Chapter 2 Music

A/N: Here's another current/flashback chapter. I'll try to make it obvious which parts are a flash back and which is happening right now. Pretty soon as the story goes on the things happening between Angel and Buffy will happen at the same time and I'll let you know when that happens. Enjoy.

Angel sat alone in morning of the loss of Oakley but the morning was gone as a few people entered his tent. He stood up knowing it's either a mission or another job well done. But then his memory went backwards a few years. He knew if his memory decided to go backwards something was preparing him to face the enemy or even death.


It was a bright hot summer day here in Cold Mountain. Angel was outside in this heat as he cleared the top fields for Willow and Xander. It was rather nice well at first but now with the sun rising indicating noon was coming it got hotter. While Angel was working out in the fields Buffy was coming down the dirt road as she sat on a wagon. As the wagon moved she spotted Willow and the red head came up to her smiling. Buffy was carting something on this wagon.

"Good morning Willow." Buffy said and had the man driving the wagon stop as Willow came over looking at the wagon. As the wagon stopped what it was carting made a noise almost musical.

"Well, that's a fine-sounding thing." She commented and Buffy lifted the sheets and it relieved a piano. Buffy smiled touching the huge instrument.

"Oh it's my piano I've been missing it." She couldn't wait until she got it home and start playing she missed playing it. It's the one thing that makes her happy these days especially with war approaching.

"Thank you by the way, Angel's in my top field clearing his debt." Willow stated and looked up to the fields and out in the distance Angel was working. It was very hot out and Buffy felt bad he was up there because of her. Maybe she should say hi or bring him some water but she was really shy about it. After their last meeting it appeared he didn't want anything to do with her but there was something there. She did like him well quite a bit. Buffy looked to the top fields seeing Angel's tiny figure working in the distance.

"Oh," Buffy commented and turned back to Willow. "And then he had nothing to say." Buffy added remembering how she offered him cider and said nothing. Maybe he was just as shy too.

"He was happy." Willow smiled hinting something. Maybe Angel did like her and really had nothing to say because he was shy who knows.

"Really?" Buffy asked looking back to the top fields watching Angel do some hard labor.

"Are men so different in Charleston?" Willow asked crossing her arms still smiling and Buffy thought about it. Men a man she never thought about men before. She always found herself to be awkward around men not only that but not all that flattering in looks.

"Men? I don't know." Buffy blushed a little squinting her eyes watching as Angel worked.

"If you're sayin' you might like him, why not go over and say good mornin'?" Willow suggested smiling and Buffy let out a nervous giggle but never took her eyes off of Angel as he continued to work. She then turned to her piano and sighed she didn't have the courage to talk to him.

"I should be gettin' along." Was her way of saying no and the man gave the horse a commanded and they started again and Buffy watched Angel as kept working. She might not have the courage to say hello but she had a better idea. She turned around in her seat removing some of the sheets and opened up the piano lid and started to play a song.

Up in the fields Angel had a mule dragging a plow churning the land up. He then heard music playing and looked to where it was coming from and looked down to the road and saw Buffy on a wagon playing the piano. He stopped the mule for a moment to enjoy the sweet music as the wagon passed. He smiled as he could see Buffy playing and she glanced at him every now and then. His eyes followed her as she rounded the corner and he got on his tip toes seeing her off and he could still hear the piano and smiled. Once the music was gone he had the mule start back up again but now he smiled while working.

As soon as her piano was set up in the corner Buffy began to play again. Giles came into the room to listen it soothed him. She was always such a wonderful piano player it's the one thing she was interested in for all these years. But find a teacher for her was tough and for the most part Buffy taught herself how to read the music and which key created this note or made this harmony. She wasn't the be all end all of the piano but she knew enough to make this big and quiet house have some sound and life in it.

The week went by and now to there was a party at the Summers' house. Everyone gathered around as Buffy played the piano for the company. Angel had fallen asleep and woke up late and now ran through the rain not waiting to miss the party but he was soaking wet they would they even let him in? Well if he could just gaze inside to get a peak at Buffy then it was enough. Angel climbed the front steps and walked to the window seeing Buffy playing he missed it and cursed himself but listen as she finished the beautiful tune. She ended and everyone clapped and her father leaned over kissing her cheek.

"My dear daughter Buffy who's given up so much for so long to help me in my ministry and upon whom I rely. Friends we are both very happy to have this opportunity tonight to thank you from our hearts for your kind welcome and most of all such a fine chapel. So thank you and God bless you. Our house is always open to any of you at any time. Welcome." Giles and Buffy got up from the piano to talk to the guest.

