Disclaimer: I don't own anybody, so there.
BUFFY ANNE SUMMERS
1981-1999
THE CHOSEN ONE, THE
LIGHT IN THE DARK
RIP
Angel kissed the white rose before he laid it down on the fresh grave. She was dead. It wasn't fair. Life wasn't fair. He knelt before the grave, sifting his fingers through the fresh soil.
"Damn it," he quietly murmured, not knowing to sob or laugh hysterically. He chose the latter as tears trickled from his eyes. She had been killed. The Slayer had been slain. He reached out to touch the tombstone, not willing to accept the fact that she had died.
If it would have brought her back, he would steak himself right in front of her grave at that moment. It wasn't fair. He wanted to howl with the injustice of it. She gave up her life for these mortals, and they did not know about it. At least the people he saved knew, at least somewhat, who he was. Buffy didn't have that luxury.
"Angel." Angel turned around to see Spike standing behind him. Angel tensed as he rose to his full height to tower over the other vampire. Spike looked sad, lost almost, which Angel wasn't in the mood to believe at the moment. The white-haired vamp should have been celebrating, dancing in circles with glee on her grave, not playing the roll of a respectful mourner, and certainly not the roll of a pitting friend to her ex-lover.
Spike sniffled loudly and croaked in his Cockney accent, "I tried to save her, mate, but I just didn't get there on time. I'm sorry Angel. I knew what she meant to you."
Angel laughed. A hard bitter laugh, one that made Spike flinch. Angel said, "Like I really believe that Spike." He started to walk away. He called after Spike, "I have things I need to do."
******
Spike ran to catch up with his sire. Neither vampire noticed a small hand clawing out of the fresh soil, a small, dirt covered head emerging from the grave, or the blond girl pulling herself out of the grave. Rather, a small blond female vampire. Her delicate features were twisted into a feral, demonic snarl and her green eyes were glowing golden.
The vampire that was Buffy Summers, once the Slayer, dusted herself off and said, in a cheery, singsong voice, "I'm hungry."
******
Four Days Later
Rupert Giles, former Watcher, quietly sipped on his tea. It felt like a dark shroud had been placed over his life since Buffy was killed. He knew it would happen one day, but he didn't expect it so soon. And he also didn't expect how much it would hurt.
Giles had experienced death before, even the woman he loved, but this, in some way was sadder. Maybe because his pupil's life was so tragic. Buffy, no matter how much she wanted to, never gave up. Even in the face of her own death. She would even die for the ones she cared about. She had almost killed herself to save Angel.
Oh, God, I wonder how he is handling this, Giles thought for the doomed vampire. Despite Angel's many faults he did love Buffy, truly and deeply. He had gone to Hell and back for her, suffered torture for her, and had left her in hopes that would better her life.
He stood up and looked out of the window of his condo. It was bright and sunny, because of Buffy. She had saved the world countless times in the past, and all she got for it was the legacy of a few mortals, a Watcher's Diary written about her, and the memory of an immortal. As long as Angel was alive Buffy would not be forgotten.
That gave the former Watcher a small amount of comfort.
******
Xander Harris stuffed his hands into his khaki pants' pockets and sniffled loudly. "Damn it," he grumbled, all traces of his ironic wit gone. To anyone he looked like some lost puppy dog, wandering around the street, morning the lost of one his best friends. Xander wanted to shout with the unfairness of it, but where would that get him?
Nothing.
He started to go to the Bronze, but realized he couldn't. It was too soon. To many memories there that Xander couldn't handle right now. He looked up at the sky. It would be dark soon. Sunnydale was no safe place after dark.
That was another thing, with Buffy dead, Sunnydale had no protector. Angel had left as suddenly as he came, so everything was out in the open. "That bastard, he could have stayed longer, she would have for him," he grumbled.
He didn't want to go home, and he didn't want to go to the Bronze, so where was a mourning 19-year-old boy going to go? I'll know I'll go see Giles, Xander thought. Giles would make him feel better, cuz' Giles was just cool like that. He'd probably say something really British and give some big lecture, but that would make Xander feel, just a little bit, better.
