Chapter 24
Shinji and Team Angel continued their vigil on the rooftop for another five minutes or so before Shinji finally said:
"I should go. I need to go home and apologize to Misato and Rei."
"What for?" Spike asked.
Angel looked like he was about to say something. Shinji cut him off.
"I said some things…that need to be repaired," said Shinji, "I know that now. Why don't you come along? I'm sure everyone would like to meet you, since we were planning on coming into the city tomorrow anyway to find your offices, and…I really don't want to face them both alone, you know?"
"I dunno," Angel replied, "Guys? What do you say?"
"Can't see any harm," Spike answered.
"I agree," said Illyria.
"All right, let's get to the car," Angel said.
The group moved over the rooftops for about a block and a half before dropping to the pavement near a large, black car.
"Shotgun!" Spike called.
"Nice car," Shinji remarked, "Impala, right?"
"That's right," said Angel with a grin, "You like cars?"
"Love 'em," Shinji answered, climbing into the back seat, "In fact, I used to do some work on them, back in one of my old foster homes."
"Foster homes?" Spike repeated, "You're an orphan?"
"I'm a ward of the state," Shinji corrected him, "My mother's dead, sure. My dad just…gave me up. He didn't want me anymore."
"I'm sorry," Angel said, pulling out away from the curb, "I know what it's like to have problems with your father."
"You do?" Shinji asked.
"Yeah," Angel replied, "I do. My father and the rest of my family were among the first people that I killed as Angelus. I really don't want to go into my history of bloodshed and evil, so…let's just leave it at that. You got a car of your own?"
"Sure do," Shinji replied.
"What do you drive?"
"'77 Stingray," Shinji answered, "Black, hard-top, fixed it up myself."
"Blimey," Spike said, "I guess we've got ourselves a bloody mechanic here."
Shinji leaned over to Illyria.
"Is he always this obnoxious?" he whispered.
"No," Illyria answered, "Usually he is much worse."
Shinji chuckled. Up in the front seat, Spike scowled.
"Why does everyone always give me such a bloody hard time?" he asked petulantly, "Am I really such a bad bloke?"
"If you weren't such a jackass, maybe more people might respect you a little bit more," said Angel cuttingly, "I've tried to tell you that for years, but do you ever listen to me?"
Shinji had a feeling that he knew the answer to that particular question. Angel pulled up to a stop light and turned his head around.
"Where are we headed, Shinji?"
"Suburbs," Shinji replied, "Just past Jackson Avenue."
"You live that far from here?" Angel asked, "How'd you get this far into the city without a car? Oh wait, you're a werewolf. I forgot. Sorry."
"Yeah," said Shinji, "So this Angelus character, is he, like…gone?"
"No," Angel replied darkly, "He's still hidden deep under the surface."
"If Angel experiences a moment of perfect happiness, he will lose his soul and Angelus will re-emerge," Illyria added.
"Yeah, bloody shame, that," Spike drawled, "Cause then we'd have to stake 'im."
"Has it ever happened before?" Shinji asked.
"You mean, has Angel ever lost his soul because he got too happy?" Spike asked.
"Yeah."
"Once or twice," Spike replied with a chuckle.
"And he's still alive?" Shinji asked, "How? I thought you'd stake him if he turned evil again."
"Don't get me wrong, mate. I would've," Spike said, "But his old girlfriend went all weepy-eyed and had her witch friend try to put his soul back."
"Obviously she succeeded," Shinji observed.
"Obviously," said Angel, "Could we, you know…get off of the subject of me for a while? I hate talking about me all the time."
"Why should we?" Spike chuckled, "I mean you're just sooo interestin' an' deep an' multi-layered an'--,"
"Shut up, Spike!" the other three occupants of the Impala shouted in unison.
Fifteen minutes later, the Impala arrived at its destination: Misato's large house in the suburbs. As Shinji and his new friends disembarked, he turned to Angel and Spike and said:
"Just so we're clear, you two are invited in, so just walk in nice and normal. Okay?"
"Sure," Angel replied.
"Whatever," said Spike nonchalantly.
"What of me?" Illyria asked, "I do not look like a normal human."
"Do that ol' switcharoo that you do," said Spike.
"You know that Angel does not like it when I assume the form of Burkle," Illyria protested.
"Just do it this time, Illyria," Angel said resolutely, "I don't think that a blue woman would go over too well with these people right now."
"Very well," said Illyria.
Shinji watched as her form swirled and changed to a slim, bright-eyed young woman. She had long, dark-brown hair and soft, cow-like eyes. She also had a smile that looked so warm that it might melt glaciers.
"This is…what Fred looked like?" Shinji asked, struck by her innocence and beauty.
"Yeah," Spike replied, "Pretty, wasn't she?"
"Yeah, she was," Shinji agreed, "I won't ask too much about her. It's not hard to see that her memory still haunts you all. I respect that."
Angel and Spike nodded. Shinji pulled out his keys (he had dressed before they had gotten into Angel's car) and slid one into the front door. Quietly as he could, Shinji pushed the door open and crept over the threshold. Team Angel soon followed. Shinji was amazed at how quietly they all moved.
"Very swank," Spike murmured, "This girl of yours, Misato, she does pretty well for herself, then?"
"Well enough," Shinji replied, "OOF! Oh, shit."
There was a loud crash. Shinji had accidentally walked into a small table while he was distracted talking to Spike. The table tipped over, making a large clattering sound. Shinji heard running footfalls from upstairs.
"Who's there?" Misato yelled from the top of the stairs, "I warn you: I'm armed!"
"I didn't expect this cold of a reception when I got back to apologize," Shinji responded. He heard a gasp.
