AN: I quite obviously own nothing. Bit of background to this story and my posting in general. I haven't written a story in years, in fact this one is probably about five years old. I stumbled across it cleaning out an old hard drive and thought I'd put it up on my old fanfic account. That being said, perhaps writing is something I can learn to stick to and hopefully you enjoy it! Feel free to let me know either way.
Buffy grunted painfully as Caleb threw her once again. Her back hit a pillar, and she felt it shift violently. Pebbles and dust fell from the rock that made up the ceiling. She landed hard on the ground. The gravel on the ground dug sharply into her palms.
Caleb picked up the scythe and twirled it expertly in his hands. His predatory eyes never leaving her.
Buffy could only look up at him somewhat helplessly from the floor.
"Kind of hoped you'd go this way," Caleb commented as he raised the scythe over his head, readying for his final swing.
Buffy closed her eyes, waiting for the blow. But it didn't come. Instead she heard a short, curt, "Hey!" followed by the unmistakable sound of a punch.
She opened her eyes to see Caleb on the ground. Looking up, Buffy was surprised to see who had come to her rescue.
"I was never much for preachers," Angel remarked a bitterly as he reached out a hand for Buffy to take and return to her feet.
Still slightly in shock, Buffy accepted the help and was soon standing, if a tad wobbly. "Angel," she breathed.
Angel looked down at her, his face emotionless. "You look good," he said somewhat awkwardly after a moment, trying to keep the situation normal.
"Timely," she told him with a smile. "And also good."
Angel held his jaw tightly, he certainly didn't feel good. "I heard maybe you needed a hand," he pushed on.
Their conversation was cut short as they heard Caleb begin to stir. Angel took a few advancing steps towards him as he managed to regain his footing and stand before the pair. Buffy stopped Angel with a hand on his forearm. He looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. "One of those things you have to finish yourself," he guessed.
Buffy nodded with a smile. "Really kinda is."
Angel nodded, glanced at Caleb one more time, and took a few steps back to give her the space she needed.
Angel watched as Buffy picked up the scythe and fought against Caleb. In a few short moves she had managed to slice the man across his abdomen, causing him to fall down to the ground once more.
Buffy turned to look at him. "See? Under control," she said a bit breathlessly.
Angel didn't respond, just watched her blankly from his position across the room.
"Angel, what are you doing here?" Buffy asked, taking a few steps towards him.
"Not saving the damsel in distress, that's for sure," he commented.
"Well you know me," Buffy said, "not much with the damsel-ing."
"But you're sure in distress though," he said. Angel walked over to the file he'd put aside for safe keeping.
"You heard?" she asked.
"I got coverage on the whole thing. Very gripping," he told her as he waved the file towards her. "It needs a third act."
"You have to leave LA," Buffy insisted.
"It's the First, right?" Angel asked. "The First Evil. The power that tried to convince me to kill myself."
"Yeah," Buffy affirmed. "It's gotten a little more ambitious this time. It's raising an army."
Angel was about to respond when he saw Caleb move again. With his quick reflexes he was able to grab ahold of the hand coming towards him. He stopped the hit from landing and threw a punch to Caleb's face.
The pain in his hand from the hit he landed barely registered to Angel as he watched Caleb stagger backwards, fighting to stay standing. Buffy leapt forward on the offensive, scythe once again raised to attack.
Buffy and Angel began two-timing Caleb as best they could. They hadn't had to fight together in quite a while. It was hard to get back into the flow of an old partner.
"How many times do I have to kill you?" Buffy grunted as she swung at Caleb. "Ball park figure," she suggested weakly as she took a step back and Angel landed a quick kick to his stomach.
Caleb managed to catch a punch to the side of Angel's face, sending him to the ground. As Caleb watched him fall, Buffy took the opportunity to catch one final swing, slicing Caleb in half.
Angel stood up angrily and turned, expecting to continue the fight but saw no sign of Caleb. "Where is he?"
Buffy pointed downwards. "He had to split," she offered lamely as Angel glanced between the two large pieces of Caleb. She held her laughter in for all of two seconds before releasing her giggles.
She expected Angel to at least smile a little at her joke but the vampire simply bent over to pick the file up off the ground.