Angel remained outside looking in wanting to come in but he was soaked to the bone right now but at least he could see Buffy she was pretty he couldn't stop looking at her. All week he's been thinking about her, day dreaming, imaging a life with her. But would she want him an orphan farm boy? While Buffy mingled and smiled with the guest her father noticed someone watching his daughter and he walked up to Xander. Buffy noticed the man watching too but ignored it as she passed around the drinks to her guest.

"Xander?" He asked and the man looked up coming over to him limping with the cane. "That gentleman," Giles talked softly looking to a man he had dirty blonde hair, a button nose, hard face and he was big. Xander nodded seeing the man as he saw with two other men watching. "He help build the chapel?"

"Him?" Xander asked and shook his head. "No that's Riley Finn." Xander began to explain to the preacher. "At one time the Finn family owned the whole of Cold Mountain, my farm, your farm, it all belonged to his granddad." Xander paused as Riley looked around the room watching the party but he was mostly watching Buffy. "Finn wanted this place bad and you got it. So he's here sniffin' out an advantage."

"There's no advantage here except to celebrate a job well done and that is a good thing in these troubled times." Giles motioned for him and Xander to walk around and talk to the town's folk. Buffy then made her way to the front door with a try of drinks and a man opened the door for her. As she stepped outside it was pouring down rain and then a man was on her front porch and it was Angel.

"Were you never planning to come inside?" Buffy asked and that startled Angel for a moment but he looked to her. He opened his arms up a little showing his soaked body.

"I'm drenched." And it was his way of saying no I'm not coming inside. Buffy wasn't going to say no she wanted him to come in.

"There's a good fire going." And that was her way of saying please come in.

"I'm all right." Angel insisted even though a warm fire sounded nice but he wasn't even close to looking descent. Buffy on the other hand looked marvelous with her deep royal blue dress and her hair pulled to one side braided down showing her long blonde hair. A few strains were free which gave her such a beauty that he gaze upon all night. "You're always carrying a tray." Angel commented with a little smile.

His half smile seemed to make her heart skip a beat and then race a mile a minute and that was just a small smile. What did his real smile look like would it melt her heart? She was determined to get him to smile a real smile soon.

"I was going to take some root beer over to the Negroes." Buffy explained why she had a tray of drinks. She didn't consider them slaves nor did her father. If they had their way they would be inside this house enjoying the food they made and the warm fire too. But for most of these people that wouldn't sit well. They didn't have a problem with it and the least Buffy could do was get them some drinks and talk to them. At least with them she could talk and not feel awkward. She wasn't sure if she was going to be able to make it to the barn and the drinks go from a dark beverage to water as the rain continued to pour. She took a step forward but hesitated and turned back to Angel. "Somebody said you were enlisting." She blurted out and Angel looked to her. "Are you?" She sounded concerned.

"If there is a war we'll all fight." And that meant yes he did enlist. He didn't do it full heartily or even half heartily he did it because it was forced. He could enlist willingly or be taken from his home and forced to war. Either he was marching to battle if there is a war.

"Did you get a picture made?" Buffy asked her voice was no longer soft and tender but a little frustrated and upset. She was against war and now he enlisted.

"Say again?" Angel asked looking at her.

"A tintype with your musket and your courage on display." She stated looking at him feeling a little angry that he enlisted.

"You're laughin' at me." Angel pointed out and was about to turn around and run home she didn't want him. It didn't surprise him though just looking at her she dissevered a rich man a gentleman not a poor orphan farm boy like himself.

"I don't even know you." Buffy added and Angel nodded that was true they didn't know each other. Then Angel was bound and determined to change that he wanted to get to know her and at the very least they could be friends.

"This doesn't come out right if it were enough just to stand without the words," Angel paused looking at the small blonde woman. He was awkward and shy around women and she was no exception but she was the one he wanted to impress even though he had very little to offer her in return maybe just a warm heart.

"It is," Buffy insisted and Angel stood there. That perked him up meaning she was willing going to try and make this work even if it's just friends. Then the rain let up just a little and Angel looked out and up. He wanted to tell her that he thought about her more than often since she's been here but how?

"What do you call it when you wake up and your ribs are bruised thinking so hard on somebody? What do you call that?" He asked and Buffy stood there thinking about the question. Did he just say he thinks about her all the time? "I'll do that," He reached for the tray from Buffy's hands and she let him. "I can't get much wetter." He said with a hint of a laugh trying to lighten the mood and then took off into the night and rain. Buffy leaned up against a post that held some of the patio roof up and watched him disappear into the night.

Buffy went back inside still looking behind her hoping he would come back. She walked into the house as everyone chattered about something and went to find either her father or Willow. Then she bumped into someone.

