Gunn just shrugged.

"This is classic you, Angel. And I'll bet you'd be just as frumpy if you reached the cup first."

Angel repeated what had almost become his mantra.

"Spike just wanted it more. If the cup had been real, he'd be human, right now--and flying off to Europe, to be with her."

"You're assuming he'd seek her out, first thing, and that she'd have him. Didn't she hook up with that nerd-pal of hers?"

Angel looked straight at him.

"Andrew?"

Gunn gulped. Spike's stories had told them all of last year's details in fallen Sunnydale.

"No. Umm--eye-patch guy?"

"Well, he's convinced he's only a temp. But Spike would go to her, eventually, if he could. And I can't. And I couldn't, even if the damned thing had been true."

Gunn tried again, despite knowing better.

"Part of the reason I'm here today is that I failed to save my sister. Now, that's zero-one, man. Either I saved her, or I didn't. Tricks don't matter. And all they did was kidnap and kill her. There was no one playing extra games with my head, til after I found her. In your case, though? You have Spike, who you have an intense history with, a lot of times over the same woman. As to him wanting it more? Yeah, I think he did."

"See?"

"No, Angel. He wanted it for more than just sunlight, Applebee's and garlic bread. More than even for Buffy. More than even wanting to beat you."

Angel was confused.

"Than for what? Not getting his stolen Slayer-skin leather jacket dusted when he goes?"

"Deep disturbing imagery aside, Angel--think! Before all this started, Spike was a ghost. I was already contacting the backpack gents in NYC to come in and bust his pale ass off to the main containment chamber."

"Your point being?"

"Gahh! Okay...he wasn't just fighting to maybe get human. He prolly thought, if he lost, not only would he not be snuggling with the Slayer, but he'd be back among the dead-ites--and fighting against that, I think anyone could give you a run."

When Angel just continued sitting there, Gunn walked out with some choice last words.

"If I'd saved my sister, I'dve done what Spike is likely doing right now--celebrating. But you--you mourn victory the same as defeat. Not Spike, though. Pushy, obnoxious. Yep. But when he's won, he's won. Chew on that."

Several offices and a hi-tech sound-baffle away, Fred walked into the darkened office and saw Spike. The vampire repeated what had become for him a mantra.

"I know his games. He bloody well let me win."