He looked up at the sky. Night had fallen, coating the streets in darkness. "Xander." He turned. He knew that voice. "Xander," it said it again.
"Huh?" he asked, looking around, grabbing for the crucifix in his shirt. "Xander, it's me," the very familar voice said.
"Buffy?" he asked in awe.
She immerged from the shadows, smiling her Buffy smile at him. "Xander," she said moving to him.
He wanted to dance with joy. She's alive! She's alive! He cried out, "Buffy!" He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. She held him closely, too hard. Like Faith did when she tried to kill him. It didn't feel right, and she held him for too long. She should have let go a few moments ago, but she didn't.
"Buffy, you could let me go now," he quipped. Okay Harris, what the hell are you saying, maybe she opened her eyes and forgot about Dead Boy. But something deep inside of him knew differently. He tried to push her away, but, she was stronger than she was before. It wasn't Buffy holding him.
It defiantly wasn't Buffy giggling demonically at him. "Oh god," he knew what had happened to her. "I'm so sorry Buff," he managed as he tried to get away from her.
He couldn't. It was like fighting steel. With one punch Angel had knocked him out for about 20 minutes, he didn't want to know what she was going to do to him. She chuckled, "Don't be Xander, I'm not." Then she snarled. He tried to grab his cross, but it was too late when razor fangs ripped into his throat. He tried to scream, but only a gurgle came out.
******
Los Angeles
9:00 P.M.
Doyle watched as Angel slung the vampire into stacked metal garbage cans. The vampire stood up, shook himself off and snarled. Angel motioned for it to come closer and said, "Come on, you wanna a piece of me."
The vampire lunged its self blindly at Angel, a bad move. Angel grinned a bit as his steak fount it's mark. The vampire looked up at Angel for a moment before it exploded into a cloud of dust.
Doyle asked him, "Was that nessicary?"
"What?" the vampire asked as he slipped his well-worn steak into his leather jacket.
Doyle swallowed and took his flask out of his jacket. With the flask, he indicated the pile of dust on the ground. He unscrewed the cap as he answered, "All that violence."
Angel shrugged, "I just killed a vampire, no big deal. I made the city a little safer, anything else."
"Look I know your taking her death hard, but you don't need to . . ." Doyle couldn't finish the sentence. Angel's gaze was shooting daggers at him.
He said two words, "I'm fine."
"No, you're not," Doyle told him. To prove it the half-demon asked, "When's the last time you've slept?"
Angel shrugged. "A few days ago, not sure. It doesn't matter, I'm gonna live forever, so what if I don't sleep a few days."
"Okay, better question, when's the last time you ate?"
Again that shrug. He said, "Yesterday, I think."
Doyle rolled his eyes and said, "This isn't going to bring her back you know. No matter how many vampires or demons you kill, it isn't gonna bring her back, man."
Angel glared at him. Doyle straitened up and glared back. Angel could kick his ass without breaking a sweat, and Angel was a hell of a lot tougher, and there was the fact that he was immortal and Doyle wasn't.
"Come on," Doyle said as he grabbed Angel's arm and led him out of the ally. Surpringly, Angel didn't shrug him off. Doyle went on, "Lets get you a drink, my treat."
******
Sunnydale
Morning, time unknown
Willow Rosenberg walked into Sunnydale U's large library. She was almost better. It just had so many books and so much better computers than Sunnydale High's. Better modem connection, better Internet Server, a more advance brand and to top it all off, they were all Pentium II's. She smiled at the librarian, who in turned scowled back at her.
Willow frowned, something that might accualy cheer her up was ruined by this libarian's snobby additude. It had been almost a week since Buffy's death, and thing were almost returning back to normal. Almost. Things seemed empty without Buffy. Nothing was the same. Willow hadn't even cast a spell since Buffy's funeral.
