Title: Hero
Author: The_angelic_black_queen
Posted: 07-28-2002
Rating: NC 17
Email: anamrijahorvat@hotmail.com
Content: C/A,D/Aus in the past and other pairings.
Summary: Angel & Cordelia are sent to the past to stop a horrible murder of taking place in the future!Set after Provider.
Spoilers: A bit of "Darla" and season three in general, mostly Connor.
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution: Nothing fancy-all others just tell me where it went.
Notes: It's my first fic & I'd really love,love,love if you told me what you think.
Feedback: As I said;I'd love it.
Part 5
Angel walked down the streets of London and allthough he hadn't been walking for long he felt so tired. What the Tyllack demon told him changed everything. His mission wasn't as simple as he thought it was, just to stake Madeline.
It was so hard to except what it really was,so painfull...but he was sure that on some level allready knew it. But it hurt so much; knowing that after a week he'd never be with Cordelia again, that he would never feel that happy. He probablly wouldn't feel anything at all.
His eyes welled up and as he sat down on a bench the tears finally fell. He knew it was right but loosing her...
How could he look her in those beautiful eyes and tell her that soon he'd have to say goodbye, a goodbye that lasts foever? He couldn't. In that moment Angel decided he couldn't tell her, not yet-he didn't have the strainght to see the kind of sadness he had felt in her eyes, to spend these last seven days in tears; it would be a waste of the preciouss time they had left.
He closed his eyes and the tears stopped, drying in the cold.Soon Angel found the will to walk again because of one reason;when he got to his room he would see her. And for a week they would be without the sadness,without a single thought of not being together after this mission ends.
* * *
"An ice cold gloomy vicius flame"
Angelus admired his Sire and lover as he layed next and listened to her read, bringing the poem to an end.
"I love the very one wich me wound"
"So,what do you think?",she said as she closed her book.
"The irony,it's apsolutelly delicious;the one poem you did not give Madeline describes her best. She was a great talent;miss Franco. In all the ways possible love, just like you."
"Richard doesn't seem to think so."
"Are you saying the Watcher might be possing a threat?"
"Madeline told me in the letter she sent me today that he thinks my honesty is make belive."
"And unfortunatelly for him; he's right. Finally, a Watcher with some brains,the others we're all so useless. Seems like we'll have to pay some attention to good old Richard."
"We will,but he has done us some good with his latest fight with Madeline, I 'll be able to use that for my benefit later on."
"Speaking of plans I have an idea. Remember the familly she wrote about darling?"
"Yes.",Darla said remembering that last night a poor familly was attacked. It was totally coincidental and since Madeline stopped it there was no danger for them anymore; the vampires that attacked them were probablly minions and all were dead now.
"She thinks there safe.",Angelus stated, "Why don't we prove her wrong? Just to make sure she dismisses the thought that you might not be in danger compeletlly."
* * *
Richard heard the door slam shut as Madeline went out for patrole. She hand' t talked to him the whole day, she just passed by him without a word. She didn't even say anything as she went of into town.
The good thing in that was if she had seen what he had been doing the entire day she would have been furious. He was determine to prove to her that Darla and Angelus aren't who they seemed to be and because of it his whole study had pilles of books everywhere, even the floor was cramped up. Since they definetlly weren't vampires he had dug up all the books he had on witchcraft and so on; anything that might be conected to them.
He wasn't about to let Madeline get hurt because she was charmed by someone and he made the mistake of not checking it. After what happened to Sharon he leared to be carefull.
Richard allways knew that being a Watcher was his future; he found out about vampires very soon as he saw his father,also a Watcher fight one. He was scared at first but his father explained to him that what they did saved people, helped them. That was the moment that his father was risen to a even higher pedestal than before in his eyes; and he decided he was going to be exactlly like him. He was best in his class, extremlly thorough and made it a point not to let anyone uncover what he was really doing with his life.
Until he mett Sharon. They had met at a wedding on wich she was one of the bridesmates and he was sure that after he saw her, trough the whole ceremony he never looked at anyone else. She had long red hair and dark green eyes, much like his own. She wasn't as beautifull as Madeline but the way she smiled made her perfection in his eyes. They had fallen in love within a few days and were inseparable ever since; she fascinated him. She was brave,smart and witty, she also had great will to learn-in that Madeline reminded him of Sharon a great deal.
He was sure she could handle what he was and when he told her found out he wasn't mistaken. She excepted it, even admired him for it and he trained her like he would a slayer.
But one night everything changed. There was an attack on the house next to her's and being who she was Sharon didn't wait for help to get there. When he and the others came they found the familly safe, the vampires ashes and her body covered in blood and the glass of a broken mirror surounding her. The familly had said that the last vampire had thrown her there, took the stake she had and stabbed her with it a few times but escaped when he heard them approaching, leaving the girl dead. They also said she had saved them all; that she had killed four vampires. In that moment Richard could barelly hear them say it; all he could do is hold Sharon as he whispered his feelings in her ear, tears falling down. The other memberes of the Council that were there knew she couldn't hear him but let him speak.
He had allways held himself responcible for what happened and vowed never to fall in love again; until he met Madeline he kept it. She was strong enough to face vampires and had to be in his world; it was a her destiny. After what happened today his love wasn't weakened; she just didn't understand how he loved her. It wasn't something forced like she thought; it was something beautifull and he wasn't about to lose her like he did Sharon. With that in mind he opened another book and started reading.
* * *
Madeline was about to call her patrole over as she knocked on the door of the Brenton house just to check on them after what happened lastnight. She had allready been there at daylight to see if they had calmed down; she liked them a lot. She had also been fairlly suprised as the door they had declared to allways keep locked simplly slidded open.
She entered the house causiouslly, stake in hand and her face soon showed nothing but horror, shock and sadness over the sight before her. The familly had all been killed and blood covered the bodies, floor and walls. In the three years since she became a slayer she rarelly saw things like this; offcourse she had seen people die but this...this was something she only read about not saw. On top of a younger girls body was a letter; bloodstainded but readable. As she opened it up and read it she felt like someone had stabbed her:
"Funny,just when you thought the danger was gone Darla will be. Seems like your allready late."
With that Madeline dropped the letter and ran to the sight where she was supposed to be meeting Darla;her fear and desparation growing.
* * *
Darla walked to the backside of a rather big church where she ussually met Maddy. As Angelus would say; the irony just keeps on growing.She dropped her blue coat revealing a torne lightblue dress. She had to make it all look real.
As she saw Madeline run to her she rose the stake pretending that she had no idea who was approaching.When the girls face cautght some light and it was humanlly possible to see her Darla dropped the stake and whispered her name. When she saw her Madeline broke into tears:
"Did they hurt you bad?"
"No,no,I fought them of."
"The familly I told you about...they're dead. I found a letter, it said you were going to die soon I...I thought I lost you.",Madeline said as she stepped closer to her.
"Shhh,You can't lose me.";Darla said wipping away the slayers tears. "You'll never lose me, you have to trust me with that."
"I do.",Madeline said as Darla held her.
* * *
Angel embraced Cordelia as she looked up. "They're so beautifull. You can never see this many stars in L.A. Well,not those kind of starts anyway."
He had taken her to one of the most beautifull places in London; near the park was a amasing, now frozen lake, with a few benches aroung it. For one night he wanted to take her out, make her enjoy old London and since he didn 't have the money to take her to a theatre or...pretty much anywhere glamorous he setleed for the kind of beautty you never had to pay for.
"When we get to L.A.", Cordelia continued, "I'll take you to my favorite spot; it's next to the sea. Not as many stars but still amasing."
"I bet it is."Angel said trying not to let the sadness that there sin't going to be a future L.A. place for them,or a future anything for them. But she saw bits of it in his eyes; he trully was one of those people who's soul you can see just by looking, really looking there.
"Angel what's wrong? It's Madeline isn't it? She was meant to die Angel. I know it hurts but it had to happen."
"I know,I know. But there's so much to deal with,it hurts..."
"I understand.",she said,symphaty visible in her voice. She didn't know, couldn't know-Angel reminded himself that that would only make it worse. "I hate seeing you like this Angel; you don't deserve it."
