Archive of Our Own ^beta

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The team walked through the doors of Wolfram & Hart and were quickly separated. Someone named Eve took Angel, a Knox took Fred, and Gunn was escorted somewhere else; that leaves Wesley. Who would they send to show him around? "Hello Wesley," he suddenly heard, recognizing the voice instantly. "Lilah."

"The one and only," She responded with a smile. Wesley knew exactly why they'd do this, it's the kind of thing the Senior Partners thought was fun. Her coming back had made his already confusing feelings for her even more difficult to understand. He had clearly been silent too long as Lilah quipped, "You can't be surprised, you know my contract! Hell, you tried to burn it," for Lilah, though, that last part was a bit much. She remembered what he did for her, she remembers how she felt…

No one had ever done something like that for her before. Him going to that room for her contract because he wanted her to find peace, it really meant a lot to her.

She never let her posture or demeanor change for a second, however, she'd been trained to hide any feeling for years at Wolfram & Hart. It was different with Wesley normally, but this was work and that's exactly what she'd do. She gestured and Wesley was quick to follow her up the staircase. After some silence, she began again, "Here is where you'll work as an Executive," showing him into an office. "An Executive? Could you be a little more vague?" Lilah brushes off this comment, "You'll have an assistant, a view of the cityscape, and you're working with your pals. Pretty good deal if you ask me," The last part was dry, maybe even bitter, Wesley got better than what she worked years for. 

One thing the pair always was is all-consuming — they felt everything for each other on levels unimaginable and uncontrollable. For this moment it's bitterness and pain, but what comes next? I don't think anyone could tell.

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Unfortunately he appeared last night. Him being the one and only Spike — and it's a good thing he is the only one because that's unbearable as is. With the new guest, however, came the need to know why he's here. He's supposed to be dead! 

Back in the former Sunnydale, there was no doubt that he was no longer living, no longer undead that is. There had to be a reason, then, that he was here now. It wasn't in any large capacity yet, a phantom-like presence, but why here and now? That's the question that plagued Wolfram and Hart partners and associates. 

"I've got some news fresh from the senior partners. You see, it's like this, your boss's former murder buddy Spike is back and celestially at your L. A. branch. We — because unfortunately the partners want me here too — must now figure out why that is. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that The Powers That Be probably put him here, but that still begs the question why?" Lilah gave that rundown to the Angel Investigations team.

They stared at each other momentarily before someone finally spoke. "Spike... Here? Lilah are you sure the senior partners haven't banished us to Hell?" Wesley responded coolly. Angel cut in quickly,  "Wesley we cannot think like that, you and Lilah can go hit the books and I'll join Fred in the lab, alright?" They all agreed and off they went. 

———

“It’s most likely something to do with the amulet that you gave Angel, do you have any idea what it was supposed to do?” Wesley questioned. “Nope, they didn’t really tell me what the plan was, just to make sure that it got to Angel.” As they began to research, Lilah sat on top of the desk while Wesley tried to find books about the amulet.

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“It looks like since Spike’s essence is tied to the amulet, the only way to free him would be to shatter it” Wesley stated.

“Since it’s property of Wolfram and Hart, it’s probably under the same magic as my-“ This time Lilah couldn’t bring herself to finish her sentence. Wesley still picked up on what she was trying to say. They shared a longing look while thinking about the moment they shared in the file room.

Lilah ended up being the one to break the silence. “So did you find anything else about it?” she asked, trying not let her sadness and yearning show anymore than it already had. She hopped down off the desk and startes to walk away.

"I thought you wanted to hear ab-" Wesley began.

"Yeah, in a moment, though, go tell your Angel first," Lilah retreated. How was this going to work if she couldn't be in a room with him for that short of a time frame?