She sighed as she logged on the Net. She was about to get on one of her chat rooms when she fount that she couldn't move her fingers to type. Tears welled up in her eyes. How many times had she gotten on the Net to look something up for Buffy?
"Willow," she looked up to see Anya standing behind her. Willow suddenly became uneasy as she looked up at the pretty brunette. Then relaxed when she noticed the other girl's unease. The girl was once a demon who made with the bad magic to avenge scorned women, but was now a human girl who had a huge crush on Xander. Willow could relate to that.
Willow asked, "Hey Anya, what's up?"
Anya sat down, her eyes were full of tears. Willow asked, "Anya, what's wrong?" She didn't know Buffy that well, did she? She couldn't be mourning over Buffy's death, could she?
Anya answered, "It's Xander, he's gone Willow. I looked for him every where last night, I even waited for him in the basement all morning for him, but he was gone."
Willow was suddenly full of worry. Things did not disappear on the Hellmouth, well, they did, but they had a reason. She said, "I'm sure he'll turn up Anya."
Anya nodded and walked away.
******
"Giles, Xander's been missing all day," Willow explained. Oz nodded in agreement from his cage. It would be a full moon in a few minutes, and so Oz would be furry and fanged.
Spike took a drag from his cigarette and said, "So?"
Willow wanted to slap the white-haired vampire. She glared at him. Giles immerged from the back room and said, "This may be no cause for worry Willow. Maybe he's just not handling this well."
"Maybe something ate him," Spike chuckled.
Willow glared at him. She suddenly wanted to use her powers to hurt someone. She wondered for a brief moment what would happen if she cursed Spike like she did Angel. Giles said, "It maybe not wise to provoke her William, she is a witch, and she is the one who recursed Angel."
Go Giles, Willow thought. Spike flinched and said, "Don't anger the pretty little witch then, good advice." He was mocking both of them. He was blackmailed into helping them and he hated it with a fiery passion.
Spike chuckled and said, "I'll go find the annoying lad for you." With that the vampire swept out of the room, his long, black, leather coat swaying around him.
Giles asked, "Are you sure you will be alright?"
Willow bravely smiled and said, "Go on Giles, find Xander."
He left in moments, leaving Willow alone with a wolfed-out Oz.
Willow heard something. She put her spell book down and looked up. Nothing. She heard Xander's voice say, "Hiya Willow."
"Xander, is that you?" Willow called out.
"Hey Will," Xander drawled as he stepped out of the shadows.
"Xander, we were so worried about you," Willow told him, so glad to see him. She couldn't handle two dead best friends in a week.
"How ya doing Will?" he asked with his mocking grin. Willow watched him as he walked toward her. He was dressed in black leather pants, a tight white T-shirt, black combat boots, and a black biker jacket. Not typical XanderWare.
She said, "Oh, I'm okay. How are you?"
He sauntered to her in a way that reminded her of how Angel moved. Fluid, graceful, swift, and deadly. Like a stalking wolf. He grinned his Xander grin, except there was an evil undertone beneath it. He said, "Hungry." Then his face morphed to that of a vampire's. His warm, soft, brown eyes turned glowing golden, his soft mouth displayed sharp, gleaming fangs.
"I'm sorry," she told her best friend, someone she had loved since she was five.
Xander said, "No problem Will, it wasn't your fault. In fact it's pretty cool."
She ran to the counter, reaching for the tranq gun or a cross. "Hey Will, no fair." She was spun away from the counter by a small blond form.
Buffy smiled at her, displaying her fangs. She said, "You'll like being a vampire Willow, trust us."
The only thing Willow could say was, "Oh, my God." There was one way she could get out of this. Release Oz, distracting Vamp Buffy and Xander long enough to run away. She ran to the cage. Her fingers almost opened the release when Buffy's slender fingers wrapped around Willow's pale wrist.
Willow screamed as fangs sank into her throat.
******
Los Angeles
7:29 A.M.
Cordelia Chase walked into the office and looked around. The sun had just risen, and Angel was probably asleep now, or hopefully. The vampire had been up for six days strait, fighting each night and not taking care of himself period. It didn't take a genius to figure out that he was heavily mourning, but he might get himself killed if he wasn't careful.