"You have no idea how much hearing that from you means to me. Your the one that doesn't deserve to go trough this."
"Your wrong. I'd go trough anything for you."
In that moment Angel was speechless;he was so lost in her,lost in her love.
* * *
She entered her house just before dawn and went up to her room, she senced Angelus was allready there. As she entered she saw a beutifull blond girl on the floor, her heart wasn't beating and she had a lot of marks all over her body, one of them on her wrist. She looked up at Angelus who was holding a wine glass filled with the girls blood.
"Do you want some? I figure you didn't have time to feed.",he said as she took the glass. "It's nice, the girl was a virgin; well,she ussed to be one. That familly made me a tad...hungry."
"You did an excelent job.",she said stepping over the body."Madeline trusts me compeletlly now. She feels safe."
"I bet she does;when are you thinking..."
"Tomorow.I'd sugest you grab a quick bite if you want to make the show."
"Tomorow night? Are you sure?"
"Have I ever been wrong?If I say it's going to happen..."
"Then I'm free tomorow night; all night. Don't kill her though,leave that for later.",he said while ripping the parts that were left of her dress.
"So you can have a taste?"
She said as he rose her up and carried her to a table,her legs wrapped around him.
"So she can be in pain.",he said between kisses and started to get her corset to loosen up. "And so I can taste her."
"Pain I love but I'm not sure your going to get that wish.."With that he stopped kissing her and looked at her, first serious but a smile came trough fastlly. "
"Are you?",he said and with a fast move he simplly ripped all that was holding the corset together and threw it in the other direction. He pulled her almost compeletlly naked body next to him trailing a hand down her back. "Let me make you sure.",he said and kissed her.
* * *
Madeline got home a bit later, since her house was farther then Darla's from the church. As she walked as quietlly as possible a lowd voice almost made her shake.
"Where the bloody Hell were you?",Richerd said as he saw that Madeline, who he had been worried sick for a few hourse looked perfectlly okay. "I was worried sick; I though you were hurt, or even worse dead. You can't just go out at night and retung in daylight!"
"I was..."
"Out with Darla!I know!Your allways out with her; attleast before you went on proper patroles and when you stayed out this late you had a damn good reason!"
"Not that it's any of your bussiness but I did have a reason!",she yelled now angry herself that he was actually judging her.
"What?!"
"Darla was attacked! She was almost killed!"
"And you protected her?"
"Uhm...Yes I did."she said and even though she knew she shouldn't lie; she couldn't take more of his judgements right now. Not after she allmost lost the one person that didn't judge her.
"Oh,good. I'm sorry for yelling I just..."
"Didn't trust me."
"That's not true. I do trust you I just don't trust her. I was worried that she did something, that she hurt you."
"You aren't worried about her, there's no reason for you to be; you just can 't handle not being able to controle me. Well,you can't. And from now on I' ll be out until when ever I see fit.",she said with the coldest look he had ever seen her.Madeline turned around and left.
She just didn't seem to understand a single word he said to her;all because of Darla he was sure of that. And something told him she was hidding something about that woman and what happened that night. Not that she would tell him if he asked.
He slowlly returned to his study and went back to his reading.The problem was that trough a dossen books he had looked at he had found apsolutelly nothing about either Darla or her housbant. But he wouldn't let that stop him from uncovering the truth,nothing could stop him from protecting Maddy.
* * *
The next night Madeline left in a rush and didn't say a word to him about it. She didn't want to though she missed his company on some level; when she was alonne. When she was with Darla all that dissapeared; she never felt alonne with her. Since Angelus was out of the house mostlly all nights Madeline decided she was going to stay with Darla in her home. She also decided she would skip patrole compeletlly this time to make sure no harm came to her. She couldn't bare it if it did.
* * *
Madeline reached her house very soon since she was on horse and Darla showed her around. It was just as she remembered it from when she was a little girl; when she moved to London they had lived there for a bit less than a year, but a lot of artwork was added; things pre-datting this century and so did a lot of books in the library. Lucklly Darla and Angelus were smart enough to remove all the books that would give Madeline an idea of what they were.
As they reached the master bedroom as soon as they entered and saw the enormous silk covered bed Madeline feelt highlly uncomfortable .The thought of...She had no idea how she became so blunt as to ask what she did:
"You two share this bed'"
Darla looked at her completely unfazed, she was expecting this type of question:
"No,no we don't. I sleep in the room next to Angelus's though I like this one more."
"So he doesn't...",Madeline continued suprised at how honest she was being," Touch you?"
"He did;once,on our wedding night. I felt...nothing. And he saw it earlly on; because I pushed him away. Somehow I was brave enough to. He leaves me alone; he has women to share his bed everywhere anyway. But I don't Madeline. The reason he takes that kind of behavior from me is that it would hurt his appearance in public to devorce me and I'm too good of a model wife at partys to trough away; he understands that."
"Oh, I'm sorry I asked it's just..."
"What?"
"I hate the thought of a man you don't love sharring your bed; it must be horrible for anyone and I wouldn't want it to happen to you."
"I can't even imagine ti.While we're on a topic of men Richard is in love with you.You do see that don't you?"
"No he isn't."
"Well,no,not trully but it seems to me like he wants to controle you. Like he thinks your a child."
"But I'm not a child at all."
"No,your not.Your a strong, inteligent, brave, beautifull woman. I know that first hand."
"You've been the only one Darla. The only who's wanted to see me;really see me. Not like Richard."
"Because Ifelt you. Like I knew who you were."
"I felt the same;like I could see all the parts of your soul. I've never felt like that before."
"Me neither.I've never felt love like I do now."
"You love me?",Madeline said with a smile that seemed to show even in her eyes.
"All of you.",Darla said while moving closer. "Everything.Do you love me?"
"You can't see it?"
"Offcourse I can. I just need to hear it."
"I love you.",Madeline said and Darla's hand touched her cheek. Soon her lips met Madeline's and she responded. "Feel it...",Darla said and looked in the girls dark,warm eyes.
"I love you."Madeline said instantlly and they kissed again,only deeper.
"I need you.",Darla said between kisses and moved to her neck.
Madeline surrendered completlly to her touch and trough a moan she answered: "Then have me." With that she kissed Darla again, passion burning inside her. It never felt so safe to surrender,never felt this good.
* * *
Angelus watched trough the slight opening of the door to one of the dressing rooms, the one with the one with the best view and, fortunatelly, the least noticable one. He definetlly, like Darla, loved a view-especially the one in front of him.
His Sire was brilliant and he adored her for every last bit of it. As Darla started to undress the slayer Angelus had to fight all his urges to join the mesmerising duo in front of him.
But allthough all of his desire was visible on him he manidged not to. He would have both of them later and ruinning the delicious show in front of him wasnt an option .So he bit his lip drawing just a bit of his own blood and one hand went down as the womans moans got lowder.
* * *
Although she wanted nothing more than to stay like this; holding Darla's naked body under the silk coveres Madeline could tell that the night was soon to be over and that she had to leave so Angelus wouldn't see her there and realise his wife gave another woman spectacular pleasure insted of him.
But for some reason Madeline didn't feel at all guilty; she knew they were right in what they did, nothing ever felt so right before. Somehow, because she cared for Darla's safety she got the straight to get up:
"I need to go. If he'd see us...things would be bad. I don't want that."
"I know,I know, my brain keeps saying that. I'll hate to see you go."
"Only until tomorow night .I'm allready counting the hours you know."
"So am I. I'll help you get ready.",Darla said getting out of bed aswell.
* * *
As he heard the main door close Angelus started to go down the stairs. Darla heard lowd clapping as she turned aroung.
"You liked it,didn't you?",she said to him in the voice that made him want her even more.
"You knew I would. It took all my energy not to get betwen you two. You've done that before, haven't you?"
"A few times. Thoguh I prefer men sometimes I really enjoy a sweet,young girl."
"She was sweet,wasn't she? I could smell it. Thanks you darling; the show was faboleous. Let's go up. Come now."
"I allready have. Now time for your end of the bargain."
