Couplet
Part One
Cordelia danced away from him. He tried to hold onto her hand - but she just smiled and pulled away. The drokken came out of nowhere - all fur and fangs and hot breath. It pounced on Cordy and dragged her to the ground, before he could get to her. She screamed out. And then Angel was there - he was laughing - he swung his sword at the drokken and cut its head clean from its shoulder. The decapitated head rolled along the ground and came to a stop at Doyle's feet - where it turned into Connor. The baby began to cry, and Doyle picked him up. 'Angel… the baby-'
But Angel wasn't paying attention. He had helped Cordelia up to her feet and was now stood, holding her hand - gazing into her eyes. 'You dance for me, now,' he said to her.
'I'm not supposed to…'
'Hush.' He leaned in towards her and kissed her, softly, on the lips - cutting off her words. 'All's fair in love and war,' he said.
Doyle stared at the vampire kissing his girlfriend, and then down into the red, screwed up face of the crying baby, 'Angel…'
The vision pain slammed into his head - and he was jerked awake. The force of the images pushed him upright in bed, and he sat there - gasping - as wave after wave of pain crashed into his skull, leaving its mystical message behind.
Cordelia had not yet fallen asleep - and she, too, sat up when he did. She reached out and stroked his hair, tenderly. 'What did you see?' she asked him. Her voice was as soothing as her hand.
'Just a demon,' he said, kneading his forehead with the tips of his fingers, 'needs killin'.'
'Shall I ring everybody - get them back here?'
He shook his head, 'nah - we got time, it isn't risin' up til the afternoon. We can deal with it in the morning.'
'OK - if you're sure.' She kissed him, briefly, on the lips and then lay back down. He slumped down next to her, and she immediately wrapped her arms around him - holding him to her breast and continuing to stroke his hair. 'Is your head OK?' she asked, 'is your headache gone?'
'Yeah - the pain is gone,' he told her - and he drifted back to sleep, wrapped tightly in her warm embrace.
Angel got up the next morning when he heard Connor beginning to stir. He went to check on the baby - and then went over to the kitchenette in his suite to heat up a bottle. A minute later, he had his son clasped in his arms and was sat back on the bed, feeding him, 'is that good?' he said, 'yeah - that's good - isn't it? You like your bottle.' He yawned. Last night had been a busy one - and a late one. But Connor seemed unperturbed.
Once the baby had finished, and fallen back asleep, Angel placed him back in his crib and then went to get dressed. As soon as he opened his closet door, he was hit full in the face with the scent of Cordelia. It was like she was right there in the room with him. 'What?' He glanced around in confusion - but no, he was alone - it was just the smell of Cordy that was present.
He peered back into the closet. His tux, from the previous night, was hanging up there - and he realised that her perfume must be clinging to that. He stared for a moment and then - almost against his own will - he took the jacket off its hanger and hugged it tight, inhaling deeply. He could almost feel her. The delicate fragrance of her perfume, wafting through the air - and then something underneath that, something that was indefinably … her. Her skin, her hair, the heat of her body as she flushed under his kisses … it was all there, in the jacket.
...This probably wasn't the best way to start the day. Reluctantly, he hung the jacket back up, and got dressed.
When he came downstairs, carrying Connor, he found Cordelia and Doyle out in the lobby. Cordy had her sketch pad out, and they both had cups of coffee. 'No - it was kind of a blueish, greenish, slimy, grey colour,' Doyle was saying.
'Well that narrows it down,' she remarked wryly.
'It's skin was all bumpy - and had these tusk things that hung downwards from its temples … no, no they were straight - not curved. And then there were two more shooting upwards from it's shoulders. It was about the same size as Angel. And it had red eyes.'
'Slow down!' Cordelia said to him, rubbing out the first set of tusks and drawing them back in, straight, 'I can't get all this when you jibber so fast.'
'What's going on?' Angel asked, he squinted at Cordy's drawing, 'Doyle have a vision of that thing?'
'In the disgustin', spiny flesh,' Doyle told him. 'We need to kill it this afternoon.'
'OK - hey…' he looked at them both, a little uncertain. 'About last night…'
'We're moving on,' Cordelia said, not looking up from her drawing.
'Yep from ballet ghosts to spiny demons - the fun never stops happenin',' her boyfriend agreed. They were not allowing any room for further discussion of the previous night's events and - feeling a little disappointed - Angel took the hint. 'Right - so - uh - no need to uh - no need to …'
'No need to nothin' except kill today's demon.'