The phone rang, she picked it up and answered, "Cordelia Chase, how may I help you?"
"Cordelia . . ." It was Giles, then the phone went dead.
"Giles, Giles, Giles!!!" She pushed the buttons to reconnect the call, but all she got was static.
She jumped up and ran down into the basement. Angel was asleep, his arm thrown carelessly over his head. He jerked up and looked at her. He was nude from the waist up, from what Cordelia could tell. He asked, a little groggy, "Cordy, what is it?"
Cordelia caught her breath and told him about what had happened with Giles and the phone. He stood up in one fluid motion, luckily he was wearing drawstring pants. He asked, "Do you think he might be in trouble?"
She shrugged and answered, "It's the Hellmouth, who knows."
He walked to his clothes press and looked at her. She asked, "What is it?"
"Could you leave?" he asked pointly.
"Why?" she asked, not quite grasping the message that he was sending her.
He lifted a pair of black jeans and a black shirt up into her view. Cordelia suddenly turned bright pink. She twisted a ring on her finger and managed, "Oh, I'm so sorry Angel." She pointed upstairs and said, "I'll just be upstairs." She kept looking at him as she walked to the steps, banging into a chest of some sort.
She flinched at the sting on her calves but continued to walk, a big, innocent, slightly goofy smile on her face. Angel said, "Thank you."
"No problem," she managed before she raced up the stairs.
******
Sunnydale
7:30 A.M.
Giles watched as Oz restlessly paced around his condo. Oz said, "Both Xander and Willow are missing Giles. They wouldn't disappear without telling one of us. At least, Willow would have told me." Giles didn't need to hear the werewolf's silently added "I hope she would," to it.
Giles looked at his phone. He had been trying to call up Angel and it went dead. That was not a good sign.
******
Sunnydale
After Dark
Angel dropped Cordelia off at Giles' condo and told her, "Be careful, Cordelia. If he's not there get to the Bronze as fast as you can."
The brunette nodded and said, "Yeah Angel, I will."
Doyle leaned over and said, "He means it Cordy." The brunette rolled her eyes and strolled up to the porch. Angel watched as a very human Giles opened the door and let her in. The vampire sighed in relief and said, "Okay, now it's off to Willy's."
As they drove, Doyle's curiosity won out, like Angel thought it would. He asked, "What's Willy's?"
Angel shrugged and answered, "It's a dive for the underworld. And a good place to get information, at the right price." Angel grinned and made a fist, he said, "Luckily I have a five-fingered discount."
******
Willy's Bar
Angel strode in, Willy looked up at him, turning instantly pale. Willy motioned for him to come over, Angel did. Willy whispered, "Angel, man, I'm glad you're here."
"Why?" Angel asked skeptically. Willy had sold him out once, and Angel knew that he could do it again.
Willy pointed at a vampire drinking a beer. He had curly dark hair, was wearing black leather from head to toe, except for his white T-shirt. For some reason, vampires liked to wear leather, Angel didn't get it, they just did. He was about 18-19 when he was made. Wirily built, gangly.
The vampire, as he knew that Angel was looking at him, looked up. Angel froze in shock. It was Xander Harris. "Oh, my god . . ."
"What?" Doyle asked beside him.
Angel answered, "It"s Xander."
"Cordy's ex? The one who calls you Dead Boy?" Doyle asked.
Angel nodded. Xander smiled, probably enjoying Angel's discomfit. He drawled, "Hiya Dead Boy."
Angel said the only thing he could, "I'm sorry Xander."
The gangly boy chuckled and said, "I'm not, it's pretty cool. Living forever, being super strong, no one's gonna pick on me anymore."
Angel shook his head, feeling a fierce sorrow that the boy had been killed, and that he would have to kill him perminately. Xander moved closer, saying, "That means I can kick your ass Dead Boy."