"Forgive me Sire.You'll show me upstairs.",he said as he took her in his arms and carried her up the stairs.
* * *
Angel looked at her once again and tryed to bring her beutty to papper;it was imposible. He hardlly slept anymore;just drawed her,admired her and part of him allready missed her.But when he remembered what he and Darla had donne he was sure it was the right thing to do-not that that made it any less painfull. Darla showed him her idea that day and he loved it; the griffin on top of a letter A. The pain while she drew it as allways in her hands became pleasure. But it wasn't like what he had with Cordelia; it wasn 't love.
He and Darla decided they'd catch Madeline that night and finally beggin the torchure on the girl that they yearned for. He also remembered what a suprise he and Darla were in for; a suprise that could have meant their deaths but meant the very reason why vampire Madeline later wanted them dead.
* * *
As Madeline left again to see Darla just after sundown Richard slamed the last book he had non-conected to vampires in the wall. He didn't find anything,not a bloody thing!The only thing left to look in were the Watchers diarys and that was pointless to even look at. But he was that desperate.
With apsolutelly no hope of finding anything Richard opened the diary of the Watcher of Madelines predecesour and read. After an hour of reading his eyeys wiedened and he dropped the book. Inside he found a perfectlly drawn picture of the * vampires * Angelus and Darla who had killed the last slayer.
Part 6
Madeline had unlocked the door of Darla and Angelus’s house letting herself in with a spare key that Darla had given her, telling her that she had suprise for her tonight. She walked the stairs up calling Darla’s name; when no one answered she decided not to worry about it; Darla was probablly just making whatever suprise she had for her even more worth the wait-not that she needed to make any special plans. They could have just as easlly stayed in or went out to the garden, it seemed beutifull. The brunette slayer opened up the bedroom door expecting to hear Darla’s sweet voice but instead saw something she was sure she could only see in her worst nightmare.
The room was trashed;as if it had been broken int: books, clothes, jewellry and broken glass was on the floor but that wasn’t what made this sight the worst one Madeline had even seen. Darla was on the bed,motionless and compeletlly naked and allthough she was in a possition like she was sleeping it...it didn’t seem like she was even breathing. Madeline ran to her side,cradelling her in her lap and screaming her name: “Wake up...darling just wake up.”,was all she could say.
But she didn’t feel anything, no pulse, no breathing; compeletlly nothing. Like Darla was never in that body. She turned her head gentlly,looking for a bite mark but found nothing. It was like her heart just stopped, no fight no nothing. Even though it didn’t seem like it she knew there had been an attack judging by the room. And though she could barelly think, barelly breath trough her sorrow she knew that it was a good thing that Darla hadn’t been biten; at least she wouldn’t have to see a demon take over her body, wouldn’t have to kill her. She couldn’t take the pain of doing that; the pain she was feeling right now was allready overwhelming.
The girl got up and still shaking slightlly her crying getting even worse went to the closet, trying to find a dress wich wasn’t dropped,wasn’t touched by the bastards that killed her lover. She found one; a dark blue dress she had never seen Darla in. Madeline took it out and moved slowlly towards the bed; she was going to dress her up. In that moment she was sure she couldn’t have heard anything much less someone behind her. But something hit her hard on her head-and everything went black.
Angelus looked at Darla who got up from the bed and went to him,stepping overa now unconssious Madeline.
“You see darling, that hideous thing was good for something.”,he said looking at the pecies of a huge but augfull vase given to them from the owners of the house; “How long do you think she’ll be out of it?”
“Half an hour.”,she said examining the Madeline who now had a small gash of blood staining her long, wavey hair. But she could sence it wasn’t a big cut that the vase had left and it was important because when the torture began they’d have to have Madeline fully conciouss and aware of what was happening; so she could enjoy it.
“Take her downstairs, I’ll come down in a second after I get dressed.”
Angelus picked up the girl and looked at his goergeouss Sire; “Why waste the time? Come down with us, the sooner we get her chained up the sooner the fun can begging.”
With that they left to take her down to the huge emptty wine cellar; they had had the minionss start preparring it for what was supposed to happen to the slayer as soon as they arrived.
* * *
As the pain started to lessen Madeline found the strainght to open her eyes, trying to remember what had happened to her. It all felt like she was trying to put pieces of a broken mirror together; everytime she’d get cut before she got to see her own reflectin. She remembered Darla,going to her house,seeing her dead and then nothing.Tears creept back again for the loos of her love but so did fear, she had no idea where she was and how she got there. Chains went aroung her wrists and her legs and she was compeletlly naked but she wasn’t cold; a fireplace must have been close by. A million questions were in her head but one seemed to be answered without though; the same people or what ever they were that did that to Darla did this to her. That was the one thing that gave her the will to try and figure out a way out of there; she could kill the people that hurt her. She started pulling on the cains but nothing happened besides her arms and legs getting hurt. Just as she thought it was helpless a door opened; and Angelus appeared!
She never liked him,much more than that;the fact that he had been Darla’s housband made her detest him but this was no time to let that get in the way of them getting out of this. Just as she was about to ask for his help he slowlly walked up to the other end of the room and while going trough somethings she could see were torture implements he talked to her like there was nothing strange here:
“Are you feeling better Madeline?I’m sorry if your head still hurts;I wanted you to feel different pain now.”
She looked at him trough all the pain and fastlly growing anger: “You did it, didn’t you? You killed her! You killed Darla!”
This time he laughed and turned to look at her, with his full vamp face on: “No,slayer darling, she killed me. About 70 years ago.”
“What? Your lying! Darla isn’t a vam...”
Her sentence was broken by Darla entering; compeletlly naked and with her blue eyeys turned yellow, teeth bared. “Oh yes I am. You were just to dumb to notice. He’s teeling the truth,”; she said putting a hand on his shoulder “I turned my boy when I was allready a 150 years old.”
“But I couldn’t...”
“Sence us? Can you sence us now?”
Darla and Angelus both took of their rings and they were right-now she could sence them stronger that any vampire ever.
“The gem of taste,your Watcher should have told you about it.But he didn’t, and the vampires wearing it will mean your death. I expected more of you Madeline;the last slayer,”,Angelus said as he took out a whip, “She was smart; smarter than you. But she died; want me to tell you how?”
Madeline shook her head her fear compeletlly taking over her, making even the pain and shock feel numb.
“We kept her alive for months; sometimes even I got tempted to finally kill her but then I’d hear her cry, or beg or scream and it would all be made worth it. The other people you couldn’t save Madeline, they got of easy. You see,their pain was short but breaking someone like you is so much more fun than breaking someones neck; if we factor that the neck breaking will come later."
“Let me,darlin’”,Darla said her hand moving from his shoulders to chest. “Maddy dear, your neck won't be broken anytime soon, lots is to come before that."
With that Angelus handed her the whip and she made a bloody cut between the girls breasts with it. Madeline screames and Darla made a another one across her stomach. Angelus went over to sit down and took a glass of champain; to celibrate the new victory over the slayer.
* * *
Richard closed the watchers diary in an instand and ran up the stairs to Madeline’s room. When he found it was locked he ran up the door, knocking it down with force he didn’t really know he had inside him. Fastlly he opened up her dreawers throwing things on the floor looking for the one thing that might lead him to where she was meeting Darla; her own diary.
* * *
This time it took what little enegry she had to keep her eyes opened, to keep aware of what was happening around her, to her. She didn’t know how many cuts she had on herself; just that it hurt bad.But physicall pain she could handle, was trainded to handdle; it was the other part that was killing her. She wasn’t sure anymore whether she even wanted to live; the same person she wanted to give her world to, the person she trusted beyond anything turned out to be her greates enemie.
After she thought it was enough of the whip Darla simplly dropped the now bloody thing and went to Angelus.H e pulled her into his lap and kissed her neither of them even caring that she was there to witness it. No,no they cared,maybe they wanted her to see it. To know what she thought she had she didn’t loose,she never had it.
