•••

"What are we going to do?" Wil asked as he and Angel heated up their dinner. The investigation agency had spent more than a week now moping around the hotel, pointedly not talking about what was bothering them most—Wolfram & Hart.

"I really have no idea," Angel murmured as he decanted his blood. It was nothing less than the truth; the dark vampire had replayed every option in his mind over and over, with the same results—bad things all around. One or all of them died, innocents died, the world ended… He didn't like what he saw, and he couldn't keep from thinking about it.

Wil followed suit, sitting at the kitchen table to drink his dinner. In a way, he wished that Cordelia had never started investigating the law firm. No, they wouldn't have known about it, and would have gone on inadvertently helping the bad guys sometimes, but in exchange they would have kept their happiness and group cohesiveness. Now, everyone stayed silent where they used to talk. No one laughed, or made suggestions about dinner or singing at Caritas. But most importantly, no one talked about their 'mission.' Before this had come out, nearly every day someone would mention how they were helping not just a few people, but the world in general—helping turn the tide against darkness by first getting rid of the bad guys and second by showing normal people that the world had good people in it looking out for them. Now, though, they thought that they were just laughingstocks. The people they were helping probably got a kick out of watching the do-gooders help the bad guys, and they weren't keeping evil at bay. They were just eliminating small-time evil so that the big guns could move in.

"We have to do something," Wil remarked after he finished his blood. "At the rate we're going, we're gonna get ourselves killed."

"I know," Angel replied. If they didn't find something to get them motivated, they were going to get careless and sloppy—and that would get them killed very quickly.

"Vision!"

Wil and Angel bounded out of their chairs and ran to the lobby. Xander was hanging off the second-floor railing, peering down at them. "It's a big one, guys. You better get up here."

The vampires ran up the stairs to their office. The rest of the gang was hanging out in there as well, reading magazines and polishing their fingernails. "What about this vision?" Angel asked.

Xander sat down. "Huge, long vision. Funny thing is that I can't place where it is."

"What did you see?" Wesley asked absently. Fred drew out a pad of paper to take notes, passing it over to Oz.

"Um…a bunch of people screaming, some demony things running around, and a lot of blood," Xander recounted evenly.

"Anything else? Clues as to the location?" Angel asked desperately. Their seers needed to have a little more enthusiasm for their jobs.

Xander's brow furrowed. "Like I said, I don't recognize the place. It's near this big building. Looks like one of those old churches, or a palace or something," Xander muttered. "It had a cool-looking clock tower—really tall and all. Trees, too. Kind of reminded me of England."

Wesley looked up. England? "You didn't see any signs, did you? The Powers usually give more clues than that."

"They probably gave us everything we need," Wil said from the seat he'd taken in front of Cordelia's computer. He was typing rapidly. "Did it look anything like this?" He asked, swiveling the computer's monitor toward Xander.

Xander glanced up, then looked again. "Yeah! That's exactly what it looked like. How'd you do that?"

Wil rolled his eyes. "I did live there at one point, Xander. That's the Palace of Westminster. You saw the clock tower commonly known as Big Ben in your vision."

Wesley's eyes widened. "Why on earth would he have a vision for something that is going to happen on the other side of the world?"

Angel looked over at Wil, a tight, cold suspicion tightening in his gut. "Because we're supposed to do something about it."

"In England?" Cordelia squawked. "Why England?"

Wil shrugged. "The Powers call, we answer. That's how it goes."

"Yeah, well it looks like you're gonna be answering from London for a while," Gunn remarked. "After all, Xander is your seer, isn't he?"

Wil nodded. "That is true."

Fred frowned. "So the two of you have to go to London?"

"Three."

Everyone looked at Oz. "What?" Cordelia murmured.

"I go where Xander goes," Oz said quietly. The investigators nodded.

Wesley looked over at Fred. She knew what he was going to say, so she nodded her assent. "I'll go as well."

"What?!?" Cordelia yelled.

"You could try a different word," Gunn muttered. "Delia, they're gonna need a researcher, and Wesley knows London—better than any of us do. Wil may have been there before, but I'd bet it's been a while."

"Cars in London will be a novelty," Wil murmured. He was very surprised at how quickly the group had rallied around this vision. Their apathy had vanished in the rush of danger and excitement. He just hoped it lasted beyond the transatlantic flight that followed.