Then he threw a punch. Angel caught his wrist and flipped him over the bar. He ignored Willy's cries of protest as Xander stood up. The boy snarled, "Okay Dead Boy, it's time to become dusted." With that his face shifted into full vampiric bloom, his light brown eyes turning golden, fangs gleaming in his mouth. Angel suddenly thought he looked kind of batlike the way Xander's ears naturally stood out.
Angel acted before the boy could respond. He may have super strength, be harder to kill, tougher, and faster, but Angel had something that Xander didn't. Experience and cunning. Angel had been fighting longer than Xander had, and was trained at it, Xander "The King of Creatins" Harris wasn't.
He snarled, "Who's your sire?" So I can kill them for you when this is over. So I can avenge your death.
Xander stood up and snarled, "Wouldn't you like to know Dead Boy?"
He jumped at Angel. The older vampire spun in a graceful arch and grabbed the boy's collar. He spun Xander around and slung him to the ground. Angel grabbed a pool Que and snapped it over his knee. He brought it up, about ready to steak Xander. He said, "I'm sorry, for everything." Xander, even the new-and-not-improved Demonic Xander, should get the meaning to that.
Xander impossibly grinned and quipped, "Well, the Dark Side has its perks and everything."
"Joking to the end," Angel said sadly, raising his arm, ready to strike.
"You will be," Xander said with a sadistic smile. Then he swung his leg up, kicking Angel full in the groin.
******
Xander stood up as Angel fell to his knees, gagging. Xander kicked Angel's spiky head and rib cage. Xander glared down at Angel, a luxury that he so enjoyed. He grinned and quipped, "Sorry Angel, but my 'sire' might get a little angry if I kill you." He chuckled as Angel gagged up at him.
Then he grabbed his beer mug and gulped the last of its contents. He walked out of the bar, slamming the mug into the wall. While he was doing this, he was laughing all the while.
He called out, "See ya later Dead Boy!"
******
Angel stood up, still sore from where Xander had attacked. Doyle asked, "Are you okay, because that looked really painful?"
Angel answered, "They got Xander, no, I'm not okay."
Doyle said, "So know you go kill Xander and his sire."
"Exactly," Angel said as he reached out and grabbed Willy around the neck. He said, "But first, I'm gonna need some answers."
******
Vampire Lair
Buffy walked into the abandoned warehouse which she, Willow, and Xander took refuge in the day. She felt great, she had just fed. There was just one thing missing and he was tall, with broad shoulders and very brooding. A.k.a. Angel, but she didn't want that Angel, she wanted his savage alter ego, Angelus. She wanted an equal, someone who could match her new cruelty and love her fiercely, just like Angel did.
But now Buffy was different, and Angel wouldn't love her, but Angelus would probably delight in her. The thing was, he was in Los Angeles, and she wasn't ready to leave Sunnyhell yet. Willow sauntered in the room, pouting.
Out of all of them she had changed the most. She was dressed in leather, a bodice that laced up to reveal a whole lot and very tight pants. She whined, "Board now, where's Xander?"
"I'm here Baby," he called out as he entered the room and wrapped his arm around Willow's waist. The girl was delighted as he nuzzled at her neck, Buffy rolled her eyes in disgust.
Xander said, "Hey Buffmyster, I saw someone who you'll wanna see."
"Who?" Buffy asked as she rolled her eyes.
"Well, he's tall and likes to brood a lot," Xander quipped as he nipped at Willow's neck, which caused the redheaded vamp to squeal in delight.
Buffy knew she was beaming like a street lamp when he said that. Angel was here, in Sunnydale. Buffy could almost shout in delight.
******
Giles' Condo
"Xander's a vampire?" Cordelia, Giles and Oz chorused in disbelief.
Angel sadly nodded, not wanting to meet their gazes. He wasn't good at dealing with people, and now was one of those really bad times. He looked at Giles' furnishings, not knowing what to say. Doyle walked over from the bar, holding a drink for Cordelia and himself. He slid the glass from Cordelia, who didn't see it.