It was just so hard to do it, to forget the Darla she knew, the Darla she loved and honetlly, the Darla she missed so much. In a way,when Madeline looked at them kissing she saw her Darla kissing her housband, not a vampire kissing her vampire lover. She saw the person who she thought cared for her, who told her she was strong and she belived her.
And then something happened to her,like some kind of sparkle of faith lid up in her. She knew she should forget the Darla she thought she knew but not what she told her.She was strong,no matter what they said.And she spoke up.
“Idiots!”, she said her voice still trembling from the pain from the cuts that were starting to heal. Angelus & Darla turned,breaking their kisses. “Whatever you do to me you’re allready dead!”
“And how do you figure that?”
“Richard will figure it out, he’ll see what you two really are and soon the Council will be after you with legions to ensure you never hurt a single person again.”
“She’s right dear.”,Angelus said suprising both of the women. “We did say we were going to keep an eye on the Watcher. Why don’t you pay him a visit and let me play with the girl.”
With that Madeline’s eyes widened and she realised she had donne a fatal mistake, not because he would hurt her, that wasn’t what bothered her but because Darla would go to Richard and that put him in danger wherther he figured out what they were or not. It was a mistake that would kill him. “No!”, Madeline screamed while Darla kissed Angeluses lips fastlly and got of him.
“I’m going to go dress for my visit. Have fun preciouss!”
With that she went out,clossing the door behind her leaving Madeline alonne with Angelus.
“Good one.Really.”,he said to her, “We almost forgot about him. You see that way he would have had a fighting chance, no he has none. When Darla reaches him...you can only pray you’ll get to see him alive. Not that praying ever did any good it’s just I love to see people try; put there faith in something that allowes so much evil; that’s what I call a miracle.”
Madeline didn’t speak, she just tried to keep her sadness over what was about to happen to Richard from showing on her face.
“Remember the dead familly you found?”
“You...”,she whispered letting her tears flow again but not feeling them.
“Good job don’t you think? I loved it,the little ones especially. So delighfull; they had no idea what was happennind. Those are the ones that scream the most, because there shock is brought from pure innocence. They can’t belive it;it’s why I love children, it tortures, kills their little mind. But you got the message of that. Yet,it didn’t stop you of not patroling, your lust went all over you. Or was it fear? We’re you afraid that you might see that again? I’m thinking both.”,he said as he moved to the table and took a leather notebook and walked to her.
“Not that I would ever mind,you two looked so sweet. It was such a show. I liked it so much I’m actually thinking of putting these on the wall; what do you think?”
He opened the notebook and beggan to show her pictures...of Darla and her the night they made love. He had seen everything and her crying got even wrose, it was like she was being ripped apart inside; everything she loved getting torn away and destroyed.
“I’m quessing by your reaction that they do hold a point.”
Then he put down the notebook and went back to her.
“Talk to me Maddy dear. You can’t tell me something I allready didn’t know but I’d love to hear you talk.Talk ,while your still able to.But don’t focus on that, enjoy it because you know we will. Truth be told, no matter how much pain we’re caussing you now you’ll never be able to forget. Darla is a wonder isn’t she? She’s apsolutelly remarkable. My whole life, well exsistance, you could never say this pathetic human exsistance is a life compared to what I have now, I had never met anyone like her. Neither have you and when you did...it swallowed you whole didn’t it? You loved every second of it and you loved every bit of the night you two had together,it’s still visible on you.”
She didn’t want t answer him, didn’t want to say that what he was saying now was the truth. With no words Angeluses fingertips started to lightlly move from the end of one of Madeline’s cuts from the whip wich was healing fastlly getting a few drops of blood left from it. His fingers moved so gentlly, only one barelly touching the wound so it didn’t hurt at all.
“There’s so much I’d like to do to you Madeline, so much I will do. I know you don’t really go for men but that’s because no ones ever did it right yet. I can.”
“You can’t! It’s nothing without love”, she said to him instinctivlly, knowing that to a demon like him it would probablly make no difference.
“Darla didn’t love you yet it felt so good, didn’t it?”,he said as he licked the blood of his finger. “Do you think love matters Madeline? Do you think it ever brought you any good? No,because you don’t know it. Richard loved you yet you were to big of an idiot to see it and you got him killed. Darla?You don’t know what love is, you couldn’t see she was a demon! You’re to tainted to know what love really is. In the depths of your mind you love this don’t you?”
“No! No...I would never.”, she said fighting with the little she had left; this was making her crazy.
“Really? Let’s find out.”,he said and touched body again,so gentlly...as if he actually cared about her. And that was the part that was killing her.
* * *
Darla left Madelines house in a hurry as soon as she realised where Richard had gonne. When she first arrived to the house she was greated only by a few servant saying both of the house owners had gonne out. She had killed them fastlly and as soon as she got to Richards office she had realised what had happened; on the floor there were some Watchers diarys, some of them opened on pages describing Angelus and her. She picked up the books fastlly, placing them in the hands of one of her minions and went back to the carriage to go to all the places where she would usually meet up with Madeline; she was preetty sure Richard would check those places if he had known where they were and right now that was her best guess. That and him going straight to her and Angeluses mansion but that didn’t bother her one bit; Angelus would kill him in a second if he had to. The thing that botheres her was Richard contacting the Watchers council about their wereabouts.
It turned out the first guess was right; she had seen Richard waitting for them at the back of the old church. He had thought it was the best idea; since Madelines diary said this was where they usually met he hoped he would see Madeline alonne there after her patrole ended but before Darla arrived. But this time it seemes both of them were late and that worried him a great deal; what if Darla had taken her somewhere?
He silentlly made a decition that if she didn’t arrive in the next five minutes he would go to the Lorreal mansion; that was the most likelly place he could find her .In any normal sircumstance his brain would have told him that it was crazy, that they would kill him but right now he didn’t hear that voice of reason; all he could hear was his heart telling him it couldn’t beat if Madeline died.But his thoughts were instantlly broken as he saw Darla’s carriage approach and the 210 years old vampiress stepp out.
“Waitting for Madeline aren’t you?”
“Where is she?”
“With my boy, he’s probablly having lots of fun with her now. You’re a smart little Watcher, try to imagine what’s happening.”
“All I can imagine is Madeline staking him.”
“Oh,I don’t think so.”,Darla siad slamming his cross away and twisting the other arm in wich he had a stake until the weapon feel down. “But say one more thing like that and I’ll tell you what we’re going to do; we’ll not only torture her to death but keep her alive as food for moths having you watch, would you like that?”
With that she hit him across the face hard, sending him to the floor, his lip bleading. She hit him again,this time in the stomach a few times, harder that before but she didn’t want him unconsious, she wanted him hurt.
Then, when Richard was sure even trying to get up would make him faint she turned around to her minionss and simplly told them to tie him up. They did so and sat him down on the other side of the carriage opposite to Darla while they rode back to their mansion Darla’s anger at what she found out growing and Richard’s fear for Madeline and himself making him feel overwhelmed by it.
* * *
They entered the house, the minions draging him with them and soon Darla led them to a huge former vine cellar. When they entered it was clear to Darla what had happened; the room smelled of sex and Angelus was compeletlly naked. He turned around compeletlly ignorid Madeline and Richard crying out each others names ;her voice clearlly showing sadness while he showed shock at the state she was in.
“Your here; that’s excelent.”,Angelus said while he took out another torture impelement; “I was thinking the best thing after sex is torture. And I’d love for Richard to see me do both with her. But since you missed the first part you’ll have to wait but your in luck;I’m amasing at both. Ask Madeline.”
Richard shot her a look that broke Madeline’s heart even more, to a length she didn’t know he heart could break to. Noticing that Angelus went on:
“I know what your thinking; how could she sleep with such a monster and enjoy it aswell. But your wrong, she didn’t just sleep with one; she sleept with both of us.”
Richard looked at her again and the way she looked at him showed him everthing; what Angelus said as truth. But that wasn’t the only thing he noticed; he also noticed such deep sadness and pleading that made him remember not only what he read in the diaries about the vampire couple and how sick they were but how much he lovedher. He had to keep in mind what happened here was not in her will and certainlly not her fault. Wich he could all do in theory, but the way that bastard talked about it...like she actually liked it.
