TITLE: A Whole New Life Ahead
AUTHOR: Ragna (writinggoddess@aol.com)
SPOILERS/CLASSIFICATION: Anya/Spike, set after "Seeing Red."
DISCLAIMER: If you don't recognize it, chances are it's my own creation. If you do, I don't own it. Joss Whedon, Kazui Sandollar, The WB, UPN, et. al. most likely do.
FEEDBACK/DISTRIBUTION: Please send feedback, just let me know it's feedback. Any sites with my fic up: I write it, you can post it. Everyone else just keep my name on it and let me know.
FICATHON ASSIGNMENT: For the Road Trip Mini-Thon. My Assignment:


AUTHORS NOTES: I'm more then open to writing a sequel for this one...

***

It had been a pretty hectic month. A ruined wedding, a tryst on a table and one shocking revelation later, Anya decided it was time to get the heck out of Sunnyhell.

She didn't rush, however, as much as it pained her. There were things to take care of and Anya, being the practical woman she was, wanted to leave with all the money she had earned. She sold the store to Willow, the only Scooby still talking to her. She went through everything she had taken from Xander's and sold whatever she didn't want.

As much as the dissolution of her relationship hurt, she wasn't as stupid as some of the women she'd given vengeance to. She knew if she sold everything he'd given her, or burned it or broke it, she'd regret it later. So she kept a few items, rememberances, things to show her she'd been normal.

And then, she left.

***

Things with Buffy had been going downhill for months, culminating in his stupid attempt to get Buffy to see how he felt. After one of the idiot geeks had taken a shot at Buffy and killed Tara instead, he decided it was high time to leave Sunnyhell. He was angry, and he was lost.

But he was not, under any circumstances, setting foot back in Sunnyhell no matter how much his unlife may depend on it. No, he was sure if he did, there'd be a stake with his name on it plunging into his chest within minutes.

So, for the first time in his existence, he did the prudent thing: he gathered up whatever was worth keeping and jumped on his motorcycle.

He started to leave.

And then, he saw her again.

It had taken Spike a while to track her down. Last he'd heard, she was in sunny San Diego, moping around the beaches and being as frugal as ever. He'd tossed around the idea of possibly going to see her, but shelved it almost as soon as the idea flitted through his mind. One time together did not a relationship, or even a friendship, make.

"Are you just going to stand there straddling that thing?"

Her voice broke him out of his reverie. "Blody hell, Anya. Thought you'd left Sunnydale for good."

"Had to take care of some things," she said, shrugging. "Heard about Buffy and Tara, and you. You idiot."

Spike winced. "Well, what was I supposed to do?"

"Pinning Buffy down on the bathroom floor was probably not it." She walked over closer to him. "I take it you're heading out?"

"As fast as I can," he said.

"Want a lift?"

Spike raised an eyebrow, then patted his motorcycle. "Already have one."

"Trust me, you want to come with me."

"Now why would I want to do that?" Spike said, getting off the bike and putting the kickstand down.

She walked up to him and stood toe to toe, nose to nose. "Are you really that dense, Spike?"

He stepped back and looked at her, and then really looked at her. "Bloody hell, you're a demon again!"

Anya nodded. "Got my old job back. And I could use some assistance..."

"What's in it for me?"

"Well, you won't be a vampire anymore, for one. Just a demon. And there's the travel..."

"Like to where?"

"I'm on my way to Las Vegas right now."

Spike got his things off the bike and hitched them onto his shoulder. "Lead the way. But I drive."

***

Spike turned the volume down a bit. "So, what's the catch?" he asked as they flew down the highway that would connect them to the major highway systems heading to Las Vegas.

"No catch. You become a vengeance demon, help me with some of the more exotic torture requests, and that's that."

"There's got to be a catch."

"Hush." Anya turned the volume up in time for Eve's rap.

Spike snapped the radio off, getting a glare from Anya. "Spill, demon girl. There's a catch."

She continued to glare, but Spike didn't remove his hand from the volume knob, and finally Anya sighed. "We have to work as a team."

"I'd already assumed that."

"When I say team, I mean couple."

Spike slammed on the brakes; thankfully, there was no one behind them or ahead of them. The warm summer air settled over the two of them, replacing the wind that had streamed in throught he open windows. "Bloody hell, Anya, we only had sex once! And now you expect--"

"I don't expect anything," Anya said acidly. "Hell, I didn't even want to make the offer but D'Hofryn insisted. It's all his fault."

Spike drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "So, let me get this right. In order for me to take the job and become a regular human and not be a vampire any longer, I have to deal with you for...?" He left the sentence hanging, hoping to get a time frame.

"Forever."

"What did I do to deserve this?" he muttered, looking upwards.

"Nothing. You know, we can turn around and I can just take my car back and leave you to Buffy's mercy." Anya jerked her thumb behind her. "Or," she said, pointing to the road ahead of them, "you can think about it on the way to Las Vegas. But we better hurry so we can find a place to wait out the day."

Grudgingly, Spike started the engine, muttering under his breath about deals with Devils and scorned women. But in the end, he knew he'd agree. He'd take on the job, become just a regular demon, deal with Anya for the rest of eternity.

Just because he liked her. Didn't know why, but he liked her.

He just hoped he wouldn't kill her before they hit Vegas...