"I'll have the guys run through that," she said. "See if there's anything new. Reliable source?"
Angel scowled as he glared at the brown envelope. "Not remotely."
Buffy shrugged. "Any port in an apocalypse."
Angel reached into his pocket. "I have something else as well," he said, revealing a large jeweled amulet.
"I can already tell you I have nothing that goes with that," Buffy remarked sarcastically.
"It's not for you."
"Splainy," she requested.
"I don't know everything," he explained. "It's very powerful and probably very dangerous. It was purifying power... or cleansing power... the translation is really.. egh." Angel trailed off, frustrated, before shaking his head and clearing up his thoughts. "Anyway, it bestows strength to the right person."
"And the right person is?"
"Ensouled. But stronger than human," he told her. "A champion. As in me."
"Or me," she added.
Angel shook his head. "No, I'm doing this."
"No," she said right back. "You're not going to be in this fight."
"Why the hell not?" he demanded.
"I can't risk you," Buffy told him.
"You need me in this," he said.
"No! I need you gone."
"Why?"
"If I loose," Buffy whispered, "if this thing gets passed Sunnydale then it's days, maybe before the rest of the world goes. We need a second front. And I need you to run it."
Angel scrutinized her carefully, knowing she wasn't tell him the whole truth. "Ok, that's one reason. What's the other?"
"There is no other," she insisted as she hurriedly walked back up the stairs and out to the cemetery.
Angel followed her. "Yes, there is. It's Spike."
Stepping out into the night air, Buffy turned around. "How could you possibly know that?"
Angel shrugged. "His scent," he stated. "It's on you. Plus, he followed you here and is hiding in the shadows of that crypt."
Buffy looked surprised. "Spike?" she called out.
A few seconds later Spike grudgingly stepped out into the open.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I was tagging along, thought I'd help if you needed it. Then ol' Peaches came along and saved the day," Spike said a bit tensely.
"Relax, Spike," Angel said. "I'm not sticking around."
"So you are going back to LA?" Buffy asked hopefully.
Angel shook his head and held up the amulet. "If this works the way I think it will then I won't be going anywhere."
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked suspiciously.
"I'm hoping it manages to kill me for good this time."
Angel's statement shocked both Buffy and Spike.
"You what?" Buffy demanded.
"This is it for me," Angel said. He held up the amulet a little higher. "This might end me for good. I might as well take the hellmouth out with me."
"Angel, this doesn't make any sense. You can't be thinking clearly," Buffy argued helplessly.
Angel sighed, he really wasn't in the mood to argued over this with her. "For the first time in a long time something is making sense," he said. "Everything is so messed up. I can't... There's nothing else I can do."
"I can't risk your life-"
"I'm not yours to risk!" he told her angrily. "Everything at home has changed. Things aren't right anymore. My son's whole life was a total mess from day one. I did that. My friends are hurting. I did that. The woman I love has had her life ruined by what she's sacrificed for me. She's become a demon, ascended, been possessed, and wound up in a coma without any real hope of waking up. I did that! They'd all be so much better off without me."
Buffy was floored by Angel's outburst. Spike stood right next to her also surprised by his sire's behavior. Angel stood before them staring at the ground in front of him, not moving, not speaking, not breathing, not even really thinking.
"You can't talk me out of this, Buffy," he finally whispered. "I've decided. I'm doing this."
"Angel," she began sadly.
Angel looked up at her and she stopped speaking. She just looked at him in the dark cemetery. He looked broken. In all the time she had known Angel she'd seen him in a lot of bad situations, but she had never seen a look of such total pain and heartache on his face. He had truly given up.
Feeling uncharacteristic sympathy for his sire, Spike glanced between Buffy and Angel. "Should probably be headed back to the house," he suggested.
Buffy turned her gaze away from Angel. "Yeah," she sighed. "Let's go."
Without a word Angel followed her and Spike as they left the cemetery.
The walk back to the Summers' home was spent in silence. The slayer and two vampires all seeming to be occupied by their own thoughts. Upon opening the front door, Buffy stopped short. Dawn was standing in front of her, glaring her down. They were both still for only a few long seconds when Dawn suddenly gave Buffy a swift kick to the shin.
