TITLE: ONCE UPON A TIME… NOT SO LONG AGO
RATING: R (for angst, language and darkness)
DISCLAIMER: Not my characters. The copyrights belong to Joss & Co.
TIMELINE: After "Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been", but before "First Impressions". (early S2/S5)
SUMMARY: Angel Investigations have a special client… Buffy.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wrote most of it before the finales, actually all the first few parts I wrote last summer after To Shanshu In L.A, so I had to make some changes when the new season began.
DEDICATION: To the B/Aers. Keep the dream alive, yeah?
//Goodnight, my love,
the tired old moon is descending,
good night my love,
my moment with you now is ending.
It was so heavenly,
holding you close to me,
it will be heavenly,
to hold you again in my dreams.
The stars above,
have promised to meet us tomorrow,
till then my love,
how dreary the new day will seem,
so for the present dear,
we'll have to part,
sleep tight, my love.
Good night, my love,
remember that you're mine
sweetheart.
(Good Night My Love - From the 1936 musical "Stowaway")//
The moon above was the only light source in the street. Downtown L.A was not a good place to hang around at night.
There were several street lamps, but for some reason none of them were working. There was no one walking in the street. Well, no one human anyway.
Angel strolled down the street alone. He wasn't in his usual mood, whatever the hell that meant.
He felt weird. He knew something was going on.
The streets were oddly quiet.
Then he saw someone moving in the shadows.
A normal person wouldn't be able to notice such a small movement there in the dark, but Angel had sharp senses and he knew the thing he saw moving was not human.
Angel walked inside the alley which was even darker than the street.
He saw the horror on the homeless man's face, as the vampire whose back was turned to Angel, pierced his neck.
"Hey!" Angel called and the vampire turned to him. The vampire smiled and blood dribbled from his mouth.
The homeless man was holding his neck, his wound already dry, and collapsed to the floor.
The vampire, still smirking, walked towards Angel.
Angel sighed and vamped out. The vampire was stunned for a minute. "What's the problem, brother?"
Angel roared and pulled out a stake, before the vampire could react, Angel staked him and he exploded into dust.
Angel shrugged. "No problem".
He was about to go check on the homeless man to see if he was still alive, though he seriously doubted it, when some other vampire jumped on him and threw him to the ground.
Angel got up fast and raised his hand, blocking the vampire's blows. He kicked the vampire away, but the vampire was quick to get back to him.
Angel ducked and rolled on the ground, trying to grab the stake he used on the first vampire. He grabbed the stake, still on his knees, when he saw the vampire burst into ashes.
He was puzzled for a moment. Then he saw the person who dusted his attacker.
His jaw dropped in shock, as the young girl threw her stake in the air and grabbed it with her other hand.
"Hi", She said.
Angel got up on his feet.
"Buffy…" He whispered.
"What are you doing here?" Angel approached her.
"It's nice to see you too", Buffy smiled nervously.
He looked down and smiled shyly. Buffy glared at him and laughed shortly.
Angel looked back at her, smiling more confident now.
She stopped smiling and just stared at him.
"We better go some place safer", He said after a bit.
"I went to your office. I understand you had quite a wild party there".
"I just live in some hotel now".
Buffy walked over to him. In the dim moonlight he could still see her face. He knew she was in some kind of trouble. Her face was weary and her eyes were shining, pleading for help. And he knew she didn't just come to pay him a midnight visit, she was looking for his help.
He wanted to grab her right there and then, embrace her and assure her that whatever it is, it will be fine.
But he didn't make a move towards her. Better stay away where it's safe.
He started walking and she made a few quick steps to catch up with him.
"So…" She tried to start a conversation with him as they entered his car. "Who blew up your office?"
"Um… lawyers…"
"Why? Didn't pay the rent?" She giggled.
He smirked but didn't say a word.
An awkward silence surrounded them. They weren't living in each other's worlds anymore. Just what they wanted, what was best for them.
"So… did you beat what's his name in Sunnydale?" Angel asked.
"Adam… yeah, dead". She answered shortly. She was feeling uncomfortable as well.
