The Morning Star

In this story the trial that Angel went through to save Darla actually cost his life, which was a sacrifice in vain, as she was turned into a vampire that same night by Drusilla. Since his death Angel Investigations has been fighting a loosing battle in L.A. With demons slowly taking over more and more of the city, and his death contributing to Buffys decision to sacrifice her own life for Dawn in the S5 finale. Season 6 is left unchanged but there is no season 4 of Angel and therefore no Connor. I will stay true to all that has happened up to this point, so if I missed anything I would love to hear it.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, creatures or locations. And probably not even the cat that lives in my attic from time to time, but he seems to like me all the same.

The story takes place immediately after the season 6 finale on top of the hill where Willow almost destroys the world:

Every time I die

Willow, still inclosed by all the magic coursing through her veins cried heartbroken into Xanders arms.

"I just wanted to end it all", she said between the tears. "How can we live in a world that destroys or takes away all we ever love or hold dear?"

"I know" Xander agreed softly, not wanting to say anything to disturb the enraged Wicca. "It's harsh that you two had to be torn apart after such a short time". He thought quietly about all the failed and doomed relationships of their small group. Death, envy and infidelity had torn apart every one of their relationships, maybe love was truly doomed in this world?

But as he sat there comforting his best and oldest friend, he suddenly saw a vision or ghost of someone on the very top of the hill. The person was tall and draped in a large coat, he seemed to be staring up at the sky. Slowly the ghost turned around and to his horror Xander was staring right into Angels dark eyes, he was so startled that he immediately stood up, all thoughts about Willow gone from his mind.

Willow followed Xanders gaze towards the spot he was looking at. She could clearly see that it was Angel, but he seemed to be hazy, as if he was standing in thick fog. She whispered "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?". "unless you are admiring the view I think we are seeing the same thing" Xander answered in a terror-stricken voice.

Angels serious face seemed to melt away as he seemed to recognize them, and a smile started to spread on his lips. His lips parted, and his voice reached them as if it was spoken from far away; "It was here I realized just how much I loved her.". He looked around the hill and seemed to search for something that had once been there.

As he turned towards the duo again a tear slowly trickled from the corner of his eye."It seems sad that this will be where I will kill her", at these last words his face changed into its demon form and he threw his head back in mad laughter.

As suddenly as it had appeared the ghost disintegrated into nothing.

Xanders mouth was completely open, and he seemed to have completely forgot about Willow and her "almost-destroying-the-world-incident". "That's it" he said in an I-give-upp voice. "Tomorrow I move away from the hellmouth, I heard that L.A. is nice and quiet this time of the year".

Two months later

"So he's been sighted at the frat house this time?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, he seems to show up and stand around reminiscing about his past actions" Giles said to her over a cup of tea at the Summers house. "Sometimes he just talks to himself, at other times he addresses whoever is closest to him".

Giles nervously cleaned his glasses with a napkin, a nervous habit he never seemed to notice. He knew how much the subject of Angel disturbed his slayer, and having mystical projections of him popping up all over Sunnydale wasn't helping.

"This time he was laughing again, talking about how funny he thought it was that the two most important women of his life both had been the cause of his deaths".

Buffy looked intently at a fly sitting on the table. They had all heard from Wesley how Angel had tried to save Darla through a trial, but it had cost his life in vain. Darla was already living her second chance as a human, and in the end Angel couldn't help her when Drusilla found her and turned her into her former demon self. After that Darla and Drusilla had driven a merciless war against both Angel investigations and Wolfram & Hart, whom Darla accused for Angels death.

Lately the vampires seemed to be gaining the upper hand over them both, even though A.I. had been joined by Faith and Guns former gang, and Wolfram & Hart had brought in dozens of assassins to eliminate the deadly duo. From what Giles had heard, Darla and Drusilla had found an ancient vampire warrior whom they used to either frighten or simply eliminate the demon competition. And the very same vampire seemed to have taken a heavy toll on A.I. as well, even though Wesley had refused to go into details.