"Ow," Buffy complained.
"Dumbass," Dawn said firmly.
Confused, Buffy looked over towards the dining room to see Xander, Anya, Giles and Willow watching them.
"Don't look at me," Xander quickly defended. "This is a Summers' thing. It's all very violent."
Buffy looked at Dawn for a moment longer. "If you get killed, I'm telling," she told her sister.
Dawn had a satisfied smile for a moment before she looked behind her sister. "Angel!" she greeted stepping toward the vampire.
Angel gave her a hug when she stepped closer. "Hey, Dawnie," he said quietly.
She withdrew and surveyed him closely, knowing he wasn't quite right. He avoided her gaze hoping she'd drop the subject. She did, taking a step back allowing Angel and Spike into the house.
The others were just as surprised to see Angel, but they did their best to hide it.
"Did you find out anything about the scythe?" Willow asked Buffy as she came into the dining room.
"It slices, dices, and makes julienne preacher," Buffy told them.
"Caleb?" Giles asked.
"I cut him in half," she reported.
"All right!" Willow cheered.
"He had that coming," Anya agreed.
"Hey, party in my eye socket and everyone's invited," Xander interjected.
Everyone in the room just stared at him for a moment.
"Sometimes I shouldn't say words," he concluded.
Buffy smiled briefly at her friend's words. "I think we should all turn in," she said.
They all nodded in agreement and started to straggle off to their rooms.
"Couch free?" Angel asked.
"Have at it," Buffy told him.
He nodded and was silent for a moment. "Are the phones still working?" he asked.
Buffy nodded.
"Do you think I could use it? Call home," he asked.
"Go ahead," she said, a little awkwardly. She didn't know this Angel. He had a home. He had people in his life she knew next to nothing about. Things were happening to him that she couldn't even begin to understand. Earlier he'd said something about a son, friends, even a woman he seemed to love. Her heart tugged a little knowing she wasn't the only person he loved and depended on. The Angel she used to know seemed to exist only for her. A small part of her was almost jealous at the fact that he had moved on from the days of her being his whole world. She quickly suppressed that traitorous and selfish thought. She had changed as well. They were both very different people. She didn't feel the same things for him she used to, but part of her would always love Angel.
Angel set the folder down on the coffee table and moved towards the phone. He quickly dialed a number he knew by heart. A few rings later the phone was answered.
"Hello?" a familiar voice greeted.
"Hey, Fred," he said quietly.
"Angel!" she exclaimed. "Where are you? We thought you might have come to see Cordy, but you weren't here."
Angel frowned a little, wishing he'd thought to actually stop in to see Cordelia before he left. "I'm in Sunnydale, Fred. I have to help them with a battle coming up."
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm ok." They lapsed into silence before Angel finally gathered the courage to ask the question on his mind. "How is she?"
"No real change," Fred told him sadly. "She's been cleaned up and looks great, which I'm sure she'll appreciate. But they don't have any idea when she'll wake up."
Angel fingered the amulet in his pocket and stared at the wall in front of him. "Her room's nice, right? They're taking care of her?"
"She's in the best possible place, Angel. If anyone could find a way to wake her up it has to be Wolfram and Hart. They have magic and science working here. And the room is top of the line."
"Maybe you could stop by her apartment and tell Phantom Dennis what happened. Pick up a few things. Does she need to stay in a hospital gown or could you grab her some pajamas? She prefers the ones in the top, right drawer of her dresser. There's a book on her night stand. We would read that some nights. You could read it aloud to her," he suggested. "She has these candles in the bathroom; they should be on the tub ledge. I know you can't light them but maybe just bring those. And pick up some flowers, daffodils are her favorite."
"You're starting to sound like me," Fred told him gently. "Rambling."
"I know, I just..." Angel started emotionally. "I just want her to know that I'm still here. I just want her to wake up."
Fred was silent for a moment. "Is there anything else I should bring to her?"
Angel nodded, despite the fact that Fred couldn't see him. "There's a music box," he said. "It should be by the candles in the bath. She likes the tune. It helps her relax." Angel was momentarily lost in thought before he readjusted his hold on the phone. He was quickly running through anything that would make Cordy feel better in his head. "Liam," he accidentally whispered.