Suprisinglly enough,when Angelus looked at Darla’s face he didn’t see what he expected; the joy at bringing these two pain. He saw that she was worried.
“What’s wrong Sire?”
“We need to talk.”,she said and went out into the hallways. As soon as they entered she showed him the books she had put on the table near the door.
He opened the Watcher’s diary that was on top on the others and found exactlly what she did, drawing of them, information about the way they killed the last slayer; all actually down to the description of the slayers body after they left.
“That’s not all.”,Darla said making him look off of the book “The other diaries, they have added parts wich say that the style in wich the other two slayers were killed matches the one in wich we killed Anna. This information is in the diaries and right now we have another slayer in our hands! The moment we kill her the Watcher’s Council will realise where we are and then do you know what will happen’?! They will send so many vampire hunters after us wich will make Holtz’s gang look like infants. Only you can’t do what we did to him to the Council’s hunters. I’ve seen the Council hunt a vampire down, they’ll do exactlly what we do to slayers to us!”
“Then why don’t we get rid of the diaries?”,he said strangelly calm considering the situation they were in.
“Do you have any idea how many times they are coppied. It’s all in the Council’s library and you can’t enter that place and not get staked. That’s the place where they run things and they have so many vampire detecting spells there we’d barelly make it inside.”
“But we have the gem.”
“And after we kill this slayer and word get’s out; they’ll all know are faces even in their sleep.”
“Who said we we’re going? And we won’t kill Madeline.We’ll do something better. After she is reborn Madeline will wear the gem and go to the Council as the slayer.”
“No one will know,”,Darla said understanding his plan, “She’ll be the bait and she’ll burn the council to the ground.”
“If that doesn’t send them a message I don’t know what will. They’ll be lucky if the get out of it with a few books and if she survives they will have Madeline to hunt down. If she doesn’t, well, it will be an unsolved mistery.”,he said and they smiled at each other and kissed, her velvet dress brushing up with his naked body.
“The only problem is,we’ll have to miss out on all the lovely torture we had planned.”
“Not entirelly,I have an idea of one last thing we could do to Maddy.”
“I knew you would.”
They pushed the door open again to see Madeline trying to explain to him, saying how sorry she is and Richard telling her the same thing and how somehow they could get out of this. All in all, it was their lives coming to an end in a moment Angelus was sure they would remember in an afetr life, if there was such a thing.
He moved to Richard and sat him down and then looked at Darla who had unbuckled the upper parts of her dress, letting them slide down and leaving her in her under clothes and corset. She moved to Richard and carresed his face a bit,very tenderlly and moved to sit on his lap.
With that she started moving, touching him and he felt arroused insipite his very will. While Madeline tried to look away but couldn’t for some reason Darla moved her hands to his neck and with one fast movement snapped it in half. She got up and Richard fell to the floor comepeltlly dead.
Madeline screamed and started to shake histerically, sorrow overcoming her just like it did when she thought the Darla she had known had died but now it was different; she was sure this was her fault. For Darla she had thought she died peacfully, perhaps of a spell but this was so violent. In a second he was just gonne. She closed her eyes and opened again; trying to look at Angelus and Darla, trying to speak:
“Please, please, just end it. Kill me. Please.”
“No,no Madeline. This never ends. We’re not going to kill you. We’re going to make you eternal.”
“No,no..,”,she begged while Angelus unlocked her chains and let her dropp to the floor.He picked her up soon and both of them turned to vamp face.
“Darling,let’s eat.”,he said and both of them sank their fangs into Madeline’s neck.
* * *
“Are you aware of your mission?"
"Yes and I will kill Madeline soon.",Angel said to the Tyllack.
"That is only part but not the reason you were brought here. Your mission has a different purpose. It is to make a choice;.You can undo all the murders you comitet from the night the slayer was killed by you and your Sire. That is what you were brought back here for.”
* * *
Angel looked trough the window at the night sky and then back at the direction of the bathroom where Cordy was changing, the demon she had killed this morning had made a big mess of her jeans so it seemed that she would go back to L.A. in the dress he gave her. Not that he minded...she needed something to remember him by anyway.
He knew he would have to tell her tonight but every time he got the courage to he remembered her face,her beautifull face...it was going to be so hard to saywhat he was about to. But he had to; for all those people, even for her.
He turned once more to take a look at the town and she came out of the bathroom.
“Hey,are you okay? You seem sad. I mean if it’s because of Madeline...”
“That’s only a part of it Cordy”,he said and finally decided he would tell her; “We need to talk.”
“Bout what?”, she said trying to make this situation feel lighter though by the simple look in his eyes she could see how serious it was.
“When I said the demon confirmed what we thought we knew; I lied.”
“What?”
“Please just let me say this. If you don’t I’ll lose the courage to ever do it. He said, he said killing Madeline was only part of my mission. We did come here to do that but not only that. I...you...need to kill me. You need to kill Angelus.”
This time she just stared at him, not even manidging to say something. She moved back as if she was trying to run away from what he said but for some reason couldn’t.
“He said that this is my mission; to die. To eraise what I did. Cordy the people I killed; they wouldn’t die.”, he said his voice a mixture of pleading for her to understand and the other part wanting to just do nothing, hold her and ignore what the demon said.
“But they were meant to.”,she said in complete dissbelief. This could not be happening.
“No,no they wren’t, which is why I’m given a choice to stop it.”
“And leave the future behind...your giving up aren’t you?”
“What? No...”,Angel utterednot wanting to belive she meant what she just said; this was the hardest thing he would ever have to do and she actually belived he wanted it? “I’m not, Cordy I...he said this is supposed to be the end. For me. That I was meant to be given a choice.”
“Yeah. To be what I thought you were and not listen to what the weak side of you is telling you!”
“My weak side is telling me to not listen to him! To stay with you and to forget this, to forget my mission but I can’t; because the evil I could take away here is enormous. I know that is because I did it; because I caused it.”
“You didn’t, Angelus...”
“Did. I know. But I was given a choice to end my demons evil. To kill him forever.”
“And yourself. Don’t you care for what your going to be loosing; Wesley, Gunn, Fred, Connor...me?”
“This will save Fred.”
“So would just killing Madeline!”
“That wouldn’t bring us back! We’d just stay in the past, and when the time we were supposed to comeback to comes we would dissapear. As for not carring, I love the whole gang; you and Connor more than anything!”
“Funny? Coz’ it seemes like your leaving us. No,leaving me and killing him!”
“The demon said he would be born someway.”
“How?”
“I don’t know but...”
“You don’t want to know! All you want to do is get away.”
“I want to stay with you but I can’t! People’s lives depend on me not giving into what I want, not staying with the woman I love. I don’t know how he will be born but I know he will somehow because if the world could give me you before I died I know it’ll give him life.”
“Right. If you loved me you wouldn’t ask me to kill you.”,she said and ran past him out of the door.
“Cordy!”,he yelled as he ran after her.But this time when he touched her arm trying to pull her back she pushed him back, harder then ever before.
“Don’t touch me! Just get away from me!”,she said trough the tears and ran of leaving him there,speachless.
* * *
She ran trough the town, tears falling. She couldn’t belive this; just when she actually thought he loved her...
Cordelia couldn’t even grasp that he wanted to leave herecause he couldn’t deal with what some demon did in his body! Granted,the probablly worst vampire ever but...
He just gave up. Like he wasn’t even Angel, the Champion; like he just wanted to take the easy way out.
When she couldn’t run anymore she leaned against a wall near the corner; trying to get her head back together. Actually, trying to wake up and see this wasn’t real. That it was all dream and that she was back in Los Angeles; that Angel never said what he did.
But something broke her out of her thought, a voice;Angelus. It came from down the street next to the house she leaned on but on the opossite side. She also heard Darla was with him. They didn’t see her and she hid in the shadows praying they wouldn’t notice her.
And when they didn’t as they passed further Cordelia made what she would in a moment of rationalitty call a dumb and really dangerous idea. She followed them. Cordelia had no idea why she had donne it but something told her she had to.