The girl was trying her best not to break out sobbing. She violently twisted a napkin in her hands and whispered, "It's not true." Giles looked lost and regretful. Oz even looked fazed.
Doyle nodded and said, "Saw the lad vamp out myself darlin', he's a vampire now. He even beat Angel."
A pair of green eyes, a pair of greyish blue hidden by glasses and brown eyes glanced at him. Angel felt even more uncomfortable than before. He said, "He caught me off guard."
Doyle leaned over and whispered, loud enough for Angel to hear, "What he's saying is that the kid got him good in the . . ."
"Shut up Doyle," he told the half-breed. Doyle did.
Giles took off his glasses and held them absently. He said, "I wonder who is his sire?"
Angel stood up and said, "Well, I am going to find out."
Giles slid his glasses back onto his face and asked, "Are you sure that's safe?"
Angel shrugged as he slipped into his duster. Safety was not an issue in his case, just in others. He said, absently, "I'll be careful."
******************************************************************************
The Bronze
Angel snuck in from the back so he didn't have to pay the cover charge. It was a habit so familiar to him that he barely realized he did it anymore, when he was here at least. He looked around, shutting out all of the painful memories that this place brought him. He looked over to the pool table and slightly smiled. There was a dent still from when the Vampire Willow had taken over the Bronze and he had slammed a vampire into the table during the battle. Then he had taken a pool ball and smashed it against a vamp's skull.
He absently wondered if it had affected anyone's game. He continued to stalk the night club, shutting out any human's presence and looking for any vampire.
There was one. At the bar. It was a blond female, small in build, her back turned to Angel.
Two collage seniors walked up to her, nudging elbows. One cleared his voice and came onto her, "Hey Babe, why don't you and me go out and have some fun?"
She shook her head slightly. His pal boasted, "Why would she want you when she could have a real man like me?"
Angel walked over to them and placed one hand on each shoulder. They turned to look at him in surprise. Angel smiled just a little bit and said, "You boys really don't know what you're dealing with here, and take my advice, you don't. So it would be a highly intelligent thing for you to leave."
They looked at him, shrugged and sauntered off. The vampire chuckled and Angel froze.
He knew that voice. He would know that voice anywhere. It haunted his days and kept him awake at nights.
Buffy Summers turned around and smiled up at him adoringly. Angel felt an imaginary blade cleave his heart in two. Someone had made Buffy into a vampire. Someone had drained her and forced her to drink their blood. His Buffy.
"Oh god," he murmured.
She smiled and said, "Hey Angel, why don't you take a seat? Thanks for getting those guys away from me, you're always my Guardian Angel. Always watching over me." She chuckled and tossed her long golden hair.
She was beautiful, pale, which even made her more lovely in a perverse way. She would always look like this, until someone killed her. Her huge green eyes twinkled at him, but she, the Buffy he had fell in love with, wasn't there. He was looking into the eyes of a killer, a hunter.
She asked him, her tone teasing, "Are we going to go out and fight, or are you just going to stand there and gape at me, or are you going to sit down and have a drink with me?"
He fell on the stool beside him, looking down at his hands. He asked, "Who did this to you?"
She shrugged and answered, "It's not important, because I killed the son of a bitch."
He looked at her and whispered, "I'm sorry."
She grinned wickedly and said, "Just think about it, we could be together forever. Never ageing, being together forever, making trouble and other things forever."
He fiercely shook his head and said, "No, you know that."
She teased, "You can just give in you know, we both want it. Put your mind at ease as they say."
He stood up and strode out of the Bronze.
******
Giles' Condo
Giles was about to go after Angel when the vampire strode into the room. He opened up the cabinet and pulled out a large glass. Then he got out Giles' bottle of whiskey that he kept and filled up the glass. Giles watched in amazement as the vampire swallowed the glass's contents in one gulp.
The look in Angel's eyes was lost and empty. Giles didn't like that look, in fact, it terrified him. Doyle stood up and went to his friend. The half-breed asked, "Are you all right?"