"How are you going to get Wil over there?" Fred asked curiously.

"Very carefully," Wil replied.

"What did those demons look like, Xander?" Wesley asked. "We won't be able to take very many texts with us, and I'm afraid that most reference libraries that I know of in London are no longer open to me."

"Why not?" Angel inquired. They could always call or e-mail here for information, but it would be faster to just get it there.

Wesley looked down at himself. "Watchers are not known for their fondness for cloven hooves."

Everyone looked around nervously. "Will the Council be a problem, Wes?" Angel asked seriously.

Wesley shook his head. "For me? No. Fauns aren't common, but they aren't dangerous, so they'll probably just disapprove strongly. But then again, they already think I'm a failure, so little will change. Wil, though, is going to have to stay invisible."

Wil nodded. "That shouldn't be a problem. There's a thriving community in London; not even the Watcher's Council can control that."

Angel stood up from where he'd been leaning on the desk. "Cordy, can you and Wil get the plane tickets and other arrangements together?" They nodded. "Xander, you, Fred and Oz help Wesley with the research. Gunn and I need to run a few errands."

Gunn raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he followed Angel out of the office. Angel started talking again as soon as they got out of the room. "We need to track down some information."

"Like what?" Gunn asked.

"I just want to make sure this was a real vision and not something Wolfram & Hart pulled out of their asses," Angel replied darkly.

•••

"We're flying out in the morning. Wesley figured out that the attack is going to happen in a crowd of football fans, after England wins their next match."

Angel closed the door behind him and looked over at Wil. The blonde was sorting through several piles of clothing, occasionally tossing something into his suitcase. "I'll drive you to the airport," Angel murmured, sitting down on the bed.

That statement got a choked laugh. "Of course you will, Angel."

"How long do you think this will take?" Angel inquired, watching with discomfort as Wil put more and more stuff into the case. He was packing far more than what he'd need for a few days.

"Honestly? I don't know," Wil replied, staring down at his hands. "Considering our luck? Don't wait up for us."

Angel growled. He knew that Wil was going to say something to that effect, but it still bothered him. He didn't want his childe gone for any length of time. A separation of a single day was torture for Angel; how was he going to survive a week—or a month? What if it took longer than that? "It is just a vision," Angel said desperately.

"Right," Wil said, grimacing. "Just a vision."

Angel sighed and stood to help Wil pack. It was the least he could do. Together they sorted, folded and stuffed until the suitcase was full and Wil had nothing left to take. "Now what?" Angel asked as he set the case by the door.

Wil looked over at Angel. "I figured we'd spend the rest of the night fucking ourselves stupid, but if you'd rather do something else, that's fine as well."

Angel didn't bother to answer; he just walked over to Wil and pressed their bodies together. The blonde's head tipped back as Angel bent down to cover that lush mouth with his own, tasting blood and chocolate and whisky. Ah, his childe had been indulging again.

Much to Wil's surprise, Angel didn't begin to pull and tear at his clothes as he was wont to do; instead the older vampire carefully unbuttoned and unsnapped until they were both naked. The blonde was shaken by the intensity in Angel's eyes as he was lowered onto the bed. That gaze was so pure, so pained, that Wil nearly cried from it. He couldn't look away, even as it made him tremble.

"Will you think of this, Wil, when you're alone in London?" Angel whispered as ran his hands down Wil's body. The blonde arched and moaned when Angel took possession of his cock, smoothing his thumb over the head. "Will you take yourself in hand and pretend it's me doing this?"

Wil shuddered and cried out as Angel took up one of his own hands and wrapped it with his around the blonde's erection. Angel controlled the pace as they masturbated him together. The dark vampire leaned down, close to Wil's face. "Will you close your eyes and see us together?"

"Y-yes," Wil moaned as Angel's hand tightened, simultaneously pushing Wil's own hand down hard on the base of his cock. When Angel's free hand began to stroke against his hole, Wil simply shifted his legs further apart and canted his hips up, wantonly inviting Angel to do as he pleased.

Angel grabbed a bottle of lubricant and coated one finger before pressing it inside Wil's cool, tight body. The blonde groaned and whined, thrusting to bring Angel deeper inside him. Angel moved with those thrusts, keeping Wil from getting what he wanted. Angel had to make this last—after this night they would be alone, for gods knew how long. "Tell me, Wil. Show me. What will you do?" Angel said, abruptly pulling away from the blonde.

