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Notes: Dark AU, Spander with Wesley.
The Assistant part 12
"That's Angel," Wesley says dully, staring at the security screen.
"That's what he wants you to think." Spike leans forward and drops his cigarette end into an old cup of coffee with a hiss. "You go back down there and open the door, he's going to say thanks Wes, how about we go up to the White Room together and sort all this out?"
"I'm not an idiot."
"Neither is he."
Silence. Wesley studies the body slumped on the floor of the cage. He started out on the bunk, then seemed to slowly melt to the floor, like a man under an intolerable, invisible weight. Now he's half-lying against the bars, one leg sprawled bonelessly out in front of him, the other tucked under at a strange angle. He appears to be staring at his own hands. He may or may not be in tears.
"You can't tell?" Wesley asks, for the third time. "You can't sense whether the soul's in place?"
"I can tell he's a big fucking vampire with a lot of spells on him and some nice sharp teeth in his head."
"Do you think Xander could tell?"
"Before or after he wets himself?"
Wesley rubs a hand across his mouth and stares at the screen some more. Angelus is turning the crossbow bolt over and over in his hands.
"All right," Wesley says at last. "We'll rest a little while longer, then go back down and start the counters again. We'll proceed as though it's Angelus, to be safe."
Spike raises his palms in a thank God gesture, and shoves his chair back from the desk. "Good."
"How's Xander?"
Spike is already halfway out the door; he pauses to glance back. "He's dead, soulless, and chained to a refrigerator. I'd say he's had better days."
"I mean how's he holding up?"
"He's not the one who looks like he's been sucked through a jet engine. Take a nap, will you?"
"That's a very good idea."
Spike lingers a few seconds longer, as if he's going to say something else, then leaves.
Wesley goes back to staring at the man in the cage.
