Chapter 24 - Arrival of the Host
Earth, Sunnydale, Summers house,
Charlie awoke with a groan and reluctantly opened his eyes, this wasn't his room. Was the first thing that crossed his mind. As the sleep started to fade from his brain he recognized the room of his sister and how he had ended up here. Stretching his limps he got out of the bed and moved himself out the door.
A quick examination of the house revealed a note in the kitchen by his sister telling him or Angel that Buffy had gone to take care of stuff and that she'd be back in a couple of hours.
Charlie looked around the kitchen. He noticed a lot of things were just lain on the counter that didn't belong there. Before he could think of why Buffy would put those things on the counter the door from the basement opened and Charlie watched a half asleep vampire with a soul enter the kitchen, his hair a mess and he suddenly took a few steps away from the counter having a idea of what had happened there. "Tell me you two didn't…" Charlie stared but couldn't form the words.
Angel looked at him as if he only now noticed the teenager, not quite knowing how to respond he asked "Where is Buffy?"
"She left a note saying she had to take care of a few things and would be back in a couple of hours." Charlie answered him and the vampire cursed softly "What? And how come you're not evil…you're not right?"
"I'm not evil. Buffy changed the curse before-" Angel informed him.
"Please, I'm really trying not to think about what the two of you did while I was sleeping innocently upstairs." Charlie told him.
Angel was glad he was a vampire and couldn't blush anymore as he looked at quickly tidied up kitchen where most things she had fallen to the floor were still lying on the counter. "Did the note say where she went?" he asked instead.
"Probably at the magic box getting the gang to update her. The sun is up so you can't go after her. Why don't make yourself useful and clean up the mess you and my sister caused while I take a shower." Charlie told him and was almost out of the kitchen when he paused and turned "Angel, you vampires, you obviously sleep, right?" The vampire nodded slightly not sure where this was going. "I know I could never take you in a fight, so if you hurt my sister again I will make sure you wake up on fire."
"If I hurt Buffy again I'll let you." Angel replied unfazed as he looked sincerely at the teenager.
Charlie looked at him and replied "consider yourself on probation." With that said he turned and left the kitchen.
Angel let out a sigh and looked around the kitchen. "Like the little brat could ever sneak up on me." Angel heard Angelus tell him. 'Shut up' Angel told him.
"Like I'm going to listen to you soulboy. You had your toss with the slayer in the sack now it's mine turn to have another go with the slayers dark side. I think I'll tie her up this time." Angelus told him and Angel felt his body arouse at the image despite his being in control of his body at the time.
Forcing the imaged away Angel regained his focus 'That's not what Buffy needs right now Angelus. Her mother just died. She needs love and comfort.' He lectured his demon.
"Blah blah blah. That's where you're here for. You talk her down and I will make her beg for more." Angelus told him.
'As I recall from our memories it was you/me/us begging here for more as well as me/you/us telling her not to stop her actions.' Angel told him.
"Details, details." Angelus shrugged away. "Just hurry up and bury the mother so we can get to it again."
Angel shook his head trying to shrug the demon's words just off him. 'If you care about her at all Angelus you really should not just use her, but actually help her and be there for her other then in a sexual nature.'
"Why, that's what I got you for." Angelus told him.
'Well I might not help you out and there you'll have to deal with a angry and upset slayer by yourself.' Angel told him and was answered with blissful silence and smiled at the newfound way to actually shut Angelus up. Threaten to deal him with their emotional mate.
"If you dare make fun of me I will turn all the slayers so-called friends and then make you deal with the result." Angelus threatened.
ATVS SG SG-1 BTVS ATVS SG SG-1 BTVS ATVS SG SG-1 BTVS ATVS
Earth, Sunnydale, Magic Box,
"My name's Krevlorneswath, but you can call me Lorne." The host told them.
"So you're the demon from Pylea?" Buffy asked him.
"That I am sweetcakes. And you must be Angel's girl. The slayer." Lorne said studying her with interest.
"One of the Chosen Two, as Faith likes to call it." Buffy told him. "Name's Buffy, That's Faith, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, Giles, Spike, Colonel Jack O'Neill, Captain Sam Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, Teal'C and I guess you know Wesley…"Buffy trailed off as she looked closer at her former watcher for the first time since she fired the Council about two years ago. "huh, you don't look so stuffy and British anymore Wesley." She complimented him. Then she looked at the black guy standing not far from him "Do I know you?" she asked as he looked vaguely familiar.
"Charles Gunn. So you're Angel's girl." He said to her "Can't say I was expecting you to be the same girl who saved my group from a demon, tough you were going by Anne than." Gunn told her.