As they walked she moved a bit behind them so they wouldn’t notice her but she was able to hear what they we’re talking about.
“I was thinking.”,Darla said to Angelus, “Since Madeline will raise in the morning and we can’t go out then maybe we can bring some of the people we were going to eat now as morning snack?”
“I like that; trust me, this familly’s perfect for a first meal. Three daughters, young, all virgins and two sons, their about twentty. We can take three of them; I know I want the youngest daughter, she’s a redhead, looks Irish.”
“Do you miss Ireland? We could visit again after we burn the Council. Remind Galway and Dublin of what they’ve been missing for the last 50 years.”
“They’ve had a time of getting back on their feet, we should definetlly do that.What do they say : “A love for one’s country should never be forgoten.”I for one think that’s true.”,he said as they reached a modest house and knocked on the door,“Here we are.”
A girl who was maybe sixteen answered and Cordelia knew instantlly that was the redhead Angelus was talking about. She was beutifull and seemed so innocent and unfortunatelly naive. That was proven a right assumption on Cordy’s part as the girl invited both Angelus and Darla in the house.
Cordelia looked trough the window at what was happening, and allthough the lighting was very dim from only a few candles in the roomshe could see everything. She had never seen a more horrible sight,and that was saying something considdering she had been fighting demons for years. First the whole familly came down stairs for some reason, Darla and him had the girl bring them there and then Angelus hit the father, sending him flying to the wall. The man was old and she wasn’t sure whether he would survive that punch but he did. Both turned to vamp face and Angelus made the whole familly stay still threatening he would kill the father; they did and he killed him anyway; drinking a bit of blood and snapping his neck. Tears begann to fall down her cheeks again as she watched the demon with Angel’s face kill one of the sons who had rushed him in revedge. Darla had then killed the mother and Cordelia turned around and ran,unable to watch this anymore. She couldn’t have stopped them, she wasn’t strong enough to face them both and she didn’t even have a stake. But she knew she had to kill them and that Angel was right.
She didn’t want him to be but he was. Cordelia knew that was the reason she followed the two; she knew it from the beggining just didn’t want to acsept it. But she would do it for him, for the people that have died in his hands and will continue to die for years if she didn’t. She would kill Angelus.
It was the hardest decission she had ever had to make because she loved Angel. She loved him more then she had ever loved anyone ;going on without him was the toughest thing she would ever have to face, especially now that she knew how much she loved him and that he loved her like he did.But in a way that made it a bit easyer; when she did it he wouldn’t have to deal with the guilt over there 80 years anymore.
She reached their room soon and knocked on the door. While she waited for him to answer she tried to wipe her tears away but couldn’t stop crying. Angel answered and looked at her but before he could speak she did:
“I’m so sorry. It was so selfish, what I said. I know that what you said was right I just didn’t wanna see it then. Because I didn’t want you to die, because I’ll miss you so much...”,she said now crying harder then ever and so was he. But he took her in his arms and held her.
“I know,Cordy.”,he said with all the sorrow in his heart showing in his voice.
“I don’t want to say goodbye.”,Cordy said holding him tight but looking at his face, his preciouss face. She couldn’t belive she’d never see those eyes again, or touch his skin, or hear his voice...
“Don’t. We’re never going to say goodbye. I’ll never let you go.”
Then they kissed,full of passion,love, and longing and for that short time it all seemed perfect,like heaven. But they broke the kiss and a horrible though came to Cordelia’s head.
“You’ll never get to shansu.”,she said to him and he actually smiled in this moment though the tears still fell.
“I allready did.With you.”
She looked at him pain overflowing her and she wanted to hold him; forever.But she didn’t. Cordy closed her eyes for a second and asked him where Angelus was now. He would kill Madeline and Darla and she would kill...she would kill...him.
“Darla went to the house to prepair Madeline for her rising and I went to Richard’s house to find anything with his handwritting. I needed to copy it to make the letter Madeline was going to give to the Council as to why she’s there look like it was really from her Watcher so she could get inside. So they wouldn’t suspect he was dead.”
“Where’s that house?”
* * *
Cordelia walked by the directions Angel had given her; he had went to the mansion to do his part in this. She held the stake tightlly, constantlly reminding herself as to why she had to do it.
She entered the house and walked up to Richards office to see Angelus there writting the letter. He looked so much like Angel; everything except the eyes on his face was alike. They were could, heartless and she remembered the sight she had seen today. That made it all worth it.
“You know going trough other people’s propertty is illegal Angelus.But then again so is killing them.”
He looked at the beautifull woman in suprise. For a second he considered the possibilitty that she might be a new slayer but dissmised it quicklly; this girl wasn’t compeletlly human, he could sence it.
“And who would you be to tell me right from wrong?”
“Your Seer. From the future. And you should listen to what I’m telling you.”
“I’d rather not listen to a crazy half demon. It’s my choice.”
“You don’t have the right to make one.”,Cordelia said and threw a stake at his heart-missing it because he ducked.
“For someone making threats your aim should be better.”,he said and moved to her, grabbing her in only a few seconds. But the funny thing was he couldn’t sence no fear even though she knew he could and would kill her. She looked at him, her expression stone cold.
“For someone with vampire abillities you should take a better look.”,she said and kicked him hard.She punched him twice and took out a second stake.
“Goodbye Angelus.”,she said as she plundged it in his chest.
As he turned to dust Cordelia dropped the stake and moved a few steppes back. Her back hit the wall and she slidded down it,crying again for Angel.
* * *
As Angel let the people Darla had brought back home for Madeline go after staking her and the not yet risen vampiress Angel felt a strange pain go trough his entire body. Allthough strong it lasted mere second and then he couldn’t feel anything. He could see the lighting in the house turn dark and soon he saw nothing but blackness appear.
But then he saw white light. And it surrounded him compeletlly.
* * *
Cordelia beggan to feel everything around her shake a bit, just like it did when she was back in L.A. two weeks ago before she had gonne back in time. This was it. She got up and after a sudden flash of light the lighting suddenlly changed.
It was the bright, purelly electronic light of the Hyperion that she could see now. She turned around and saw the gang; Gunn,Wesley,Lorne,a man she had never mett and next to them-Fred.
Cordelia took one look at her now not so dead friend and fainted.
“Oh my God.”,Fred said and the group ran to Cordy,everyone except Lorne crouching down next to her.
“This is normail people.”,Lorne said, “She traveled back to the past and here again in two weaks. Give her some air. The poor thing has taken more shock and pain in these two weeks then most of us in a life time.”
Everyone except the light haired 25 year old man moved to give her some space like Lorne said.Alex took her in his arms and picked her up. “I’ll take her to her room now. So she can get some rest.”
“You do that and we should all be prepared to be there for her when she wakes up. This isn’t the world she used to live in and allthough she was friends with most of us in her world everything is different now. This isn’t the same Cordelia we knew.”
Part 7
Cordelia woke up and as soon as she opened her eyes everything What happened flashed back to her She wasn’t in London anymore even though this time she wished she was. Every memory she had pointed thoards one fact; nothing would ever be the same again. She wasn’t even wearing the dress she Angel had given her and then the thought hit her,what if the one thing she had left of him dissapeared?
Cordy ran to the closet to find if the it was there; the visual proff that he was, at some time alive; even though no one else knew it. When she finally found it she couldn’t help but cry;this was the only thing she had left of him. Forever. And she didn’t think she could ever face the truth of it.
As the door of the room she had never been in before opened she called out to him; hopeing that by some miracle he was back but offcourse he wasn’t. Some guy she had never mett was standing at her door.
Alex opened the it while trying to not let his own fear get the best of him.For six years Cordelia had been his best friend. Now she didn’t even know who he was. But the fear for himself or how he might be hurt was instantlly earased when he saw someone who he thought was one of the two strongest women he ever met this broken up. He had seen her cry before but this; he could see the despair and pain in her eyes. And all he wanted to do was help her; the problem was he had no idea how to.
“It’s just me.Though,your probablly wondering who me is.I’m Alex and I’m your friend. God,doesn’t that sound like a poster for some kind of religious group?”
