mainly the vampire watched just for the arguments and perhaps just to see how stupid and petty humans could truly be.

Finishing the last of his beer he let out a loud burp and tossed the can towards the near by bin, missing and having it land on Angel's nice carpet instead. Oh well, Peaches can clean it up for all he cared, not as if he was suddenly going to become a tidy house guest after all this time. As his thoughts wandered to his brainless sire he wondered what he was currently doing, it had been a while since he had gotten underneath the vampires skin and really annoyed the hell out of him just for his own pure enjoyment.

Switching off the television he made his way to Angel's personal elevator and got inside in search of the no brained gelled haired hero.

It didn't take long for him to find him, his scent had always been over powering to the blonde vampire and he had never had much difficulties in tracking down his sire from the moment he had been turned by the Scourge of Europe those many hundreds of years ago.

Finding Angel going hell bent on fighting basically nothing but thin air, Spike leaned casually against the doorway into the work out room and just watched in silence as the other vampire performed his exercise regime.

No matter how much he hated the poof he had to admit he looked dam fine when he was all sweaty and working on releasing all that tension he usually built up during the day working for the once evil law firm. A smirk on his face he licked his lips as he watched those strong, hard muscles flex as Angel hit at imaginary objects only he was aware of. Those baggy sweat pants and tight black shirt clinging to his damp body, Spike could only dream of all the naughty, wicked things that he could do to that body.

Of course as soon as those thoughts entered his mind he quickly removed them with disgust at thinking such things. Perhaps a long time ago him and Angelus had a thing for one another but that psychopath was long gone and all that was left was a shell of a man who tried to play good for the sake of his soul and redemption.

"You'd think with all your so called friends flocking around you all day that you would have some sort of a social life instead of playing with your imaginary friends. Seriously Angel I thought only children conjured up such things." Spike finally spoke as he sauntered into the room, walking over to the decapitated head and bending down to pick it up in his hands.

"What's the matter Peaches your friends don't like being around you anymore ?" He said as he began walking over to his sire, careful to not get to close to an armed Angel, especially with what he was about to say next. "What they finally discover what a jackass you truly are ?" He said with a smirk as he threw the dummy's head at the other vampire seeing just how could Angel's reflexes really were.