"Oh." Buffy said recalling the vague memory of her time in L.A. after she had killed Angel and sent him to Hell. After she had saved Lily/Chanterelle/Sister Sunshine/Anne she was on her way to the bus station when she had heard fighting noises. After checking it out she had found a group of humans trying to fight a demon. It was big and grey. It had one horn at the back of its head and was in no way nice to look at. She had first tried to just hit him head on but the demon was tough and she was still a bit out of shape. One of the teenagers who had been fighting the demon got up and stabbed a knife in the demons back while she fought and distracted the demon. De demon howled, she had found her opening and shoved Mr. Pointy into its heart. The demon had stumbled back and she withdrew Mr. Pointy out of him before the demon combusted into flamed and then its ashes blew into the wind, luckily away from Buffy. "Everyone ok?" she had asked to which one of them said "Who are you?" She had answered "Just a girl, but you can call me Anne." She replied and then left.
"Right that demon." Buffy told him "Looks like you turned out all right if you're doing good in L.A. with Angel now."
"Huh, does he know that he's up against a God this time. It's good he's going to Pylea, he's way out of his league. Too bad we can't sent Xander with him, can we?" Anne asked her.
Buffy chose not to respond and focus back on Lorne "So you got any idea on how to get to your dimension?" she asked.
"He should since he got to ours." Anne told her.
'And if you would just give me the knowledge we shouldn't need him at all.' Buffy told her.
"And I told you it's not me holding the information back. It's your fear of once there is knowledge on how to get there Angel/Angelus will leave us again." Anne told her then added "Huh, the demon thinks he can get a read on us." Anne chuckled.
Buffy snatched a quick look at the demon then looked to Giles remembering her training with him about blocking demons that could read her. She imagined a wall and shoved her feelings and thoughts behind them shutting the demon out. She looked back at the demon who now looked confused. Other than him only Giles seemed to have noticed something had been up.
"Well I need to get going if there wasn't anything new on Glory?" Buffy asked Giles who shook his head. "Good then, Will you got the list of newly to rise vamps tonight?" Buffy asked and Willow handed her the list. Buffy took out her list crossed off update and looked at the next item. "Ok, I'll tell Angel that you're here Lorne. He'll probably be by once the sun has set, or you can come to him, I'll have him call here. I need to go home now. Faith patrol after if you're free?" Buffy asked.
"Sure B. but are you sure Angel won't want to go with you?" the other slayer asked her.
"He's watching Charlie with Spike." Buffy told her.
"Hey, I am not watching the brat." Spike told the slayers and was met with Buffy's deadly glare to which he let out a "fine, but you better have blood in your fridge." He told her.
Buffy ignored him and walked out.
"Interesting girl." Lorne said as he continued to study her.
"You got something off her?" Wesley asked.
"A lot of pain, then suddenly nothing. It was like she knew I was reading her feelings and did something to block me from them." Lorne told him.
"Well of course she's in a lot of pain, her mother just died." Xander told the demon.
"But she's Buffy. She'll deal with the pain in her own time." Willow added to him.
"I'm afraid she's not dealing with it at all." Giles broke in.
"She's just pushing past it because she feels like she has to. She's the slayer Giles, as much as we all try and treat her like she's Buffy too. She's also the slayer and Buffy knows that that has to come first." Xander told him.
"Yes and such a stand is what has caused Buffy to run away from her duty, her calling, her mother and brother, her friends, before. She needs to grieve Xander. If she continuous like this I will have no doubt she will get herself killed." Giles told him.
"But, we're here to help her." Willow told him.
"Yes we are. But the question is now, will she let us." Giles stated.
"Why wouldn't she?" Faith asked him.
"Buffy doesn't like to show weakness to anybody. She needs to be strong because she's the slayer and people depend on her. Even if she's in such a state that it is killing her like she's now. She will think of others first and herself later. Right now all she cares about is keeping Charlie safe. There is only one person she ever let in enough to help her carry her burden and let take care of her. And he's going to be leaving soon. I just hope he has been able to get her to start to grieve and that she will let us help her when the times comes he has to go to Pylea." Giles told them.
"So what can we do?" Willow asked.
"Nothing much, we just have to let her know we're there for her when she needs us and otherwise just support her. She has to come to us first." O'Neill told them then added "What did the general say Carter?"
"General Hammond told us that we were free to go with you. The president apparently hold you all and especially Buffy in a high regard." Carter told them. Then added "The general reacted quite amusingly when I told him Buffy was the Colonel's daughter. He's given us the go ahead to tag along with Angel's team. I assume you'll be staying here sir?"
"My daughter needs me. You'll be fine in command Carter." Jack told her.
"Thank you sir." Carter replied.
"Just watch your neck around dead boy…and don't let Faith play with knives. She tends to stab people with them." Xander told her.
Faith shot Xander a glare then let out a sigh and hung her head a bit feeling the guilt fresh in her mind once more.
"Xander!"Anya told him "Don't make the psycho slayer mad."
"We're also supposed to keep an eye on Faith Colonel. She broke out of prison where she was in for multiple murders." Carter whispered to the Colonel.
"Everyone screws up every now and then Carter. She may be a slayer, chosen to protect, but she also just a kid. And you just have to see her eyes to know she wants to make amends for her past deeds." Jack told her.