"And your boyfriend…Uh, riley…?" He hesitated.
"He's okay… I…" She swallowed her words.
"Does he know you're here?"
Angel stopped the car and turned to face Buffy.
"No… no one knows…" She mumbled.
They got out of the car and Buffy followed him inside the hotel. She looked around at the big lobby.
"I didn't know this hotel was still open". She noted.
"It's not… I live here alone".
She gazed at him. "Really? A big hotel just for yourself? Must be lonely".
Angel shrugged. "It's just like the mansion".
Buffy lowered her head. "I suppose…"
She followed him up the stairs to his room. He looked at the bed. "One bed. Two of us". He said.
She smiled bitterly. "Deja-vu".
"You take the bed… I'll sleep on the sofa". He said.
Buffy shook her head. "No, I can't take your bed. Don't you have other beds in this hotel?"
"The other rooms aren't really decent for… look, it's fine. I'll just change the sheets for you".
"No, it's okay". Buffy whispered and sat on the bed.
He looked at her, then his stare stopped on her hands. They were both in gloves.
She noticed he was looking and tried to hide her hands. He walked over and sat next to her.
"What happened?" He asked her, trying to grab her hands.
"Don't touch me!" She called out loudly and he backed off.
"I didn't mean to…" He started to apologize.
She sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell", She said then took off the glove from her left hand.
Angel saw her palm was blood red, as if the flesh was completely eaten.
Buffy looked at his face. He frowned worried.
"It's just…" She started, then changed her mind.
"Does it hurt?" He asked.
"No. Actually I have no feeling at all".
He rubbed his chin, staring at her hand.
"It's in both hands. It started yesterday, and riley…" Angel flinched at the mention of the name.
Buffy noticed and stopped talking for a second.
"Well, he, uh, tried to see what's wrong with my hands and it burned him. It looked painful. I put the gloves on, so I wouldn't touch anyone…" She explained.
Angel was still checking her hand. "It looks like the flesh was melted". He took her hand in his. She tried to protest, and pulled her hand back.
"I'm not afraid of being burnt". He told her softly and reached for hand again. She hesitated, then let him touch her palm.
"It has no affect on me", He said quietly, rubbing his thumb in circles on her palm.
"I don't feel your touch". She said looking down as his fingers caressed her wounded hand.
"Do you remember anything out of the ordinary you did?" He asked, still holding her hand.
She shrugged. "Let's see… Vampires, vampires, demons… Nope. Pretty much the usual".
"Any special demons?" He asked.
"Special? Um, slimy, ugly, big… I don't know! I don't exactly recite the kind of demons I kill".
Angel smiled. He missed her. He couldn't deny it. He missed listening to her voice, fighting by her side, holding her… kissing… he closed his eyes remembering the time he was human and she was in L.A with him. He opened his eyes and looked at her, still smiling. She didn't remember. She would probably never know. But she was here now.
"Angel, I'm scared". She said suddenly, her voice shaken.
"It will be all right". He said softly.
"What if…" She sniffed and straightened. He looked at her.
"Remember when there was that demon that touched me and gave me his telepathic powers?" She asked. Angel nodded. How could he forget. It was his first experience of running around smoking in the sunlight. Now he was already used to it.
"What if I killed some demon that touched me and turned me into… some demon?" Her voice trembled.
"I have demon hands now".
"No", He said softly and pulled her closer, putting his arm around her. She rested her head on his chest and started crying. He moved his other hand and hugged her.
She sobbed into his shoulder and he held her until her sobbing subsided and just random shivering crossed her body.
"I'm sorry…" She sniffed and pulled away from him. "I shouldn't have come here and throw my problems on you…" She put her hand back in the glove.
"I will help you, Buffy. I'll always be here for you". He said quietly. She smiled relieved.
He got up. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll talk to Wesley and see what's going on".
"Okay…" She whispered.
Angel leaned over and kissed her softly on her forehead.
"Good night", He whispered and got up.
He turned off the light and opened the door.
"Angel?" Buffy whispered as she covered herself in the blanket.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you".