"Liam?" Fred asked. "As in..."
"Yeah," Angel said. "There is a key in the music box. It goes to the firebox that is in her closet. There is a stuffed dog in it."
"His name's Liam?" Fred asked fondly.
"Yeah," Angel said softly, remembering the conversation he and Cordelia had in the early months of Angel Investigations. They'd been working a case that involved a child and her 'imaginary friend'. Cordy hadn't meant to tell, but she'd accidentally revealed that she'd never been allowed stuffed toys or imaginary friends. The next day Angel had left a soft, stuffed dog on her desk.
"She does love comparing you to a puppy," Fred laughed gently.
Angel managed a small chuckle and gripped the phone tighter. "I really want her back, Fred. I miss her."
"You can tell her that when you get back." Fred told him promptly.
"I don't know if I'll make it back this time around, Fred," he whispered.
"What?" she asked confused.
Angel continued. "Listen, I want you guys to keep up with Wolfram and Hart. You guys can do some great things with the resources. Just remember the mission, ok? Tell Wes, Gunn, and Lorne to keep up the good work. Tell them... tell them they're the best family that I could have hoped for."
"Angel," she said tearfully.
"About you and Wes, Fred... Gunn's a great guy and I know this Lilah thing threw us all for a loop but he does care about you, always has. Maybe let him try and take care of you. I know you're strong, but it's nice to have someone." Angel leaned his shoulder against the wall and looked down at the ground sadly. "Whether I make it out of this or not I want you to take care of each other, all of you."
"I'll see you when you get back," Fred said passionately, not willing to believe he might not come home.
Angel smiled at her tone. "I love you, Fred. Tell the others I love them too, ok?"
"We love you too," she told him.
"Goodbye, Winifred Burkel," he said with a smile.
"Bye, Angel," she whispered.
Without another word Angel hung up the phone and sighed, leaning heavily on the wall for support. "Weren't you ever told eavesdropping is rude?" he asked with a faint smile and looking towards the door.
Buffy stood there holding a blanket and pillow and looked at him a little embarrassed. "I-"
"Not you," he said gently.
She looked at him confused, not seeing anyone else.
"The rest of you hiding on the stairs."
There was a moment of silence to Buffy's ears when suddenly the movement of several people was heard from the stairs. Willow, Dawn, Xander, Anya, Spike and Giles all rounded the wall and came into view. All but Anya and Spike looked sheepish about getting caught.
"Learn anything interesting?" Angel asked conversationally.
"That was Fred?" Willow asked hesitantly when no one else would speak.
Angel nodded.
"How's she doing?"
Angel smiled a little remembering how Willow and Fred had worked together to get his soul back to him. "She's good."
"And Cordelia? She must have had the baby right?"
Everyone was floored. They didn't know Cordelia was having a baby. Angel however looked crushed.
"There was no baby," he said.
"She was pretty pregnant when I saw her," Willow said confused.
"She was possessed by a high being," he explained painfully. "It was a way for the power to give birth to itself and have its own body. Cordy's in a coma."
Willow looked at him sadly. The others were all shocked. "How was she possessed?" Dawn finally asked.
"She ascended," he said. "Something went wrong."
"Typical human beings can't ascend," Giles interjected.
"She chose to become part demon a few years ago. Her visions were killing her. She could either give them up, rewind time so she never received them, or become part demon. She chose to stay fighting with me."
"This is the same Queen C we all know and despise, right?" Xander asked. "The self-centered and air-headed ego-maniac without a kind particle in her diva body."
Angel growled fiercely and took a menacing step towards Xander. "Shut up," he ordered. "You know nothing about her or anything she's been through. Stop with the childish attacks about things you can't even begin to understand. Grow up! Don't pretend to know anything about our lives."
Xander took a reflexive step back from Angel's terrifying advance. The others also looked relatively frightened by his outburst.
All except Spike. "Haven't seen you this territorial over anything in over a hundred years, Peaches," he remarked.
Angel relaxed his angry stance slightly but still held himself tensely and turned to look at the other vampire. "Things change," he said.
Buffy spoke for the first time since the others have entered. "You love Cordelia?" she asked. Her tone wasn't accusing or harsh, merely curious with a weight of realization.