"But he said something interesting as well.", he looked up at the group. His mind already back on the subject of the projections. They had all gathered around the table; Buffy, Giles, Xander, Willow, Dawn, Anya and Spike.

Since Willows descent into darkness, and Xanders rescue of her on the brink of the apocalypse, they had tried to carry on as usual. But the magical projections seemed to frighten all the more mischievous creatures of Sunnydale, and so they hadn't had more to do than research the phenomenon. And the only thing they had found out was that it wasn't a ghost.

"He said; They have it wrong, they can't see their mistake. The Shanshu isn't about that. It is so simple, but they won't see what is right in front of them.". Giles studied their faces at these words, and almost as one they turned towards Spike.

Since his return, and his explanation that he had gotten a soul. The group had watched him with suspicion as he didn't seem to show the same amount of change in his personality as Angel had when he changed. But in time they had found out the truth of his words, and he was slowly being accepted as a true part of the gang. But at these words they all thought the same thing; the prophecy is not about Angel, it is about Spike. He was the only living vampire with a soul, and so the Shanshus words about the vampire with a soul becoming human must be about him.

The exact words of the prophecy was known to them all, as Wesley had given Giles the scroll to safeguard because of their increasingly desperate battle against Darla and Drusillas army of half-demons.

"Willow" Giles said, turning to the red haired girl on his right. "how do we stand on finding out who could be doing these projections?".

"All the research seems to be saying the same thing... He has to be a ghost.", she replied nervously. And that was exactly what they all knew wasn't true. "The only other possibility is that there is some Warlock or Witch who is simply messing with us by doing these things. But there is no spell I know of that can make these kind of projections appear all over a town. And anyway, they would need to know all the things that he said, and many things he talks about where said to some of us between four eyes".

They all knew the truth of these words. Last night when Buffy was going to bed, Angel had appeared lying beside her bed saying "it has been a long time since anyone has been in a position to let me know". Spike who had just entered her room to ask if she wanted help with patrolling was completely taken off guard as Buffy threw herself into his arms crying her heart out.

But they also knew that Angel didn't focus entirely on Buffy, she simply had spent the most time with him. Willow herself had been visited a few weeks ago, as Angel suddenly appeared sitting on her bed talking to the wall but addressing her; "A hundred years... Hanging out... I really honed my brooding skills. Yea, I get jealous.".

Suddenly, and to their horror, Angel was standing in the corner of the living room, facing some object only he could see. Spike and Giles immediately recognized him from the time when he had failed to awaken Acathla, and kidnapped Giles to tell him the procedure for the ritual. "I figured you'd know the ritual, you're pretty up on these things, you could probably tell me what I'm doing wrong. ". Angel turned and was now talking directly to Giles. He continued with a smile that didn't reach his dark eyes; "But honestly... I sort of hope you don't... Cause I really wanna torture you.".

Then suddenly his face changed, his smile faltering, and he turned towards the rest of the group. "And more than anything, I wanted to keep it safe, to guard it with my own. But I failed... They are coming for me now...". He seemed to watch something in the distance, a tear slowly running down his cheek and onto the rug.

But suddenly he turned back to the group and said with a loud voice that was filled with a power and certainty that they had never heard from neither Angel or Angelus all hazynes from the voice gone; "I will find you all, and finish what I failed to do last time!" His face changed into its demon form as he let out a loud roar and threw himself towards Buffy.

This is a first draft for the story I'm writing for my friends, and I thought that I could upload it on this site for anyone to read. I know that there are probably a dozen stories out there similar to mine, but I hope that I have enough original material to interest some of you. I have based this story solely on the shows and on my imagination, so if something feels too familiar it is simply because someone had the same bright idea that I've got. If you liked it, I would love to continue and publish the rest of it when I've written it;) (I'm from Sweden so I try to check my spelling as good as i can)