Chapter 1: Destiny Lost
Angel was extremely perplexed as he glanced around at his surroundings. Buffy had said that she would forget, but she hadn't said that time would go back and everyone would relive the same story without her presence and knowledge. It didn't make any sense. What made even less sense, though, was the voice that leaped out of the shadows at him.
"Well, boy-o, looks like you've got a pretty big mess to fix," a masculine voice with a rich Irish accent said. The speaker stepped out of the shadows as he spoke. He was in his mid to late twenties, with dark hair and an outrageous outfit. His green eyes glowed in the dark. Angel could hardly believe his preternatural sight. This really didn't make any sense at all. "Yeah, I know this may come as a bit o' a shock to ya. You were probably expectin' Whistler to pop out at any second."
"Doyle?" Angel whispered. This couldn't be Doyle. Doyle had been dead for almost three years. He was right about one thing, whether he was dead or alive, Angel had been expecting Whistler.
"Yup. Y'know when I found out yer whole life story, I thought you were at least a better dresser than that. Look at yerself, man. Look what you had gotten yerself into at this point," Doyle stated, obviously not realizing the spellbinding effect he was having on Angel.
"You're one to talk," Angel muttered. "What's going on, Doyle? How can you be here? You're dead," Angel enquired and stated. His voice was eager to understand the situation, yet he couldn't help but remain amazed at the half-demon standing in front of him. He did know that this Doyle wasn't dead, he could smell his blood and his life.
"Ah, but ya see that's the kicker, old buddy. I'm not dead yet. I died in what, 2000, somewhere around there? This ain't 2000, it's somewhere about 1996. I have four years left. At least, if everything ends up the way it should I do," Doyle explained. "Y'see, when your girlfriend pulled her little stunt, it sent the whole world back. If you can't get her to remember, everything changes. Like say, the world ending with the Master. The Powers sent me here to help you."
"Does everyone else involved remember too? Or just us? Did Buffy realize this was going to happen? Does everything have to happen exactly the way it did?" Angel was slightly perturbed by all of this new information, which was evidenced by his extreme amount of talking. He began wondering if he couldn't change some of the worse things that had happened during his stint in Sunnydale. For instance, him reverting to Angelus and being sent to hell.
"I don't know all the details," Doyle admitted. "To get 'em, I guess we have to pay a visit to the Oracles. Though I don't know if these know anything about it. They're probably just as surprised as you, seeing as they were also dead and all. I gotta tell ya, it was interesting bein' alive again. First thing I did was get myself a Billy Dee."
Rolling his eyes, Angel followed as Doyle led to the "Gateway for Lost Souls". Death hadn't changed his friend a bit. At the same time, he wondered if Doyle's life changing moment had already passed and made a mental note to ask later. Maybe his death could be changed, but even as he thought it Angel had a sinking suspicion that Doyle's destiny was finite, as were his and Buffy's. Slowly he realized that he was in position to request an audience with the most powerful link he had to the PTB. At this time, he neither looked nor acted like their champion. What if he wasn't? What if Buffy had made him their Champion? Also, he needed a present. He had nothing. At this point in his unlife, he was homeless. Deep in thought, he stopped suddenly.
Doyle noticed. "Angel, what's the hold up? We have to figure this out fast," Doyle reminded him.
"Doyle, don't I have to be meeting Whistler right about now?" Angel asked. "Wouldn't me not seeing him change something?" Angel couldn't think of what it could possibly change, considering he knew what happened from this point on, but he knew that time travel had those kind of consequences.
"Um, good point. But wrong in this case. See, since the lovely Ms. Summers cast this spell and can't remember anything unless you show her, and it has to be you, she won't be called. So Whistler doesn't need you to help her, because she isn't any concern to anyone right now. She's just a normal teenage girl," Doyle explained. He knew a bit more than he was letting on, but that's all the Powers would let him say for now. He knew the challenges ahead and hoped Angel was up to them.
"So the world is without a Slayer?" Angel thought. He wanted to ask about the champion bit, but was too afraid. Since Buffy was the first human he had contact and feelings for in one hundred plus years, Angel was afraid she made him who he was. She made him a Champion. Without her cause to help and fight for, Angel would have been nothing. He would've kept up his mournful existence and not been any help to anyone, except for Buffy. Then he realized he was a Champion because he remembered. Buffy had shown him how to be a Champion and now it was his turn to show her how to be one.
During this thought process, Angel and Doyle had reached a nearby post office. Apparently, the Oracles never really changed types of venues, just locales. "Um, Doyle, what about a gift?" Angel asked, thinking that this time he didn't have a nice watch to lose. He had nothing but the rags he called clothes on his back. He also realized he looked like hell, with his greasy long hair, and he probably smelled even worse. However, time was of the essence here.
"I gotcha covered, buddy," Doyle replied, chucking a small ring at Angel. It was the Ring of Amarra, which Angel had destroyed two years ago. Now Spike would never obtain it, something that probably shouldn't have been changed, but Angel could do without the torture.again. Doyle started the incantation that would open the doorway to the Oracles' chamber. Angel felt the cold hard ring in his hand and prepared himself for whatever was to come. After the incantation was finished, there was a sudden burst of light and Angel crossed the doorway to meet his destiny.