All of the Sunnydale residents turned to look at Angel. All were curious to the answer to this question once they'd gotten over the surprise that it was even asked.
"With everything I am," he replied steadily and confidently. His admission was met with silence.
"I suppose we should all be headed to our beds," Giles pointed out parentally.
They all nodded and once again slowly began to disperse as Angel settled down on the couch.
Buffy caught Spike's arm as he turned towards the basement. "Faith is still in my room..." she trailed off.
Spike nodded wordlessly, casting a brief glance to Angel, reflexively looking for his sire's approval. Angel caught his look and merely nodded, showing he wasn't going to say anything. His place in Buffy's life was long over, he knew that. He didn't have those sorts of feelings for the blond slayer anymore. He'd moved on.
Spike put a casual arm around Buffy's shoulders and they walked down the stairs side by side.
As the group dispersed, they were all hoping they'd manage to fall asleep.
Angel woke up fairly early the next morning, the sun streaming through the windows and creeping along the floor sent a warning bell through his mind. He listened intently to the house and found that he only heard the sound of at least two people coming from the kitchen. Standing from the couch he stretched tiredly and made his way towards the room.
Upon entering the room he found Giles and Willow seated on bar stools at the counter.
"Morning," he greeted quietly.
They did the same.
"There are some blood packets in the fridge," Willow told him. "Spike keeps it well supplied."
"Animal?" Angel asked a bit awkwardly. He wasn't used to talking to these people about his eating habits.
Willow nodded. "The human blood left over from the hospital is in case we need a transfusion for anyone here. We have to keep it stocked."
Angel nodded, glad he wouldn't have to be stuck drinking human blood. The last time Angel had drunk human blood was when Connor's had been slipped into his pigs' blood.
As he set to making himself some breakfast, Angel surveyed the food supply. "Who cooks for everyone here?" he asked.
"It's sort of a fend-for-yourself system in here," Willow said, drinking her coffee. "No one can really cook for all of us so we help ourselves."
"I could make breakfast," Angel offered.
"You cook?" Giles asked surprised.
Angel nodded sheepishly. "You pick up a few things if you've lived as long as I have. There's isn't exactly a lot to work with here but I could manage a typical breakfast. Pancakes, eggs, that sort of thing."
"Breakfast would be great," Willow smiled encouragingly.
Angel nodded again and silently began to gather some supplies from around the kitchen.
About half an hour later Angel had an extremely large stack of pancakes along with home fries and bacon warming in the oven. He was working on a large skillet of scrambled eggs vaguely making useless conversation with Willow, Giles, Dawn, Faith, Anya and Xander; who had all come down as the smell of food filled the house. Faith was surprised to see Angel there but after a quick explanation she settled in with the others. When the phone rang, Giles stood to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Yes, hello. This is Wesley Windham-Pryce. I was wondering if Angel was there," a man said on the other line.
"Uhm, one moment," Giles said. He covered the mouthpiece and turned back towards the people in the kitchen. "Angel?" he spoke above their conversation. They all stopped and looked at Giles. The vampire in question looked at him curiously. "A Wesley on the phone for you."
Angel sighed and looked down at the pan handle and spoon in his hand. He didn't want the food to burn. "Do you mind if I use speaker phone?"
Giles merely pushed the button and set the phone on the counter next to Angel. "Wes?" Angel asked.
"Angel," Wesley sounded relieved. "What's going on? Fred comes to see me all kinds of upset last night, telling me you're in Sunnydale. She starts telling me all these things you've told her. Are you ok?"
"I'm fine right now, Wesley. I just wanted to make sure she knew, you know, if I don't stay fine," he explained.
"And you plan on not staying fine?" he pushed.
"I don't know," he replied honestly. "And if I'm not, you guys will be okay."
"What are you doing in Sunnydale?" Wesley asked.
"Making breakfast," Angel replied.
"I'm being serious here, Angel. Why are you there?"
"I'd rather not tell you. I need you guys to stay home, be safe, take care of everything on your end," he told him. "I'm not pulling you into this with me."
Wesley sighed, knowing there really wasn't any arguing with him on this point. "You're making breakfast?" he asked, changing the subject.