'Right.' He jigged Connor in his arms, gave the couple one last, disappointed, look - and then left them alone, walking over to Wes's office.
...
The boss looked up from his desk, as the vampire arrived, 'ah Angel - excellent, there's something I wish to discuss with you.'
'Is it the demon? I was just talking to Cordy and Doyle and…'
'No - no, we have time on the demon - it's rather…' he watched as Angel put Connor down in his bassinet, 'well it's rather the fact of him. Recent events have all taken us aback somewhat. We have need to adjust to the new circumstances. There are still so many questions...'
Angel glanced out towards the lobby. 'About what his power means? You're suspicious.'
'Cautious, might be a better word for it.'
'You think he's evil - he's gonna use the word jumble to end the world or something?'
'Um,' Wesley blinked, 'No - I don't think Connor is going to use the word jumble to end the world.' He spoke like he thought Angel had lost his mind. Angel looked up from his son, 'oh - we're talking about Connor?'
'Yes - who did you think we were talking about?'
The vampire, once again, looked back towards the lobby, where Doyle was still describing his vision for Cordelia. 'Nobody,' he said. 'So what's the problem?'
'He shouldn't exist.'
Angel looked annoyed. 'His birth was foretold,' he pointed out, 'how many people can say that?' Wesley nodded. He steepled his index fingers and placed them on the bridge of his nose - so his bowed head was resting on them. 'He has a part to play, it's true,' he said slowly, 'but we still don't know what that part is.' He sighed, and looked up at the worried father in front of him. 'Angel, we can't be afraid to ask the questions. Because your enemies - his enemies - certainly won't be.'
'You're right, we should be prepared.'
Wesley looked pleased and began to outline his plan. The Nyazian prophecy had been stolen, true, but ancient sources tended to accumulate scholarship. Commentaries were written over the years. He hoped that he might be able to locate a … cliff notes version of the Nyazian prophecy. 'A Nyazian prophecy for dummies - as Cordelia might call it,' he finished up.
'You think someone else might have already done the work for us?'
'That is my hope. I've been looking into it - I just thought you should know.'
Angel nodded his head, 'I wanna be involved, completely - keep me updated?' He picked up the bassinet and carried Connor back out to the counter. He poured himself a cup of coffee - and watched Doyle and Cordy from a distance. They were laughing, even as they worked on getting a photofit of their latest creature feature. They always seemed to be laughing. Doyle never made Cordy cry…
'And how is my precious poppet this morning?' Lorne asked, arriving at his side. 'I'm fine,' Angel replied, not taking his eyes off the young couple. Lorne gave him a look, 'I was talking to the baby.'
'Oh.'
'Come to Uncle Lorne, let me look at you,' the green demon picked Connor up and began to bounce him. Connor chuckled. 'So do you want me to pretend that I don't know what you're doing?' Lorne asked, keeping his eyes on the baby.
'What?... no... I'm not doing anything.'
'Uhuh. It's funny how not doing anything - and being all Joe stalker - look exactly alike.'
'I'm not…'
'You can't do this to yourself, Angelcakes,' Lorne said kindly, 'or to them. I told you already - either make a play for Cordelia - or get over her, but don't sit here mooning over her - torturing yourself and creeping them the heck out.'
'You think I can just make a play for her?' Angel said. 'You don't think Doyle'll…'
'All is fair in love and war, Cherry Pie,' the Host reminded him. 'But you have to remember - just because you throw your hat in the ring, doesn't necessarily mean she'll choose you. A happy ending is guaranteed to no one.'
Gunn smiled across the table at Fred, watching her eat the last of her pancakes. 'It's funny,' he said. She swallowed, and looked confused, 'the way that I chew?' His grin grew broader, and he shook his head. 'No. Until that kiss last night, I would have thought you and Wesley had a thing for each other.' He still couldn't quite believe that she had chosen him. Hadn't been entirely convinced, until he picked her up for breakfast that morning, that the whole previous evening hadn't just been some wonderful dream.
She looked away at his words, seeming embarrassed. 'Wesley? Oh no - we're just good friends.' She had no idea how Charles could have got that idea into his head, at all. The British man was just not her type - in so many ways. But there was a darkness to him, that she had seen, that did not leave her with any desire to get to know him in a more intimate way. Charles, on the other hand was just so sweet - so light, in comparison. She needed that. After Pylea - after everything… she needed his openness, and his honesty… and his light.