She barelly laughed; good to know humor wasn’t his thing anymore either and continues into a sentence which made him think maybe he should have tried being funny a few times over. “Anyway, your feeling lost .It’s completlly understandable knowing what you’ve been trough and...”
“How do you? Know what I’ve been trough I mean?”
Good,now that was something he actually could answer.
“Well it’s kind off the reason I’m alive. What you and Angel did...it meant, amongs other things that Angelus never killed my grandmother in Romania.”
“You meen he never killed the gypsy girl?”
“Yeah. That was my grandma. I’ve known about what happened
since they thought I was even remotelly old enough to know I had a purpose, you know; a mission.”
“How old were you?”
“Fourteen.”
“That’s the future they thought was better? Telling a fourteen year old that he has destiny?!”
“Well,I’m lucky I have a destiny. Or a life. Cordy what you and Angel did...it saved so many lives; I know it hurts but you have to know by killing Angelus he’s redemed.”
“No,he’s not.”,Cordelia explained,tears falling like they’ll fall forever, “if he was he’d be alive, human. That was the deal;it was what they promised. Just another lie from the Powers That Be. But he had to, being Angel. He had to save them and so did I. I know that taking away that evil was the right thing to do it’s just... Angel deserves so much more than to just die afterards. He deserves to live.”
“But he’s redimed now. I’m sure of it. They told me my elders checked it by magic. His soul was no longer in the place it used to be when he was a demon. His soul was in a place that’s neither Heaven nor Hell; his soul was once there binded by the fact that he was a vampire. Now it isn’t. If there is a better place he’s there.”
“I’d like to think there is. To be honest, I can’t bare to think anything else. I...I miss him so much. It’s so...I’m talking about this and in my head it all stays so unreal; like he isn’t really gonne. Even in my heart; I can still feel him. But when I look around I know he is. And don’t know how to deal with that..”
“Hey it’s okay.”,Alex said and resissted the urge to actually scream as to why the Powers would do this to her. He had no idea how to fix this. He himself never felt so lost;he could only imagine how lost she felt.
“No it’s not. Nothing’s okay anymore.”, Cordelia said and finally took a good long look at him,trying to not let the tears blurry her vission. She didn’t know this man and he wasn’t someone she should lay everything she felt on. Maybe it would be better if she was alonne ;from what she could see he was someone fighting demons; on a mission like he said and...he couldn’t possibly understand. No one could. “But it can be okay; for you. Go on, do whatever you need to do, I don’t want to take you away from anything.”
“Your not doing that.Cordy the reason I’m here is because we’re friends remember?”
He quicklly read the regret and appology in her eyes and instantlly wanted to take back saying that. For both of them.
“Hey,that’s fine. I knew it would happen like this, I’m prepared. And you shouldn’t feel guilty for it.But I do want you to know you are not alonne in this. It may be strange having someone you’ve never mett before tell you that but I do mean it.You mean a great deal to all of us and we love you. Faith, me, Lorne, Wesley, Fred and Gunn are your friends.
“Wait a minute-Faith?”
“Yeah.Wasn’t she part of the gang in your time?”
“No.I guess things really have changed.”,Cordelia said,desperatlly trying not to let herself know how very different everthing was now.
* * *
“So what was he like?”, Fred asked Lorne as he put down his glass of scotch, another one he had barelly touched. He brough over a whole bottle but all he did was pour it, with not even the faintest desire to drink it; for a year and a half, since he mett Cordelia, he was the only one who remembered. And in some ways that actually made it easyer. Now he had to face the fact that all his memories were real; that he actually missedAngel a lot. And seeing Cordy in such a mess...that would be hard for all of them.
“He was great; a true champion.You actually had a huge crush on him once.”
“Really, me?”,Fred said looking at Gunn shilly as he looked at Lorne with more than an inch of suprise.
“Well,it’s perfectlly understandable.The man was not only a hunk of a hero sandwich but generally; a hunk. But you got over it and fell in love; with him again.”
“You see? We are meant to be.”,Fred said and Gunn pulled her into a kiss.
“Allready knew it.”, Gunn replied.
Wesley avoided looking at them and sucseeded as the slayer walked in;weapons in hand.
“Good fight?”,he asked as she set them in the cabinet and down on the coutch to finally relax; the problem wasn’t the vamps but the number of them. You’d think after they defeated the apocallypse the demons start coming in smaller numbers. Unfortunatelly,Wolfram & Hart knew she had to be their focus now.
Before now, they attacked mostlly the three of them but they must have found out Alex lost his powers after the final battle; it was what was destined. She was actually okay with her being attacked; atleast it put him out of danger. She could feel it, sence it, that now he felt lost without his streight. He was born with it and now...He had to adapt to simplly being a human. She had faith in him, she allways did, even now he could kick ass with the best of ‘em but she knew he needed time.But Cordelia...she really hoped they didn’t realise she , for some reason, didn’t losse her powers. Or maybe it would be good if they did; if Cordelia was as bad as they expected her to be maybe it would help her snap out of it. She didn’t know but asking was really the only way to find out;
“Yeah,fight went okay.Is Cor...how is she?”
“Bad.”,Alex said as he came down the stairs. “She misses him and she doesn’t know how to get trough it. I expected that but, knowing doesn’t make it easyer to deal with seeing her like this, like she’s a crack away from being broken. But she’s still Cordy, our Cordy.”
“What about you?”,Faith asked as she moved to him and he put his hand on her cheek.“Me?I’m lucky.”,he said trough the pain and looked at her beautifull, dark eyes. “I have you.”
And she held him.
The first time he saw her she compeletlly blown away ;she was the first woman who ever interested him since Cordelia. And she was of limits to him. Cordy fascinated him, this was the woman who was, besides the vampire with the soul, the very reason he was alive.And he did fall for her but he quicklly realised he should get over it because what ever they might experiance together she would forget and that was something he couldn’t bare.... It did take him time but he did love being her friend,they became like brother and sister after a while.
But when Faith arrived...it was safe to say Cordelia got tired of hearing all about the new girl in town very soon.She struck him as amasing right from the start but he could sence she wasn’t being totally open and he could plainlly see how she acted thoards guys. Alex really didn’t want to be come one of them with her; he wanted so much more.
So they patroled together,giving Buffy some much needed rest and study time and giving him time with her. He remembered their first kiss and it was, by far, the smartest thing he had ever donne. She kissed him and he pulled away. He actually pulled away from kissing someone he was crazy about and he told her everything; how he really wanted something more between them.And it did evolve into something more, something so much better; real,true and very deep love. He got her to open up to him and she got him to loosen up; a whole lot. It was one thing being a slayer; it was part of Faith. His destiny was different,he had a mission to stop the apocalypse and then he didn’t know what would happen. From being a kid he heard what a love was sacrificed to get him born, what straight it took, what a responibillity it was... it was like he felt the world on his own shoulders. Like his failure would be the worst thing that could ever happen. And Faith, she loved not only the fight that he led but simplly him. She got to know him and knowing she loved him for who he was like he loved her for who she was and not what she was destined to be-that made loosing his strenght and finally not having a destiny so much easyer. He still felt a somewhat strange with it all but seeing as he had her; his life would allways be good, no matter what happened.
“You’ll allways have me baby.”,She said to him. “so,what do you think would help her?”
“
I have no idea,she just seems...she was never this bad.”
“This Angel must have been quite a guy.”
“Yes he was.”,Cordy said as she came down the stairs, still not really succesful at holding back her tears, “And so much more.And he loved you guys, just like I do. I missed you.”
And Fred hugged her,so did Gunn,Lorne and Wesley and it actually made it a bit better; knowing she really wasn’t alonne in this. She then looked at Faith and Alex, each not sure whether to really go up there and hug her, Alex knew she didn’t know him and Lorne told Faith she really wasn’t pa rt of the group back then to prepare her. She didn’t really have a chance to tell Alex since she had been out fighting for most of the afternoon and night and for some reason;she feared the explination as to why she wasn’t in the group.
“Faith he did care a great deal about you too and even though I don’t really know you I will get to. Alex says we’re friends?”