"Oh sorry miss Summers," Angel she looked up and it was that Riley Finn man. He stood tall too but he came off as over bearing not like Angel who was soft and calming. Angel had that feel he could be strong but he was gentle. "I'm afraid we haven't met I'm Riley Finn," And he held out his hand and Buffy took it to be polite and he kissed it. "Welcome to Cold Mountain if you need anything you come and find me." Buffy nodded but she wasn't planning on taking him up on that offer. Hey maybe if this war happens he'll leave and perhaps not come back. While she shouldn't be thinking that she couldn't help herself.

"Yes like if that O'Brien fellow if bothering you," Another man came up. "Name's Lindsey MacDonald miss."

"Hello and no Angel isn't bothering me he's been very kind to me since I've arrived." Buffy stated and now wanted out of this conversation.

"Just remember I'm here looking out after you." Riley added in and Buffy nodded and left that for some reason didn't sit well at all. She was tempted to leave the house and go find Angel at the barn but she had a feeling he was long gone so she was stuck here. The very least she could do is find her father. Riley reached for a glass of cider and sipped it as she walked away.


Angel came back to the here and now and that memory faded the first time he told her that she was always on his mind, in his thoughts and more importantly in his heart. 'What if you are killed and I'll never see you again? You said after a few years I would barely remember your name. Oh, Angel. It is more than three years and I remember your name.' The tent filled up and Angel stood up ready for orders whatever they were.

"Soldiers," The man said and smiled "Don't get up," He insisted and Angel and few others sat down ready to listen. "You are mentioned tonight in my report you men from Cold Mountain have once again been heroes for the cause. There are Yankees in that stand of trees between us, stuck there from the retreat. If they stay there, tomorrow mornin' they can shoot us down for sport." That was Angel's cue to go on the hunt and kill them before they kill him.

The night was barely lit by the stars. Angel and four other men stayed low to the ground looking for the Yankees. Angel moved swiftly and quietly. Some of the men called him a ghost. Angel used the shadows and the darkness as his friend and ally. It was like he could disappear when needed and only be seen if he wanted. Some say it's the Highland man in him others believe he's some type of gift to the army. Angel's proved many times over he was a soldier and a fighter. It was like he was built for this but in his heart he wanting nothing to do with it. He's been offered many times to be a captain and move up in the ranks but that's not what he wanted. Angel then stopped holding up a singled to his men to halt and he looked around. People sworn he has such clean and clear vision in the night.

"Go around," Angel whispered to a man and he nodded and quickly took off. "We'll flank them," Angel gave out his attack plans. The rest of the men went into some type of attack formation heading closer to the woods to kill these Yankees. But then as they moved closer firing went on.

"It's a Reb!" A man yelled as Angel got behind a tree holding his gun ready to fight.

"How many of them are there?" Angel asked a man waiting for the firing to stop before attacking again.

"I think there's five," The man admitted and Angel nodded. "Under the trees," Angel then motioned and the men came out of hiding and fired. Angel aimed while the other men shot blindly into the night.

"We got 'em!" A voice yelled.

"Let's go, let's go!" Another voice was heard above the gun fire. Then Angel saw a man charging at him and he braced himself and they went into a fist fight. Angel managed a strong swing to the man's face knocking him down. Angel pointed his gun and shot the man in the face. Another man came charging and Angel held his weapon and fired. Angel had such perfect aim it was like he could shoot a target a mile away.

"Butcher's down!" A voice called out and Angel knew there were too many Yankees to take on they needed more men or retreat.

"Leave him! Leave him! He's gone! Let's go!" Angel heard his men crying out as another man charged at him and Angel managed to get to the ground and picked up a tree branch and swung it and the man went down.

"Go, go! Go! Run!" His men called and Angel started to back off this would be a battle lost regardless if they stay or not.

"Go! Go! Go!" Angel yelled as an ambush was happening. Angel fought to get his men out of danger but then he felt a sharp pain hit his leg and then a sharp pain graze his neck. Angel felt himself falling forward and to the ground. He rolled over to his back and heard feet running his way and then passed him. He couldn't move as he laid there on the ground trying to breathe through the pain. His vision started to blur and the black night just got even blacker. He closed his eyes hoping to see one last face if this was the end.

Angel is now on the verge of dying. Hope you're liking it so far. For those who have seen the movie as you can tell it's staying pretty true to it but I have some of my own things I'll tie in and different things otherwise this would be a five or six chapter story. But I got this story up to 15 chapters right now that are planned. So depending on what I want to add it might go up more I'd really like it to go to 20 so we'll see. More on the way thanks for reading comments and reviews are welcomed.