The sun was setting over the skyline of New Chicago as Xander walked barefoot along the shore of Lake Michigan. There was something about the Great Lakes that he had always enjoyed. They seemed almost like an ocean, massive and powerful, but yet were still nothing more than a group of lakes...massive, enormous lakes. It had been a while since he took the time to walk barefoot along any beach, and as the waves crashed upon the shore he couldn't help but smile at just how relaxing and how beautiful the whole scene really was to him.
A moment later he heard the sound of large powerful wings flapping as a slight puff of sand flew past his feet. He didn't bother to turn around, instead he simply smiled and said "Hello angel..."
"Hey Hunnybun!" Came the excitable response as his angelic friend, Veo, joined him on his walk down the beach. "How are you doing?"
Xander looked at his friend, half of her face bathed in the orange glow of sunset, and took a slow deep breath. He briefly looked away to take in the rest of the scenery and slowly exhaled before finally answering "I'm...peaceful."
Veo couldn't help but smile. "I'm so glad to hear it!" she said honestly. "I thought you might be enjoying the views out here on the beach, but I didn't think it would have this profound of an effect on you. It's a pleasant surprise."
Xander gave her a soft smile, wrapped his arm around his old friend's shoulder and gave her a half hug. "What about you, what have you been up to the last few days?"
Veo shrugged as they continued to walk. "Well you know...a little shopping, a little art viewing, a little finding of a surprise for you..." she let her voice trail off without so much as a hint that she was going to continue the sentence. It was nothing more than bait for Xander's attention. She did this to him quite often...and she was an expert at it.
Xander smirked as he waited...and waited...and waited some more, all for Veo to finish her sentence. Although he knew she never would. Finally he spoke up in as exasperated a voice as he could muster. "You're not going to tell me what it is unless I ask...are you?"
"Nope." Was the only reply that came out of the angel. She didn't' so much crack even the tiniest hint of a smile.
The incubus shook his head and laughed as he finally broke down. "Ok, what is the surprise you found for meeeee...!" His sentence was cut off by the angel grabbing his arm and rapidly pulling him toward the city.
"I'll show you! You're gonna love this!" she said, giddy as a schoolgirl.
"Wait, my shoes!" Was the last thing Xander got out before he started screaming like a little girl as Veo dragged him across all six lanes of Lake Shore Drive. She didn't slow her pace in the slightest and never came close to being hit by a car even once. Xander hated when she did that.
--
Five minutes later...
"You've got to be kidding me..." Xander said, mouth open as he stared at the building across the street. "How in the actual hell is this here?!"
Veo just smiled as she hugged him from behind and whispered "Surprise!" into his ear.
Xander was in shock. Standing in front of him, nestled gently between a spa and an apartment building, was an exact replica of a place he knew all too well. A place filled with both good memories and bad. A place that had helped to shape who he was years ago, and a place that was closed down more than five years ago. The Spirals Nightclub.
"Is this real? I mean obviously it's real. But, I mean, it can't be the same thing...can it?!" he asked, clearly confused.
"Only one way to find out!" Veo said as she once again grabbed his arm and dragged him across the street to the club. Xander was in too much shock to really put up much of a fight.