Angel smiled briefly at his friend's tone. "Yeah, I had to keep my mind busy," he said in a tone of confidence, even though he knew that whole kitchen could hear him.
"I went to see Cordelia," Wesley said softly. Angel looked at the phone, earnest to hear what Wesley had to say. "As much as I hate seeing her like that I do have to say it is better than some of the other conditions we've seen her in."
Angel stirred the egg mixture absently. "You mean like the time she was handcuffed and withering in a hospital bed because her visions were torturing her or the time she passed out and heard hurtful words taken out of context while she astral projected and then decided to live in an alternate universe where you were missing an arm and I had become an insane, rambling mess? Or maybe even one of my personal favorites, barely nineteen years old and suddenly over eight months pregnant with several demon babies," Angel ranted bitterly.
Everyone in the kitchen was staring openly at Angel as he spoke. He ignored them and scooped the now fluffy eggs into a large bowl, turning the stove off. "I should have let her go with the Groosalaug," he told Wesley.
"She didn't love him," Wesley reminded. "And you would have been miserable."
"Yeah, 'cause I'm so damn cheerful right now, Wes," Angel snapped. He sighed as he was only met with silence. "I'm sorry. I.."
"I know," came an understanding reply. They lapsed into silence and Angel busied himself with putting away the egg carton and pancake mix. Then they heard Wesley speaking, but it was muffled, clearly directed at someone on his side of the line. There was a quick shuffle before a new voice came across.
"Angel-cakes!" Lorne exclaimed. "Leaving with no notice, I thought we'd broken you of this little habit, cinnamon buns."
Angel took note of the amused glances of the others in the kitchen and he grimaced slightly. "Lorne, I thought we talked about this. Stop calling me pastries."
"You talked. I didn't listen. Listen, strudel, maybe I can help you out. Sing a few bars?"
"Never again," Angel groaned. "I have to do this, Lorne."
"Fine," Lorne sighed. "It's not like you were ever good at listening to what I read anyway. I mean, come on, you and Cordelia."
"Kyrumption," Angel said. "I know... You haven't read anything from her, have you? Does that sort of thing work?"
"Sorry, corn muffin. But unless she starts singing in her sleep, I've got nothing. I could ask around, maybe there's someone who can."
"Thanks, Lorne. Hey, is Gunn there. I've talked to the others and I'd hate to leave him out," he said a tad wryly from where he was setting his used pans into the sink.
"I'll see you, Angel," Lorne told him quickly.
"What's this I hear about you skipping town to kick some sort of evil's butt?" Gunn's voice came over the phone. "And why wasn't I invited?"
"Because I'm just helping out kicking the evil's butt," Angel told him. "I need you to take care of them."
"Always," Gunn said seriously. "I mean, without me what've we got, English?"
"Better watch it," Angel warned good-naturedly. "I'm the boss and when I'm out of town, Wesley's in charge."
"English is babysitting, don't I feel controlled," Gunn drawled. "Speaking of you being the boss, have you checked out your penthouse? And the garage?"
"Stay out of my penthouse," Angel told him. "And any scratches on my cars and I'm coming after you."
"Come on, you've got to let me have one," Gunn insisted. "You don't need all twelve."
"I'll think about it," he allowed with a smirk. "I think I'd better get going, Gunn."
"All right, man. Be safe?" he asked sounding a little uncomfortable, he had never been very good with the emotional things.
"You too," Angel said, knowing that how his friend felt about these things. "Bye."
"Bye, Angel."
Angel took a second to turn around, facing away from all of the people who had been sitting silently in the kitchen. He only needed a quick moment to compose himself before he turned back around as though nothing had happened. He reached into the oven and withdrew the large plates filled with food.
"Someone want to wake everybody up, tell them food's on?" Angel asked the room. Dawn silently volunteered and exited the room to rouse the sleeping potentials. Angel brought a large portion of the food into the dining room and set it on the table. The amount in the kitchen was more than enough for the main Scooby Gang to eat. "I figured you'd like to keep it more separated at this point, seems things need to be talked about."
They all nodded in agreement and started to load up their plates, conversation slowly resuming.