Wil's eyes shot open. "Ahh…" He moaned, feeling suddenly bereft. Why had Angel stopped?

Angel looked down at Wil with a serious expression on his face. "Show me what you will do when you're alone in some cheap London hotel, knowing that Xander and Oz are fucking in the next room over and all you've got is yourself."

Wil just stared at Angel for a long time. "What I'll do?" He echoed.

"Yes, show me. I cannot believe that you will abstain for any length of time," Angel replied.

"I have before," Wil said absently.

Angel leaned down again, pressing his mouth right up to Wil's ear. "But you won't this time, will you? Because those other times we were not together like this. Now, though, we are. And you'll know that whatever you're doing in your loneliness, I will be doing as well."

A shiver ran through Wil's body at the intensity of Angel's voice. "I…"

"Show me," Angel demanded, looking down Wil's body. "How shall you abuse yourself when I cannot be there?"

Wil nodded silently and placed one hand gingerly over his right nipple, his eyes locked with Angel's. He pressed slightly, and then began a slow rubbing motion. Angel watched Wil's face avidly as the blonde raised his hand and caught the now-erect nipple between two fingers and began to pull and twist with almost cruel force. The blonde began to draw the fingers of his left hand across his face and around his ears and neck much like Angel did with his tongue. The light, fluttering touches made Wil whimper and moan, but he couldn't look away.

Eventually, Wil moved his left hand down his body, stroking his cock lazily and dabbling in the pre come that had leaked onto his belly. His other hand dropped lower, circling his lubricated entrance. All the while Angel simply stared into his eyes; not watching what Wil was doing, but rather taking in how Wil's face expressed his pleasure.

Angel bit back a moan as he watched Wil's face contort when the blonde pushed one finger inside himself, unerringly finding his prostate. The dark vampire could tell exactly what Wil was doing to himself—how he was fisting his cock loosely and barely moving the finger inside him. He could tell when Wil began to move with more purpose, pinching and sliding his foreskin and pushing a second finger into his hole.

Wil was unnerved by Angel; that dark stare kept adding to his arousal until it was at a fever pitch. His lover had watched him before, but this was different. It was as though Angel was memorizing him. Although he had only been touching himself for a few minutes, Wil found himself rushing toward orgasm.

Angel knew the moment that Wil reached his climax; that lush mouth opened in a silent scream and all the muscles in his neck and shoulders tensed, corded, and then relaxed. Wil's eyes widened impossibly, but he never looked away. Angel could see his pupils grow huge and knew that Wil probably couldn't see him at all.

Once Wil had calmed down somewhat, Angel rolled on top of him and began to caress the blonde, mimicking Wil's earlier behaviors. When Wil began to speak, Angel stopped him. "Shh. Close your eyes, Wil." After a moment, Wil obeyed, lying back with his eyes closed. Angel continued to touch him, brushing one tender hand over his face while the other pinched and tortured a nipple.

When Angel reached Wil's groin, he found the blonde erect again and squirming under his hand. He knew that Wil was completely undone by this mirrored reflection of what he'd done to himself. It was his fantasy made real. Eyes open, he was with Angel but alone in his pleasure. Eyes closed, he was with Angel in his pleasure but otherwise alone.

Both vampires cried out when Angel pushed his cock inside Wil's still stretched and relaxed hole. Angel easily controlled Wil, keeping the blonde from rushing their lovemaking. He reveled in the tug and slide of Wil's body around his, of the breathy pants and moans his thrusting elicited from his lover. He held off his own climax until Wil had finished shuddering and crying through his own.

Afterwards, Wil wrapped himself around Angel, burying his face into one hard shoulder. Angel held him close, trying not to be too worried about the tears running between them. There was little, if anything, they could do about this situation. Looking back, Angel realized that he'd always known, somewhere in the depths of his mind, that The Powers That Be were going to separate them. He didn't think it was fair, but their bosses hadn't really shown a lot of fairness in the past.

Eventually Wil quieted and Angel moved them around a bit so that they were comfortable for a few hours' sleep. Wil's flight left at an ungodly early hour, so they had little time for rest.