Faith looked at him feeling an old jealousy stirring within her. Once again Buffy had the friends, the father who looked like he was already taken with her and a brother oh and a whole of a lot of power more than she. And who did she had…Faith scolded herself. She had Buffy. Angel. And sins in her past she had to make up for. Being jealous of Buffy wasn't going to accomplish anything but pulling her back into the darkness she had only just managed to crawl out of alive.
ATVS SG SG-1 BTVS ATVS SG SG-1 BTVS ATVS SG SG-1 BTVS ATVS
Earth, Sunnydale, Summers house,
"Charlie" Buffy called as she entered the front door, two bags of groceries in each hand as she made her way to the kitchen.
"Hi" Buffy said finding her unqualified vampire lover in the kitchen. She dumped the grocery bags on the counter.
"Hi" Angel replied gazing at her briefly before he began to help her with putting the groceries away.
"I didn't think you'd be awake." Buffy told him then continued before he could say anything "Your demon friend showed up, the one from Pylea, Lorne I think he name was. You should probably call the shop to either get him here or where to meet him later."
"Buffy" her brother's voice stopped Angel from saying whatever he was about to say and Buffy turned to her brother.
"Hey, sorry I ran off after you fell asleep but there were some things I needed to take care of. I need you to get ready to look for a casket for mom." She told him bluntly.
The color drained from Charlie's face and Buffy felt her own pain along with pain she felt for her brother begin to surface and break through her control. Taking a breath she re-gathered herself and looked back at Charlie. Taking a step closed she enveloped him in a hug "I know it hurts Charlie and I'm sorry I couldn't save her and I left you alone after it happened." She pulled back a bit and let on hand go through his short spiky blond hair. "But I'm here now. And together we'll get through this."
Charlie clenched his arms around his sister, holding her tightly pressed towards him and inhaling her scent. It seemed as though her strength flowed him to him and he pulled back and wiped the tears from his cheeks and got a hold of his emotions. "Ok, I'm ready." He told her.
"OK, grab your jacket while I talk to Angel real quick, ok?" she asked.
"You mean smooch with him some more." Charlie told her with a slight grin before he dashed out of the room before Buffy could gather herself enough to react.
"Just wait until you get your first girlfriend Charlie!" she yelled after him. A weak comeback, she knew but it was all she had right now on her tired brain. She turned back to Angel and held up her hand before he could say anything. "Before you say anything I have to apologize for some of the things I said this morning. You don't always shut me out. And it's not like I haven't done the same ever since you came back from hell. Except for the times I almost lost you I hadn't been letting myself open to you completely. And It's not like I didn't want you to take care of my problems, it's one of the reason I love you so much Angel But what we had before Angelus. It isn't something we can get back. I know that. We've both changed to much and too much has happened. I can tell you're a lot different then you used to be. You have friends like Cordelia and Wesley to drag you out of your shell and live your life. As much as I am happy you are doing well in L.A. I'm also angry, jealous and hurt by it. Angry because you left me and obviously found a better life for yourself, no let me finish." She said as she noticed he was about to protest "jealous because Cordy and Wes and I guess Gunn too now were helping you so much in so little time and I feel like I should have done more in the time you were there with me. I feel like I missed out on a lot of important stuff in your life and that hurts me. Like I said in Sunnydale Angel, I'm always going to be your girl or woman now I guess. And maybe, after all of this if you want to we can try to find a way to make us work." Buffy finished and looked expectedly at Angel.
"Is it's my turn now?" Angel asked and Buffy nodded "Are you planning on dying?" Angel asked her bluntly.
The question hit her out of nowhere and she stammered a bit over her words "Wh-what?" she managed to ask him.
"Are you planning on dying?" Angel asked her again.
"Where did you get that from the speech I just gave you?" Buffy asked him.
"Just answer the question Buffy." Angel told her.
"I'm the slayer, death is my gift." She then told him bluntly in return.
Angel or was it Angelus suddenly pulled her to him roughly "death is not a gift." He told her angrily.
"It's what the vision I had showed me and the shadow men told me. Death is my gift Angel. I'm not entirely sure what it means yet. And no I don't plan on dying or committing suicide. But you have to remember that I'm a slayer. My world is surrounded by death. Hell your body is dead. You could be my gift for all I know. All I know is something is…Glory is strong. Even with all this new power I got I barely hurt her when we were fighting. But however powerful she may be she's not going to get my brother. He's all the family I have left aside from Jack. But I'm not sure how I feel about him yet. He's nice but I've always though Hank was my dad, then when he bailed I thought that Giles was…" Buffy trailed off for a few seconds then quickly continued "Anyways, I'm not planning on dying yet. Especially since I've got me a handsome vampire who I just adore." She smirked and he grinned leaning in for a kiss.
"Buffy, stop smooching the dead guy already!" Charlie's voice yelled from the living room.
Giving him a quick peck on the lips "I'll see you later, don't forget to call Lorne."
A bit fluffy at the ewnd but I felt like it. Anyways I dunno when the chapter will be out but I hope I can get to it soon.
Review please.