Angel slammed the glass down on the counter, it was amazing that it didn't break. Then he burst out into hysterical laughter, like an insane man. Now Giles knew there had to be something extremely wrong, or maybe Angel had lost his mind.
Angel stopped and looked up at them and answered, "Buffy didn't die, she's a . . . a . . . a . . ." He sighed, "She's a vampire. Someone changed her."
Giles could only stand there in shock.
Buffy, Willow, and Xander watched, unnoticed, threw Giles' window. Willow clapped her hands and said, "Ohhh goodie, when are we going to play?"
Xander took a cigerette from his jacket, lit it and took a drag. He looked board, and hungry. He looked at Buffy and said, "This may be a problem. We gotta get rid of the old man, you know."
Buffy grinned as she watched Angel stair in utter despair. How do you like it, Lover? she thought. Maybe she should torture him like he did her. Make him stay awake during the day, wondering what was she doing, who was she killing, and having the knowledge that he couldn't kill her, no matter what she did.
Or maybe she could play some totally different game.
But suffering would definitely be involved.
Then she looked at Giles. Xander was right, he would be a problem. Willow said, "I'm hungry."
Xander took her hand and said, "Well, you wanna go snag a bite to eat?"
Willow cheerfully nodded. Buffy wanted to stay here and watch Angel. Xander asked, "You comin' Buff?"
Buffy took one last look at her ex-lover and nodded.
******
The Next Night
There were six of them, Angel taking the lead, Giles bringing up the rear, and Cordelia, Doyle, Anya and Oz in the middle. They were stalking Sunnydale, looking for two vampires that had been very close to all of them at one time. Each of them were armed, Angel had a katana, Cordelia had a crossbow, Doyle had a short staff, Anya had a cross and a spell book, Oz had the tranq gun, and Giles had a baseball bat, a wooden steak and a crossbow to top it all off.
Angel wasn't sure that he could go through with it. He froze when he fought Xander last night, and he wasn't sure what he would do when he fought Buffy. He had fought her times before, training or as Angelus, and as Angelus he had beat her until he triggered something inside of her. Fury. Hatred. Fear. Or maybe all three.
Doyle muttered behind him, "I am not combat ready, I am not combat ready, man. I shouldn't be here. I'm gonna die."
Cordelia spun around and hissed at him, "Shut up Doyle, you're not gonna die."
Angel didn't have to turn to see that Doyle was smiling ear to ear. He asked, "You really care for me darlin'?"
"In your dreams, Loser Boy," she snapped. Then she groaned and walked to be beside Angel. She was grumbling something about how only losers got crushes on her or something.
Then she looked at Angel and asked, "Are you okay?"
It was a question that people had been asking him for the past week. This time he was going to answer this. He said, "No. I am not okay. I don't think I'll ever be okay again."
Cordy whispered, "I'm sorry." He looked at her. There was accualy a kind, caring person under that bitchy exetior. Then she said, "We'll do something, really. I mean that we've been through slimy demons, bloodsucking lawyers, rich, powerful vampires, and other things, like Doyle."
"Hey!" Doyle exclaimed from behind them. Angel shook his head and half smiled, which was the reaction she was trying to get.
She said, "Why can't we all have normal lives?"
Angel shrugged and kept walking. She was hurt too. Deep down, she probably still loved Xander, and now she might have to kill him. Then he looked back at Giles and Oz. Oh, god. Oz.
Willow was missing too. She might be a vampire as well. Poor Oz. The werewolf even looked ruffled, his calm serenity gone.
Then he smelled the dead. Fresh blood had been spilled recently. He licked his lips, his own hunger starting to rise with the sweetly sickening coppery sent. He realized that it had been days since he last fed, and that was only pig's blood. Not the blood bank blood he had been taking to drinking again at Doyle's suggestion. So he wouldn't be tempted, the halfling had said.
He pointed and they turned with him. There were four teen-age corpses lying in the ally. The bite marks were fresh. Giles bent down and checked for a pulse, Angel knew that he wasn't going to find one.