“Yeah,we were. Real good one’s actually. So were you and him.”
“I know.And I’ll get to know both of you,I just need...I don’t know what I need. I’m so sorry he’s not here,I can’t even...I’m really sorry you don’t remember him.”
“I do princess.”,Lorne saidand continued before she got a chance to ask him about it, “And right now,I’d give both my horns to hear him sing too.”
“Was he good?”,Faith asked as both Lorne and Cordy laughed a bit at the question, not happy laughes but ones missing something. Someone.
“Not by a long shot. How come you know Lorne?”
“You two have this huge conection; something ovbiouslly not even time could brake and the moment I saw you made me remember everything about him.”
That made her break up again, start crying a lot harder; “It’s like in a way he’s still here,you know?”
“Yeah and he is. In you;he’ll be there forever.”
“But I want him here, I need him here...”Lorne took her in his arms and rocked her trying to get her to calm down but it didn’t work.
“I’m gonna go take a walk guys.”,Cordelia said and quicklly walked out of the Hyperion. No,ran out would have been a better word. She didn’t know where she was running to, she just knew she had to get out.
* * *
Angel could feel the warmth of the light cover him,every bit of him and it was like,like he was in Heaven. But why was he standing still then? He looked trough the eyes as two people appeared and soon the only things sending out rays were them.
“Who are you?Where am I?”
“Don’t ask things you know.”
“So this is Heaven?”,Angel said not even barelly believing they would put him is such a place.
“The gates actually. You are not ready to go inside yet. You haven’t lived yet. But you will. And you have earned your choice; when and where do you want to live is up to you. You have brought your Seer safelly back to her time.”
“Does she remember me?”
“Feel don’t ask; does she remember you?”
“Yes.”
“Where do you want to go then?”
“To her,take me to her.”
“She will be fighting,you will just be human.”
“Than make me stronger, let me fight with her.”
“Are you sure you want that? With that kind of straight comes responcibilty; you could have a life without it, without demons, monsters, and vampires.”
“I know what’s out there; how could I possibly not fight it?”
“You don’t have to remember, you will only remember if you will it so.”
“No,I don’t want to forget what I’ve been trough. And I don’t want to live without her. Take me back to her. Give me the staright to fight.”
“As you have chosen so it shall be. You are given life-mortal.”
With that Angel saw a flash of light that blinded him and he felt his body hit the ground. He felt pain for a second but only a second and then it stopped but he didn’t stop feeling. He felt his own heart beat.
* * *
He blinked a few times and slowly opened his eyes to a golden light he hadn’t though he would ever see again when he made the decission to kill Angelus. Sunlight. And it mesmerised him. He just stared at it until his eyes beggan to hurt.
Then he looked around and got up. He was is an ally and never happier to see 21. century L.A. again but to be honest he couldn’t wait to get out of the place he was brought back to. He wanted,needed to get to her. She was the reason he wanted back to L.A. in the first place, he couldn’t live without her.
With Cordelia on his mind Angel ran out of the alley in to the bright light and felt it cover him in a way he didn't remember sunlight ever touching him; maybe because now he knew exactlly how preciouss it was; how preciousss living was. Going back to her was all he cared about, he would have been thrilled to have been given that chance; even as a vampire but this; it was a gift he hadn’t expected. So preciouss; but nothing was more preciouss than her.
As he the thought of how she would react came to his mind when looking around he finally noticed the look not only a few women on the street were giving him. Also,their eyes weren’t really looking at his face...And then he got the fact he was oblivioss to before:
Would it really kill the Powers to bring him back with clothes just once?
* * *
Cordy looked at the light hitting the waves, spreading over it and making the sea golden blanklly, compeletlly unaware of it’s beautty. It didn’t feel beautifull to her; just empty.
She hadn’t gonne to this place in a while but she did remember promissing to take Angel there when he came back with her; she certainlly didn’t imagine she would be looking at it like this; in the middle of a sunny day alonne. If someone had asked her she would have given every day she ever had just to have him back. Nothing ever mattered to her like he did and now she lost him. Never again would she see his face, or touch him, or hear him speak.
She couldn’t even say it, much less acsept it. Nothing felt right anymore. She really didn’t know if she could handdle it but she knew she had to;for him. Cordelia knew that whatever happened, no matter how bad she felt she wouldn’t give up, she wouldn’t dissapoint him;she couldn’t bare doing that.
Angel looked at the same sea she was looking at and it amased him, even trough the window of the taxi he was in. When he realised he was naked he did remember he was near the neighberhood where the Furries lived and he knew they would be ready to help. Those three were eternal, a lot older than his and Darla’s age put together and they knew him from way back,from the time he hadn’t eraised.They gave him not only clothes but money and a very “friendlly” invitation to come and visit them again.
As he steped out the sight he saw compeletlly took his breat away this time. Cordelia, the light bathing her; he was sure his heart actually skipped a beat. When he called him up a more than a little suprised and delighted Lorne gave him the directions to where she would be since he could read her easylly because of how vunerable she was.
Now that he saw the place he knew instantlly this was where she wanted to take him to and allthough it’s beautty was rich nothing went beyond her own. But he saw how sad she looked, how wrecked and it touched him; she felt this way because he was gonne. Angel silently promised to himslef he would make sure she never felt like this again.
“Was this the place you wanted to take me to? Your right,it is special.”
When she heard his voice Cordelia felt like he took her in his arms and made her whole again.
“Angel.”, she said as she got up of the grass and went to him, unable to really form any other word, much less a sentence. He was standing right in front of her, compeletlly real and ovbiouslly, compeletlly human. In that moment she held him to herself, both gripping each other thighter than ever. And then they kissed; both aware of the love they felt for each other and both happier than ever that they had each other back. To her it wouldn’t have mattered if he came back vampire or any possible way, just as long as he was with her but this...he got the real chance to do what he deserved to do; to live as a human. And in that moment, neither of them thought of ever letting go of each other.
“I love you.”,she said looking at his brown eyes that were allways so filled with warmth thoards her.
“I love you too. Nothing could ever take that away.”
“Nothing, never.”
* * *
They held each other for they didn’t know how much time, they barelly noticed that the sun beggan to set. And then Cordelia’s bepper rang.
“We have to go.”
“Where?”
“The Hyperion. It’s seems like some big emergency.”,she said and as she turned, hand in his, to go back when it hit her. “How come I’m still half demon? How come I still have the visions?”.If Alex wasn’t the warrior anymore that meant...
“They still have to giude me.”
“What? But your not a vampire anymore.”
“I asked them to make me strong like I was. I have to fight Cordy, I can’t let people suffer now that I’m human. It would be forgetting what I know, who I am.”
“I understand. And I want to fight with you. Let’s go. I have to tell you about Alex. And Faith; both part of the gang now.”
“What? Who’s Alex.”
“Really long story. We have time though. In short he would be someone we saved.”
* * *
“Do you really think it’s good for her?”,Fried asked Faith as they packed things for their trip; the Watcher’s Council told them about a really big monster getting risen and they needed one hell of an army to go with their own vamp hunters to stop it. Good thing the gang was just that.
“I don’t know but she has to.”,she answered and moved closer to her to make sure he didn’t hear her. “From what the Council is saying this isn’t something a slayer can fight alonne and Alex isn’t as strong as he was, you know that. I need Cordelia.”
Fred just nodded and moved away as she saw Alex coming their way. Then her eyes passed to Lorne and she saw,again,how actually happy he looked; like he was waiting for something great and that was highlly not going to happen. They’d be lucky if Cordy could take the fight they had to endure considering her state.
As he heard the door opening Wesley started to explain all about the demon and his minnions they would need to fight but was cut of as he saw a man come in behind her.
“I’d say we can solve that.”
“Oh my God,is that...”,the ex watcher asked, preetty sure he knew the answer to his own question.
“Angel.”,Lorne said and moved closer to his now human friend. “What I think our tall, handsome and not so dark hero is trying to say; gear up.”
“Yeah,I think that summed it up.”,Cordy said and gave him a loving look before moving with him to help the others. No doubt they had a lot to do.
End.