"Sleep tight". He said and closed the door behind him.
TBC...
RATING: R (for angst, language and darkness)
DISCLAIMER: Not my characters. The copyrights belong to Joss & Co.
TIMELINE: After "Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been", but before "First Impressions". (early S2/S5)
SUMMARY: Angel Investigations have a special client… Buffy.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wrote most of it before the finales, actually all the first few parts I wrote last summer after To Shanshu In L.A, so I had to make some changes when the new season began.
DEDICATION: To the B/Aers. Keep the dream alive, yeah?
//Goodnight, my love,
the tired old moon is descending,
good night my love,
my moment with you now is ending.
It was so heavenly,
holding you close to me,
it will be heavenly,
to hold you again in my dreams.
The stars above,
have promised to meet us tomorrow,
till then my love,
how dreary the new day will seem,
so for the present dear,
we'll have to part,
sleep tight, my love.
Good night, my love,
remember that you're mine
sweetheart.
(Good Night My Love - From the 1936 musical "Stowaway")//
The moon above was the only light source in the street. Downtown L.A was not a good place to hang around at night.
There were several street lamps, but for some reason none of them were working. There was no one walking in the street. Well, no one human anyway.
Angel strolled down the street alone. He wasn't in his usual mood, whatever the hell that meant.
He felt weird. He knew something was going on.
The streets were oddly quiet.
Then he saw someone moving in the shadows.
A normal person wouldn't be able to notice such a small movement there in the dark, but Angel had sharp senses and he knew the thing he saw moving was not human.
Angel walked inside the alley which was even darker than the street.
He saw the horror on the homeless man's face, as the vampire whose back was turned to Angel, pierced his neck.
"Hey!" Angel called and the vampire turned to him. The vampire smiled and blood dribbled from his mouth.
The homeless man was holding his neck, his wound already dry, and collapsed to the floor.
The vampire, still smirking, walked towards Angel.
Angel sighed and vamped out. The vampire was stunned for a minute. "What's the problem, brother?"
Angel roared and pulled out a stake, before the vampire could react, Angel staked him and he exploded into dust.
Angel shrugged. "No problem".
He was about to go check on the homeless man to see if he was still alive, though he seriously doubted it, when some other vampire jumped on him and threw him to the ground.
Angel got up fast and raised his hand, blocking the vampire's blows. He kicked the vampire away, but the vampire was quick to get back to him.
Angel ducked and rolled on the ground, trying to grab the stake he used on the first vampire. He grabbed the stake, still on his knees, when he saw the vampire burst into ashes.
He was puzzled for a moment. Then he saw the person who dusted his attacker.
His jaw dropped in shock, as the young girl threw her stake in the air and grabbed it with her other hand.
"Hi", She said.
Angel got up on his feet.
"Buffy…" He whispered.
"What are you doing here?" Angel approached her.
"It's nice to see you too", Buffy smiled nervously.
He looked down and smiled shyly. Buffy glared at him and laughed shortly.
Angel looked back at her, smiling more confident now.
She stopped smiling and just stared at him.
"We better go some place safer", He said after a bit.
"I went to your office. I understand you had quite a wild party there".
"I just live in some hotel now".
Buffy walked over to him. In the dim moonlight he could still see her face. He knew she was in some kind of trouble. Her face was weary and her eyes were shining, pleading for help. And he knew she didn't just come to pay him a midnight visit, she was looking for his help.
He wanted to grab her right there and then, embrace her and assure her that whatever it is, it will be fine.
But he didn't make a move towards her. Better stay away where it's safe.
He started walking and she made a few quick steps to catch up with him.
"So…" She tried to start a conversation with him as they entered his car. "Who blew up your office?"
"Um… lawyers…"
"Why? Didn't pay the rent?" She giggled.
He smirked but didn't say a word.
An awkward silence surrounded them. They weren't living in each other's worlds anymore. Just what they wanted, what was best for them.
"So… did you beat what's his name in Sunnydale?" Angel asked.
"Adam… yeah, dead". She answered shortly. She was feeling uncomfortable as well.
"And your boyfriend…Uh, riley…?" He hesitated.