Then Angel saw something that made his stomach turn. There was a folded piece of paper on one of the corspe's chest. He knew that handwriting in which his name was scrawled on the paper. He reached down and picked up the piece of paper. He opened it up. It simply read one word: FOREVER. The sheet of paper crumpled in his hand.
Doyle asked, "What is it?"
He looked up, he knew what she was doing, because he did the same thing to her. He cursed, "Damn it." It was just the beginning.
******
INTERLUDE
Angel and the others had been following a trail of death and destruction for the last week, always too late. The pain was starting to wear on each of them: Cordy complained at the littlest thing, Doyle was jumpier than normal, Oz wouldn't sit still and he shouted when things got too much for him to handle, Anya wouldn't stop crying, Giles seemed quietly withdrawn, and Angel was waiting for the storm to break loose.
******
Angel sensed a vampire nearby. He trailed the feeling into an ally. He watched in shock as Willow dropped a body to the ground. It was Anya. Angel looked down, silently mourning the girl for a moment.
Willow smiled up at him, her eyes glowing brillant gold in the dark. It might wear Willow's face, but it wasn't Willow. She was dressed like the Willow from the alternative dimension, tight black leather. It was all of Willow's dark tendencies, no matter how hidden when she was alive, brought out. Every dark fantasy brought out to life, every dark desire, every dark thought.
Angel said, "Come on Willow, let's get this over with."
Then, a sharp blow came at his head from behind. He crumpled to the ground to see Buffy standing above him, smiling brightly. She said, "Come on Boyfriend, are you gonna kill me or just sit there all night?"
Willow giggled as she disappeared into the darkness. Angel rose up in one fluid motion. He towered above his former lover and spat, "You're not Buffy, she's dead."
She chuckled and said, "You just keep telling yourself that, Angel." Then she kicked his face. Angel grabbed her and flipped her over his shoulder. She kicked his knees, bringing him down.
She jumped up and said, "Talk about a major case of deja vu." She was right about that, except the rolls were reversed. Angel swept at her legs and stood up just as she fell to the ground, her skull cracking the pavement.
Buffy flipped up and clocked Angel right in the jaw, snapping his head back. Taking advantage of the moment, she punched his chest and stomach rapidly before she knocked him to the ground. Angel, dazed for a moment, looked up at her. She hadn't vamped out yet, and neither did he.
She teased, "Aww, come on Angel, I know you're not done yet."
Buffy watched as Angel's dark eyes flashed with anger as he sprang up. He said, "You're right, I just needed to be woke up."
They traded blows, neither gaining nor losing ground.
Angel sent a roundhouse kick to her head. He wanted her to vamp out, if she still wore his beloved's face, Angel didn't think he could kill her. She ducked and caught his leg. She used his momentum to send him sprawling to the ground.
He rose up, his anger rising. He threw her to the ground. She flipped up and Angel slammed her against a brick wall. He took a steak from his duster and looked at her. She was grinning at him, waiting. The steak felt heavy in his hand, it wavered. Then it clattered to the pavement.
He couldn't do it. He couldn't kill her, and in that he had damned countless people to suffer.
She said, "I knew you couldn't do it."
He looked at her, wanting to hurt her, like she did him a long time ago. He pulled a vial of Holy Water from his duster, uncapped it, and splashed it across her skin. She screamed as it sizzled into her flesh. He turned around, his head bowed in defeat.
*******
Angel sat down in front of Buffy's grave site. He reached out and ran his fingers through the disturbed soil. Doyle came up beside him and sat down beside him. Angel said, "I don't want a lecture right now Doyle. I couldn't kill her, I had her and I couldn't do it."
Doyle said, "I know man, I don't think anyone could have. She couldn't you."
Angel looked at the headstone and lightly traced his fingers over her name. He whispered, "But, Doyle, I just wrote the death sentence for countless humans."
Doyle said, "You're not gonna save everyone off the bat you know, just do what you can. You'll stop her."
Angel shrugged and thought, But at what cost?
The end!
But more to come in the future.