"Shinji?!" Misato shrieked, "You're back?! Oh, god!"
Shinji had enough time to take a breath before Misato was down the stairs and crushing the life out of him with an enthusiastic bear-hug. Shinji felt his back and ribs crack and pop several times as Misato squeezed him. Awkwardly, Shinji returned the hug.
"Shinji, sweetheart, Rei and I have been so worried!" Misato gushed, "I mean, she and I cried ourselves to sleep tonight because of what you said and the way you stormed out, but we still love you and we're sorry that we plotted that way! Can you ever, ever, ever forgive us?"
"We'll talk this over in a little while, baby," Shinji replied, "We have company."
"Who are--?" Misato started to ask, looking at the three people behind Shinji.
"This is Spike, Illyria, and--,"
"Angel," Misato finished breathlessly, ignoring Shinji's introduction, "You haven't changed. You look just like I remember. How can that be?"
"She didn't know?" Spike realized, "Crikey."
"Didn't know what?" Misato asked, confused, "What's going on?"
"Misato, don't freak out when I tell you this," Shinji said cautiously, "But Angel, the guy who saved you from a vampire, as well as his friend Spike, are vampires."
"WHAT?!"
"Calm down, Misato," Shinji said urgently.
"Calm down?!" Misato sputtered incredulously, "You let a couple of blood-suckers into my house and turn your back on them and you're telling me calm down?!"
"Yes!" Shinji shouted, "They're not evil! They've got souls!"
"They're still vampires!" Misato spat, "I don't care if they've got wings and a halo, they're still demons who kill people!"
"Actually, we're demons who kill demons, nowadays," Spike chimed in.
"You still kill," Misato said shortly.
"So do I, if you'll remember," Shinji murmured out of the side of his mouth.
"You're different," Misato protested, "I know you, Shinji. I don't know these people. That's the difference."
"I won't deny that I've killed people," Angel said calmly, "But Spike and I aren't who we used to be. We're older, wiser—well, I'm wiser--"
"Will you get off your bloody high-horse, you stupid git?!" Spike snapped.
"Do you two always go after each other like this?" Misato asked, beginning to feel annoyed at this pair's childish antics.
"Well, usually, they're a lot worse," piped up the skinny girl in a rich, Texas accent, "Hi, I'm Fred."
Illyria extended her hand to Misato. Misato, surprised at the presence of such a sweet-seeming girl amid blood-drinking monsters, shook hands with her. As Misato gripped the girl's hand, she noticed something.
"You're hand's like ice, Fred!" Misato gasped.
"Oh," Illyria chuckled, "It's just a little cool out tonight is all. I'm fine, really."
"Are you sure?" Misato asked, her face a mask of concern, "Because I could go and start on some coffee or tea, if you'd like something warm to drink."
"I wouldn' say no to a cold one if you're offerin'," said Spike.
"Spike!" Angel chided.
"No, it's okay," Misato replied, "I'm still not completely sure I trust you two, but if Shinji vouches for you, that's good enough for me."
"Thanks," said Angel.
"Yeah, it means a lot," Illyria replied.
"There's someone else coming," Angel said, tensing up slightly and looking around.
"That'll be Rei," Shinji replied, "We're in here, Rei!"
"Shinji? Is that you?" Rei gasped, coming into the room where the group was standing, "God, we've been—,"
"Yeah, I got the 'we've been worried' gush from Misato already," Shinji said, cutting her off, "Rei, I'd like you to meet Angel, Spike and Fred."
"Charmed," Rei replied politely.
"Just stay relaxed and don't panic when I explain this to you. Okay, Rei?" Shinji asked.
"Explain what, Shinji?" Rei asked, confused.
"Angel and Spike aren't human," said Shinji.
"They look human to me."
"They're not," said Shinji again, "Guys, I think it's time we all put on our real faces. You too, Illyria."
Shinji transformed. Fred's exterior faded back into Illyria's blue color. Angel and Spike each let out a low growl and changed, as well. The change took place in their faces. The ridges of their eyes raised, giving them a frightful, angry glare. Their eyes turned yellow and seemed to almost glow in the dark. Their nostrils flared and their lips curled back in identical sneer-like masks. Most noticeable, however, was the fact that the front six teeth on the top rows of their jaws had elongated and become razor-sharp fangs. Rei let out a muffled cry. Shinji resumed human form quickly and held her.
"This is…what they really look like?" Rei asked, shivering mightily in Shinji's arms.
"We're still us," Angel said, "This is just what we look like on the inside. These are our bad sides; the sides we don't really like to show."
"Speak only for yourself, Angel," said Illyria, "This is as close to my true form as this mortal shell can emulate."
"I thought you quit calling Fred your 'shell'," Spike said, irked.
"It slipped out," Illyria replied humbly, "I apologize."
Angel and Spike returned to a form passing for human again. Rei marveled at their facial transformations.
"Does it hurt?" she asked.
"Does what hurt?" Angel replied.
"Your face doing that…grr thing," Rei responded, "It looks like it's uncomfortable."
"It comes natural when you're a vampire," said Spike.
"Ever the blunt instrument, eh, Spike?" Angel asked sarcastically.
"Are you callin' me dull-witted?"
"Not at all," Angel replied unconvincingly, "I'm just saying that with all of your boundless amounts of tact and linguistic skill, you surely could have found a gentler way of breaking the truth to a frightened girl. That's all."
"You know what?" Spike growled, pointing a menacing finger in Angel's direction, "One o' these days, I'm gonna stake your sorry arse, just for shits an' giggles!"
"God, do I need a drink," Misato groaned.