"He's okay… I…" She swallowed her words.
"Does he know you're here?"
Angel stopped the car and turned to face Buffy.
"No… no one knows…" She mumbled.
They got out of the car and Buffy followed him inside the hotel. She looked around at the big lobby.
"I didn't know this hotel was still open". She noted.
"It's not… I live here alone".
She gazed at him. "Really? A big hotel just for yourself? Must be lonely".
Angel shrugged. "It's just like the mansion".
Buffy lowered her head. "I suppose…"
She followed him up the stairs to his room. He looked at the bed. "One bed. Two of us". He said.
She smiled bitterly. "Deja-vu".
"You take the bed… I'll sleep on the sofa". He said.
Buffy shook her head. "No, I can't take your bed. Don't you have other beds in this hotel?"
"The other rooms aren't really decent for… look, it's fine. I'll just change the sheets for you".
"No, it's okay". Buffy whispered and sat on the bed.
He looked at her, then his stare stopped on her hands. They were both in gloves.
She noticed he was looking and tried to hide her hands. He walked over and sat next to her.
"What happened?" He asked her, trying to grab her hands.
"Don't touch me!" She called out loudly and he backed off.
"I didn't mean to…" He started to apologize.
She sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell", She said then took off the glove from her left hand.
Angel saw her palm was blood red, as if the flesh was completely eaten.
Buffy looked at his face. He frowned worried.
"It's just…" She started, then changed her mind.
"Does it hurt?" He asked.
"No. Actually I have no feeling at all".
He rubbed his chin, staring at her hand.
"It's in both hands. It started yesterday, and riley…" Angel flinched at the mention of the name.
Buffy noticed and stopped talking for a second.
"Well, he, uh, tried to see what's wrong with my hands and it burned him. It looked painful. I put the gloves on, so I wouldn't touch anyone…" She explained.
Angel was still checking her hand. "It looks like the flesh was melted". He took her hand in his. She tried to protest, and pulled her hand back.
"I'm not afraid of being burnt". He told her softly and reached for hand again. She hesitated, then let him touch her palm.
"It has no affect on me", He said quietly, rubbing his thumb in circles on her palm.
"I don't feel your touch". She said looking down as his fingers caressed her wounded hand.
"Do you remember anything out of the ordinary you did?" He asked, still holding her hand.
She shrugged. "Let's see… Vampires, vampires, demons… Nope. Pretty much the usual".
"Any special demons?" He asked.
"Special? Um, slimy, ugly, big… I don't know! I don't exactly recite the kind of demons I kill".
Angel smiled. He missed her. He couldn't deny it. He missed listening to her voice, fighting by her side, holding her… kissing… he closed his eyes remembering the time he was human and she was in L.A with him. He opened his eyes and looked at her, still smiling. She didn't remember. She would probably never know. But she was here now.
"Angel, I'm scared". She said suddenly, her voice shaken.
"It will be all right". He said softly.
"What if…" She sniffed and straightened. He looked at her.
"Remember when there was that demon that touched me and gave me his telepathic powers?" She asked. Angel nodded. How could he forget. It was his first experience of running around smoking in the sunlight. Now he was already used to it.
"What if I killed some demon that touched me and turned me into… some demon?" Her voice trembled.
"I have demon hands now".
"No", He said softly and pulled her closer, putting his arm around her. She rested her head on his chest and started crying. He moved his other hand and hugged her.
She sobbed into his shoulder and he held her until her sobbing subsided and just random shivering crossed her body.
"I'm sorry…" She sniffed and pulled away from him. "I shouldn't have come here and throw my problems on you…" She put her hand back in the glove.
"I will help you, Buffy. I'll always be here for you". He said quietly. She smiled relieved.
He got up. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll talk to Wesley and see what's going on".
"Okay…" She whispered.
Angel leaned over and kissed her softly on her forehead.
"Good night", He whispered and got up.
He turned off the light and opened the door.
"Angel?" Buffy whispered as she covered herself in the blanket.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you".
"Sleep tight". He said and closed the door behind him.
TBC...