They smiled at each other for a long time, gazing into each other's eyes. But then Fred began to fidget. 'We should probably go,' she said. 'People might start to talk.'
That made Gunn laugh, 'why would they?' The two of them had been doing breakfast for weeks now, nobody would notice anything different about today.
Fred looked down, 'I know - but, after we kissed - everything's different now.' She looked at him, suddenly, 'everything is different, right?'
'Oh yeah.'
'So - so you don't think they can tell?'
'From here?' He twisted in his seat and pretended to peer out of the window - looking for members of Angel Investigations snooping on them. That made Fred laugh, and she admitted she was being ridiculous. She knew it. But she didn't have a whole lot of dating experience, lately - she had spent the past 5 years in a cave, after all.
'Yeah, I know what that feels like,' Gunn said to her.
'How?'
'Because now everything's so bright, my eyes hurt.'
She smiled, he smiled back - and they stared into each other's eyes … the seconds extending as they lost themselves to just - gazing. Slowly, slowly, they began to lean across the table - moving in for another kiss. Fred closed her eyes.
Their beepers went off - and they both pulled back to check them. 'Wesley!' they said in unison.
'We've managed to identify the demon from Doyle's vision,' Wesley told the assembled team. 'It's a Senih'd - and if Doyle's information is accurate, should rise somewhere in the mid city area before nightfall.' He handed the leather bound book, with the illustration of the demon, to Gunn so that the street fighter could look at it. After a couple of seconds, Gunn passed it onto Fred. As the book passed between them, their hands brushed each other - and they shared a secret smile. Wesley noticed - and looked away.
Fred handed the book onto Cordy, 'yeuch - this is even grosser than my drawing of it, I'm glad its not me that has to see these things in my head,' the woman exclaimed - before passing it onto her boyfriend. 'You and me both, darlin',' Doyle said - not even bothering to glance at the picture of the demon before he handed it to Angel, 'I wouldn't wish these visions on my worst enemy - never mind on the woman I love.' They smiled at each other - and kissed. Angel noticed - and looked away.
'Right,' he said, 'is there a plan? I hope it involves me - the demon - and the pointy end of a sword.' He glanced back at where Cordelia had now rested her head on Doyle's shoulder. 'I got a lot of pent up … stuff … that needs working out,' he muttered.
'Yes,' Wesley gave him an odd look, 'the Senih'd manifests in its physical form for one purpose alone - to feed. The demon - immediately on rising - will go to ground to search for a victim. We will be making sure it doesn't find one. Angel - you will take the sewer tunnels. The rest of us will go by car to Sorensen Park. We'll enter the underground from the water treatment plant there, double back. Hopefully we should be able to track it and kill it before it ever sees the light of day.'
'Sounds like a plan,' Doyle said.
'Oh goody - an afternoon slicing and dicing a human eating slime monster - those are my favourite types of afternoon,' Cordelia said, as the team made their way over to the weapons cabinet. 'So what kind of weapon do we think we're gonna need?' She picked up a broadsword. 'This looks a good one,' and proffered it to Doyle. Angel took it from her, instead. 'That's my favourite broadsword,' he said to her. She wrinkled her brow, as she looked him. 'OK - whatever.' Angel felt foolish.
Meanwhile Doyle helped himself to an axe. 'I prefer these to swords,' he told her - as she selected a sword of her own.
'An axe does take less skill to use than a sword,' Angel muttered, 'I can see why you'd like them.' But he said it too loud, the half demon turned - and stared at him. He wasn't looking too friendly.
'OK then,' Angel tried to smile - pretending he hadn't said anything, 'I'll just be off to the sewers then … see you all at the water plant.' He headed down into the basement. Doyle watched him go - frowning.
'Oi loike axes more t'an oi loike swords, Princess,' Angel said to himself, as he walked through the sewers, alone. He hammed up his own, native, Irish brogue in order to mimic the half demon more accurately - his voice bounced off the curved walls of the tunnels and came back to him, in a lilting Irish echo. He snorted. 'Idiot… short idiot… and then he goes and sends me on a wild goose chase in the sewers to kill some slime demon that he probably just cooked up in his head.' He snorted again.
