Angel lay in the bed, cocooned in its soft sheets and downy quilt. Safe. Warm. Home. She had offered to lay with him, but he had shook his head. He wanted to be alone. Needed to be.

alone

He had told her that he hadn't remembered anything of the last few weeks. He had lied to her. Again. The pain in his heart was enormous, threatening to burst it. do I even have a heart any more? But he couldn't tell her. Couldn't bear for her to find out what he had become.

Who, he had become while chained in that basement.

He remembered it all. Vividly.


The minute he had opened his eyes. Saw the familiar yellow tinge over everything. Ran his tongue over those dry lips. Felt those sharp fangs against his tongue. Felt the anger in his core. The vile thoughts in his mind. He knew what he was. Who he was.

Angelus.


He had railed against the chains that bound him. Spat obscenities at the two people who stood by the door watching him. He could smell the fear in them. Dripping from their pores. Reflected in their pathetic little human faces. It only fuelled his hunger.

"You think you can hold me. You're old and frail. Your wits cannot match mine old woman" he sneered at Angela. She should have been frightened, but she was not. Not really. She was worried. She was fearful for the man who was somewhere inside that beast chained to the wall.

Wo Pang turned to Angela "I'll go and wait upstairs" he said quietly. He glanced once at Angelus, then left.

"Run little man" Angelus called out after him, giggling.

"You don't frighten me Angelus. You can swear and spit and call me names. You can threaten me all you like. But look around you. This is no ordinary cage. Not like before. And nobody is going to come and believe you when you smile and pretend to be him. You are ensconced within a solid prison. And only I have the key." She smiled, tipping her head to the side.

"You stupid old bitch. I could snap your god damned neck like a chicken. I could suck you dry within minutes. Look at you, scrawny, shrivelled. I wouldn't even be bothered screwing you as I drained you. The thought actually makes me want to vomit" and with that he opened his mouth and spewed a rank, yellow bilious fluid at her.

Angela stepped to one side, looking down at her shoe with distaste as a glob of vomit slipped across the toe of it. She looked up at him, her jaw clenched. Don't react Angela. Its exactly what he wants "Nice party trick Angelus. Vomiting on demand. Haven't seen that in a long time." She spoke as calmly as she could.

Angelus grinned, open mouthed, the remnants of the yellow fluid dripping off his chin and running down his chest. He cackled maniacally. That felt good! He lifted his head and rolled his eyes back and licked his lips. I'm hungry. Are you just going to stand there? Feed me bitch. I'd like a bit of fresh teenage girl with a pair of plump juicy ones to suck on. Can you get that for me?" he laughed. Angela stood motionless, staring at him.

"What? You and I both know you aren't going to let your precious Angel die. You love him so much. So run along. Get me someone to eat!" he screamed at her. Angela did not say a word. Simply turned her back and left the room, locking the door behind her. She peered at him through the peek hole. Angelus was thrashing against the chains, determined to try to break them.

She shook her head and turned away. She left the basement and went upstairs. Wo Pang was sitting at the table waiting for her. "So what do we do now? I thought you said that he wouldn't rise. That once you had reinstated his soul, the process would start to take effect. How long is he going to be like this?" she asked. Her face was pale, the worry in her eyes apparent. "He's Angelus, but he is not. He's more. Animalistic, than I remember. The Angelus I knew was cunning and intelligent and wiley. This. Thing. Is evil and abusive and vile."

Wo Pang stared at the table top, noticing the worn patina. He ran his fingers across the surface, "It will be done. This version of Angelus may have arisen but he will not be able to stay long. He simply found a small window and has poked his head through it, so to speak. Angel's soul will be too strong. It will overpower Angelus and push him back down and trap him once more. You have to remember that we are doing something no one has attempted before. We have nothing to compare it to. Perhaps what has arisen is part of the process. Perhaps it is just bad luck. We are turning a mortal man into a vampire and reinstating his human soul. Granted, it is not as strong as Angels vampire soul was, but strong just the same. We must wait to feed him until Angelus has weakened and been pulled back. Time is all we need. We must simply wait."

Angela shook her head "but wait for how long? He's right you know. We can't just let him starve. How are we going to feed him?" The mystic stared at her. "We shall just have to pass bags of blood to him without getting close to him. We cannot give him any opportunity to escape."


He was weak. But oh so angry. He was starving. His hunger was all encompassing, the only thing he could focus on. Blood, flesh, pulsing throats, sex. He wanted it. Needed it. That stupid old bitch. She thinks she will win. I can't wait for her to get close. I am going to snap her. I might just screw her anyway. As disgusting as it will be. I'll let her watch my face as I rip her apart." He cackled to himself, visualising the scene.

Three days had passed since. Angelus of course had no concept of time. He was encased in a black box. Buried in the dark. He was weak now. He had not been fed, not given any sense that they were going to feed him. He could feel that tugging from within. He was trying to pull him back. The internal fight was fierce. It would be a miracle if this pathetic excuse for a body was going to survive it.

Angela was well aware of what was happening. She would stand at the door, watching through the small tinted window. If he knew she was there, he never gave any real indication. Yes, he would scream wildly looking up at the ceiling of the prison. He was delirious most of the time. His body was weak, hanging limply from the chains now. They had to wait. Wait until Angelus was pulled back and Angel once again took control of his body. But it was taking so long. Much longer than they had anticipated.