Angel was extremely perplexed as he glanced around at his surroundings. Buffy had said that she would forget, but she hadn't said that time would go back and everyone would relive the same story without her presence and knowledge. It didn't make any sense. What made even less sense, though, was the voice that leaped out of the shadows at him.
"Well, boy-o, looks like you've got a pretty big mess to fix," a masculine voice with a rich Irish accent said. The speaker stepped out of the shadows as he spoke. He was in his mid to late twenties, with dark hair and an outrageous outfit. His green eyes glowed in the dark. Angel could hardly believe his preternatural sight. This really didn't make any sense at all. "Yeah, I know this may come as a bit o' a shock to ya. You were probably expectin' Whistler to pop out at any second."
"Doyle?" Angel whispered. This couldn't be Doyle. Doyle had been dead for almost three years. He was right about one thing, whether he was dead or alive, Angel had been expecting Whistler.
"Yup. Y'know when I found out yer whole life story, I thought you were at least a better dresser than that. Look at yerself, man. Look what you had gotten yerself into at this point," Doyle stated, obviously not realizing the spellbinding effect he was having on Angel.
"You're one to talk," Angel muttered. "What's going on, Doyle? How can you be here? You're dead," Angel enquired and stated. His voice was eager to understand the situation, yet he couldn't help but remain amazed at the half-demon standing in front of him. He did know that this Doyle wasn't dead, he could smell his blood and his life.
"Ah, but ya see that's the kicker, old buddy. I'm not dead yet. I died in what, 2000, somewhere around there? This ain't 2000, it's somewhere about 1996. I have four years left. At least, if everything ends up the way it should I do," Doyle explained. "Y'see, when your girlfriend pulled her little stunt, it sent the whole world back. If you can't get her to remember, everything changes. Like say, the world ending with the Master. The Powers sent me here to help you."
"Does everyone else involved remember too? Or just us? Did Buffy realize this was going to happen? Does everything have to happen exactly the way it did?" Angel was slightly perturbed by all of this new information, which was evidenced by his extreme amount of talking. He began wondering if he couldn't change some of the worse things that had happened during his stint in Sunnydale. For instance, him reverting to Angelus and being sent to hell.
"I don't know all the details," Doyle admitted. "To get 'em, I guess we have to pay a visit to the Oracles. Though I don't know if these know anything about it. They're probably just as surprised as you, seeing as they were also dead and all. I gotta tell ya, it was interesting bein' alive again. First thing I did was get myself a Billy Dee."
Rolling his eyes, Angel followed as Doyle led to the "Gateway for Lost Souls". Death hadn't changed his friend a bit. At the same time, he wondered if Doyle's life changing moment had already passed and made a mental note to ask later. Maybe his death could be changed, but even as he thought it Angel had a sinking suspicion that Doyle's destiny was finite, as were his and Buffy's. Slowly he realized that he was in position to request an audience with the most powerful link he had to the PTB. At this time, he neither looked nor acted like their champion. What if he wasn't? What if Buffy had made him their Champion? Also, he needed a present. He had nothing. At this point in his unlife, he was homeless. Deep in thought, he stopped suddenly.
Doyle noticed. "Angel, what's the hold up? We have to figure this out fast," Doyle reminded him.
"Doyle, don't I have to be meeting Whistler right about now?" Angel asked. "Wouldn't me not seeing him change something?" Angel couldn't think of what it could possibly change, considering he knew what happened from this point on, but he knew that time travel had those kind of consequences.
"Um, good point. But wrong in this case. See, since the lovely Ms. Summers cast this spell and can't remember anything unless you show her, and it has to be you, she won't be called. So Whistler doesn't need you to help her, because she isn't any concern to anyone right now. She's just a normal teenage girl," Doyle explained. He knew a bit more than he was letting on, but that's all the Powers would let him say for now. He knew the challenges ahead and hoped Angel was up to them.
"So the world is without a Slayer?" Angel thought. He wanted to ask about the champion bit, but was too afraid. Since Buffy was the first human he had contact and feelings for in one hundred plus years, Angel was afraid she made him who he was. She made him a Champion. Without her cause to help and fight for, Angel would have been nothing. He would've kept up his mournful existence and not been any help to anyone, except for Buffy. Then he realized he was a Champion because he remembered. Buffy had shown him how to be a Champion and now it was his turn to show her how to be one.
During this thought process, Angel and Doyle had reached a nearby post office. Apparently, the Oracles never really changed types of venues, just locales. "Um, Doyle, what about a gift?" Angel asked, thinking that this time he didn't have a nice watch to lose. He had nothing but the rags he called clothes on his back. He also realized he looked like hell, with his greasy long hair, and he probably smelled even worse. However, time was of the essence here.
"I gotcha covered, buddy," Doyle replied, chucking a small ring at Angel. It was the Ring of Amarra, which Angel had destroyed two years ago. Now Spike would never obtain it, something that probably shouldn't have been changed, but Angel could do without the torture.again. Doyle started the incantation that would open the doorway to the Oracles' chamber. Angel felt the cold hard ring in his hand and prepared himself for whatever was to come. After the incantation was finished, there was a sudden burst of light and Angel crossed the doorway to meet his destiny.