Soon people were pouring in quickly, drawn in by the prospect of a hot homemade breakfast. Buffy and Spike emerged from the basement as well. Buffy was surprised to see her kitchen counters full with her friends all eating contentedly while the potentials chatted and ate in the other room.
"Who made breakfast?" Buffy asked as she grabbed her own plate to fill.
"Angel," Dawn informed her through a big bite of pancakes. "They're really good."
Angel nodded in thanks from his position, leaning against a counter slightly away from the group.
Spike stepped forward about to open the fridge when Angel whistled to get his attention. Spike looked up and saw Angel holding out a mug of heated blood for him. He simply nodded in thanks at his sire. They were both a bit uncomfortable and unsure how to act around each other. They'd spent a lot of time together when they were evil, but back then Angelus was always the boss. More recently Angel and Spike had hated each other, one having a soul and the other not. Now that they were on more of a level ground it was strange.
"So, um... a penthouse, huh?" Willow said lamely, trying to stop the silence that had fallen over the kitchen.
"Yeah," Angel said a bit awkwardly. He turned to look in the cabinet behind him and withdrew a small jar. "That's sort of a new development."
Spike took a reflexive sniff as he watched Angel shake something into his mug of blood. "Cinnamon?" he asked with a tone of mild disgust.
Angel glanced up and merely nodded. He took a sip. His expression wasn't on of enjoyment though. It was sadness.
Seeing that Angel seemed uncomfortable talking about this and avoiding the subject, Buffy decided to speak up. "I have a plan," she said.
Everyone turned to look at her. They all waited intently, the gravity of the situation once again falling over them as they began to listen to Buffy explain.
Angel gave the Turok-Han in front of him a swift kick to the head and dodged a blow from one behind him. He felt something within the amulet and looked down at it as he stumbled away from the fight. He brought a burnt hand up to touch his face. He watched wide eyed as a light suddenly burst from the amulet, it blasted a hole through the ceiling, all the way through to the sky.
As the light turned orange Angel yelled out, "Buffy!"
The slayer turned around at the sound of her name and saw Angel standing in a column of bright light. "Angel!" She made to step forward but stopped when the amulet's light spread in rays around the hellmouth. The Turok-Han became dust as the light touched them and the hellmouth began to shake.
"Everybody out, now!" Faith ordered the newly formed slayers. She began to hustle the younger girls out quickly. All of them began to run for the exit, some of the wounded being helped along the way.
Buffy approached Angel as everyone was clearing out of the hellmouth.
Angel looked down at her, amazed by the light the amulet was giving. "Get out of here, Buffy," he told her.
Buffy just looked at him, also awed by the sight before her. "Angel..."
He just gave her a sad smile. "That file I had? It's on the bus. Take it... Stop by LA? Tell them what happened?" he asked a little pleadingly.
Buffy nodded wordlessly.
Faith stooped down as she reached the upper lever. "Buffy, come on!"
"Angel," she almost whispered.
"I mean it, Buffy," he told her. "Get out of here."
Buffy took a few steps to leave but still looked back at him.
"This is what I want," he told her simply.
Without another word, Buffy ran from the hellmouth.
Angel stood all alone in the desolate hellmouth, the light still shining brightly on him. He looked down at his hands a bit surprised. They were on fire. He could feel it coming. His skin began to singe, the heat and pain were spreading. It was slower than he always imagined. He was still aware as the fire reached his muscles and he continued to burn. Everything went black as the fire spread over his body. Until finally, he was no more.
Fred sighed as she exited the elevator and looked around the large room, people bustling about in every direction. She spotted Wesley coming down the stairs.
"Hey, Wesley," she greeted with a slight smile.
"Fred," he replied with a friendly smile. "How are you today?"
"Fine." She sighed. "No news on Angel?" she asked.
Wesley shook his head with a sorry look. "Not yet. But maybe..." he trailed off as he looked over Fred shoulder.
Confused, Fred turned to see what it was he was looking at.
A group of people were exiting the elevator. A petite blonde young woman was leading them, all were wearing awed and confused expressions.
"Buffy?" Wesley asked, loudly enough for them to hear. He thought he recognized the slayer he'd met several years before.
Buffy looked over towards the source that had said her name and looked blank for a second.