He reached the water plant, and climbed out of a manhole and into the building itself. Immediately he was hit by the acrid scent of blood - and the blood was not human. 'Maybe you are real, then. And - wherever you are - you're wounded,' he said out loud. He sniffed and followed the metallic smell of the blood, 'and you went this way…' he set off through the building, 'better than breadcrumbs.' He heard a low growling sound. 'I know you're close…' he said.
Above his head, the Senih'd crawled across the pipes watching him. He didn't notice - and his mind went back to Doyle and Cordelia. 'I mean what does she see in him?' he asked the world at large, 'is it the polyester shirts? The drinking? Or the chest hair? … tell me it's not the chest hair.'
The demon dropped down behind him and he whirled around to face it, 'I mean - given the choice - wouldn't you rather date me?' he asked. The Senih'd swiped at him with his claws and he leapt backwards, 'well OK - maybe not you,' Angel acquiesced. He punched the demon - and it staggered backwards, 'but women - in general.' The demon came back at him, and hit him - sending him flying through the air. He landed heavily on the ground. His sword clattered from his hand. 'I'm brave,' he said - listing his own merits as he grabbed his weapon and got back to his feet, 'I'm a champion.' The Senih'd punched him again, 'I can take a punch.' He kicked the demon in the chest. 'I'm never gonna die, I'm always gonna be pretty, I'm father to the world's cutest baby - and my taste in clothes is…' he was knocked down again, '...it's like a gay man's taste - she said so herself. I am one snappy dresser.' He got back to his feet - sword raised, 'so tell me honestly,' he said to the demon, 'what on earth does Doyle have to offer her that I can't?'
He swung his blade at the Senih'd - but before he could make contact - the demon roared and then crashed through the walls of the plant. It ran out into the park, and the vampire immediately shied away from the sunlight which came streaming in. He watched, helplessly, as the demon ran across the grass and grabbed a woman.
...
The woman began to scream and struggle, trying to free herself. But the Senih'd was too strong. Angel could do nothing to help her - she was too far away. If he ventured out of the protective gloom of the building, he would be dead long before he reached her.
...
But then Gunn appeared on the crest of the hill. 'It's here!' he yelled, and ran down towards the demon and the woman. The rest of the gang appeared a moment later - running behind him, weapons raised.
The Senih'd used the woman as a shield to block himself from attack. Gunn stood on the balls of his feet - axe raised - ready to strike, but he couldn't get in. As the rest of the team gathered around - the demon saw that it was surrounded. With a roar of frustration, he threw the woman away from himself - hoping to make his escape. She ploughed straight into Doyle, who caught her about the waist, but the momentum was too great and they both fell down … Doyle landing first and protecting her from the fall. Cordelia was immediately at their side, helping them both up.
Wesley and Gunn launched themselves at the demon. Fred edged around the small fight, nervously, keeping her own sword held out in front of her the whole time. The Senih'd could not escape from so large a group - and it continued to roar out it's anger. It struck out with its fists, sending first Gunn - and then Wesley, flying. Fred flinched and squealed as it turned on her - but she kept on facing it. It roared again and knocked the blade from her hand, before throwing her away from itself. She landed on the floor by the two men, and the Senih'd roared again at them.
But - unnoticed - Doyle had crept up behind it. He swung his axe with all his might and cleaved its head from its shoulders. The decapitated head rolled along the floor and came to rest at Cordelia and the hostage woman's feet. They both stared down at it in disgust.
And then the body of the Senih'd seemed to collapse in on itself, melting into a black, oil like substance, before vanishing completely. 'Well that's dead,' Cordy said, her eyebrow raised, she turned to the woman, 'are you OK - did he hurt you?'
'I'm fine,' the woman turned and then threw her arms around Doyle - who stood still and looked stunned. 'You saved me - you killed it - thank you, thank you!'
'Ah - it's all in a day's work,' he said, modestly, as she let go of him. But he looked very pleased with himself. Cordelia was looking very pleased with him too. She also threw her arms around her boyfriend, and gave him a kiss, 'you were a total hero.'
'Way to go, Irish,' Gunn was back on his feet - he had helped Fred up - and they were now joining in the congratulations. Slower, Wesley stood back up by himself. He looked at the small group of victorious demon fighters; Cordy and Doyle, Fred and Gunn - all looking flushed and happy.
...
He turned away - and saw Angel, across the park; still lurking in the dark of the water plant. The vampire was also staring at the happy couples. And - just like Wesley - he was all alone.