On the fifth day Angela opened the hatch and peered in. What she saw was not what she was expecting. A beast like man was chained to the wall. Yellow eyes, furrowed brow, long sharp fangs, skin so pale. She ran upstairs and picked up the phone.

"Something's happened Wo Pang. It's not Angelus. But it's not Angel either. It's something else, a beast." She listened and nodded her head. "Fine. OK. I'll try" she responded. She hung up the phone and turned and looked at the refrigerator. "I guess I have to try."


She pushed the door open and slipped inside as quietly as she could. She placed a small bag on the floor and stood staring at the beast. His head was hanging, his body limp. She wasn't even sure he was alive. "Can you hear me?" she said softly, waiting for some response. Nothing. "Angel?" she said. It's head lifted slightly, a screech emanating from its mouth, the fangs glinting in the dimness of the room. The only light coming from the single bulb in the roof over near the doorway.

Angela swallowed and bent down and pulled a pouch of pigs blood from it. She had to try to get it to the beasts mouth without getting too close. She walked to the side of the room and grabbed hold of the handle of the winch. She pulled it and the chains pulled tight, stretching the creatures arms and legs tight against the wall. She shuddered as the beast screamed. Tears filled her eyes. But it had to be done.

She stepped back and picked up the pouch and pushed it onto the spike at the end of the pole she had brought in with her. She started moving closer to him. The pole extended in front of her, the pouch of blood hanging from the end. Closer. Closer. Suddenly he caught the scent of the blood. Yellow eyes opening and staring at her, ignoring the dripping pouch in front of him. "You have to eat. This is the best you're going to get. You know it. Take it." She said calmly.

His eyes flicked to the pouch, swinging in front of him. He stretched his neck out as far as he could and bit into the pouch. Dark, pungent, salty blood spurted into the back of his throat. His eyes rolled back into his head as the thick liquid filled his mouth as he sucked at the bag greedily relishing the metallic tang. Then it was gone. Pulled from his mouth. He opened his eyes, staring at the woman, the pole at her side, held like a spear. She nodded at him. "I'll be back tomorrow" She walked back to the winch controls and released the tension slightly. The beast whimpered slightly as his body dropped.

Angela walked back to the door. Picked up her pole and bag and glanced back once, "I know you're in there Angel. You have to fight harder to come back", she said, then left. She closed the door behind her, locking it, then leaned against it. Her eyes closed. Her heart was pounding, sweat beading her brow. "I am too old for this rubbish" she thought to herself. Then, taking a deep breath, left the basement. you're not and you know it resonating in her brain.

The beast licked his lips, trying to capture any last drops of blood that may have escaped his mouth. He could feel it deep within his body seeping into his system. Feeding him. Making him stronger. But not strong enough to escape his chains. He felt his anger rise and howled, pulling against the chains, but getting nowhere.

Day after day passed the same way. She would come, feed him and leave. Enough to keep him alive, not enough to build his strength. He would fight against his chains, screaming. His head feeling as though it would explode. His limbs straining, ligaments and sinew tightening. But always, the chains held him fast.

Until that day.

The day a small child dared to approach him. Dared to look him in the eye and speak kind words to him. Dared to lay his tiny hands upon him. The pain that overwhelmed him at the touch of that child, threatened to drive him over the edge, but didn't. As the pain reached its crescendo a light burst into him. Filled him. Engulfed his mind. Memories, visions of people, places. Feelings. Emotions. Sensations. It hurt. It hurt more than anything he had endured. Then darkness. He remembered opening his eyes. Things looked different. Lighter. Clearer. He remembered looking down into the face of an angel. A child. His saviour. Max.


Angel opened his eyes. A tiny hand was stroking his face. Two bright blue eyes stared into his, glistening with tiny unfallen tears. "I'm sorry Daddy" she said, leaning in and kissed his lips. He pulled back from her, scared of his own reaction. But she simply climbed onto the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck, nuzzling his chest. He wanted to push her away, but he couldn't. This was his baby girl. "Kathy" he croaked. "It's OK Daddy. You'll be OK. You won't hurt us" she whispered. His eyes filled with tears. There it was. His fear. Laid out for the world to see, by a child. "You'll never hurt us Daddy. You're different now. But you're the same." she said. She pulled away and sat up and smiled at him. "You're our Daddy. And you love us. And we love you. Mummy's made dinner. Come and have dinner with us" she said pulling at his hand.

Angel resisted. Worried. Still scared of himself. But Kathy's insistent tugging on his hand forced him to swallow down his fear. He sat up and got off the bed, following his daughter into the kitchen. He stood at the doorway, looking at the scene in front of him. Seeley and Cordy, so grown up now. Grinning at him. Max. His brave little Max. Who had saved him. Kathy who had taken her seat beside him.

And her.

Temperance stood staring at him. Her eyes wet with tears. Dark shadows beneath them. Pale skin. And then she was upon him. Lips. Arms. Hands. He could smell her, feel her. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. The smell and sound of her blood pounding in his head. But he had no desire to bite. He just wanted to hold and be held by this woman who was everything to him.

"Angel" she whispered.

"I'm home"