"That's Wesley," Willow interjected a little quietly.
Recognition sparked for some of them, he certainly wasn't the stuck up Watcher they all remembered.
"Uh, yes," Wesley said. "Is this about Angel?" he asked, trying not to seem too eager.
The group exchanged glances and looked at Wesley with a mixture of sadness and maybe even a little guilt.
Fred gasped beside him and Wesley comfortingly wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
Buffy held up a brown file in her hand. "Is there a place we can talk? I have something for you."
Wesley nodded. "Yes, why don't we step into Angel's office. Just there."
They all shuffled over to the large room he'd indicated.
Still holding Fred, Wesley stopped for a moment at the receptionist's desk. "Harmony?" he asked. "Would you call Gunn and Lorne up here for us?"
"Right away," Harmony said with a bright smile.
The Sunnydale gang looked shocked when they saw who Wesley was speaking to. "But she's..." Willow stuttered.
"Don't worry, she's on a strict pig's blood diet," Wesley assured them.
They nodded uneasily as they reached the room. Spike stopped at the doorway upon seeing the amount of sunlight the large windows were letting it.
Fred turned, noticing he'd stopped following. "You can come in," she told him.
"I'd rather not be a pile of dust, love," Spike said.
"No, it's safe. It's Angel's office after all. Completely vampire friendly. The whole building is."
Spike looked confused, but took a small step forward, inching into the sunlight. He looked surprised to see no harm coming to him. He stepped fully into the light. He hadn't stood in sunlight in the longest time. "What is it and where can I get some?" he asked with a smile.
They all seemed a little amused by Spike's enjoyment of being in the sunlight.
"Necro-tempered glass," Wesley told them absently as he looked away from the door.
They were all silent for a moment before Gunn and Lorne came quickly into the room.
"News about Angel?" Gunn asked right away.
"Yikes," Lorne said sadly. "I don't need any singing to read this group." He hung his shoulders.
Buffy held up the folder she was holding again. "He wanted me to give you these," she told them. Opening the file she withdrew five envelopes. She took a step toward the grieving foursome. "You're Fred?" she asked the crying woman.
Fred nodded and took the envelope that was held out to her.
"Wesley," Buffy nodded at him as she passed the man his envelope.
"Lorne? Gunn?" she asked the man and demon, not sure who was who.
They each took their respective gifts.
"Who are you all?" Gunn asked them.
The Scooby Gang stepped up and introduced themselves one at a time.
"Why did Angel do this?" Fred asked shyly.
"He fit the description of who was needed to make this happen. He volunteered, said he had to do this," Buffy explained gently.
"Stupid champion," Fred said lovingly.
"I'm guessing the last letter is for Cordelia," Wesley spoke up.
Buffy simply held up the letter and they could all see it clearly marked 'Cor'. "He said she was in a coma."
Wesley nodded. "Yes, her life force was drained after the power that had possessed her preformed a ritual to release itself."
"Will she wake up?" Xander spoke up.
"We don't know," Wesley replied gravely. "We have everyone capable working on it."
"She doesn't deserve to go out like this," Gunn commented. "I figured Barbie would have some crazy heroic end."
"How often do you sit around and think about how we're all going to die?" Lorne asked incredulously.
"Only on the slow days," Gunn shot back with a smile.
Fred and Wesley looked at their friends, amused.
"Do you all need a place to stay?" Wesley asked the visitors. "There is plenty of room in the upper apartments. We'd like to hear what happened, but right now I think we should see to these." He held up his letter.
Buffy looked back at her friends who nodded in the positive. "Sure, a place to stay would be nice."
"Harmony will show you to your rooms."
The groups all exchanged quick 'see you later's and parted. Each member of Angel investigations feeling the immense weight of the letters in their hands.
"I thought I might go visit Cordelia today," Wesley mentioned to them. "I'll drop this by for her."
"Wes, she can't read it," Gunn said.
Wesley looked down. "I know, but he wanted her to have it."
Without another word Wesley was gone and the others soon followed, each going to find a place where they could read their letters in peace.
AN: So that's all past-me wrote. I don't quite remember where this was planning to go, but maybe if I get the inspiration, I'll finish it up. Remember, all feedback is welcome and appreciated.