Disclaimer: I do not own ATS, BTVS or any of the characters therein, nor
would I want to. Imagine the damage I could do with such a powerful
weapon. I do however own Ariane, Lord Meenotuk and some Kruplar Demons
(dubious honour).
Some thanks before I start. Kind regards to Oddisee, Imazadi, Goldstranger, Tariq, Maliek and Cyan Novella for your reviews; they have been a great source of inspiration. I posted the second chapter before I noticed I had reviews the last time.
I will try to take your ideas on board but I have no idea where this is going, so I'm afraid your going to have to let me run with it. I hope you enjoy this one just as much. Please read and review, but as before be gentle with me it's my first time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Jeez Louise, honey you should come with your own government health warning." Lorne stated snatching back his hand. "Angel, this girl doesn't need me to read her. She just gave me the psychic equivalent of her life story in milliseconds." He reported rubbing his temple with his now free hand and gulping the meagre remains of his martini.
"And?"
"And, she doesn't need me to show her a path, she's already on one. I need a refill."
"I'm not following this." Angel stood, rubbing the back of his head in exasperation and began pacing his office.
Ariane's vivid blue eyes followed him everywhere. Her stare was disconcerting to say the least. It was so frank, so innocent.
"Don't look at me like that, I can't think straight." He muttered returning to his seat. She dropped her eyes immediately. Suddenly she seemed to stiffen Angel could smell ozone. He felt sure if he touched her; he would receive a shock.
"Hey I didn't mean.." He attempted to apologise again.
"Angel puddin' that wasn't you." Lorne looked on amazed completely forgetting the empty martini glass in his hand. "She's glowing, her aura's like fireworks on the fourth of July."
"What's going on?" He asked, not expecting an answer.
Ariane opened her eyes, immediately concentrating her exotic stare straight at Angel. "You are needed. I can't . I don't know how to." She seemed to internally weigh the pros and cons of some decision before grasping Angels hand tightly and stating simply "Watch."
Angel was compelled to close his eyes and the instant he did he was transported to a dark area in the business sector of the city where a young man was being chased by what Angel took to be a Kruplar Demon. If memory served him correctly they were chameleon like demons, very fast, very agile and very strong, though they were ordinarily passive and reclusive creatures.
"Union Pacific Avenue and Prado Street." She whispered to him as he continued to watch a replay of her vision. By this time the man had been captured and was being taken, still living to the demon's lair where more Kruplars' waited. It seemed their Queen required a sacrifice before she could call forth some procreation god." Angel opened his eyes.
"Gross, you could have spared me the pregnant Kruplar." He shook his head trying to dispel the image.
"What's going on?" Lorne asked confused, "What did she show you?"
"Didn't you hear her? Union Pacific and Prado, I have to go." Angel grabbed a sword from the weapons cabinet beside his desk then dashed over to snatch his leather coat from a stand behind the door and continued running into the outer office. Stopping abruptly as he pulled on his coat he turned back to Harmony. "Cancel the rest of my appointments and look after Ariane." Boy he had missed this rush.
"What am I supposed to do with her?" She yelled at him, irritated.
"Show her what you do, I don't know. You're supposed to be an assistant right, so assist." He yelled over his shoulder.
"Didn't anyone tell you pet's are for life not just for Christmas Angel?" She called after him as he disappeared down the corridor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By the time Angel returned darkness had fallen and the offices were deserted, only a few staff opting to work late. He took a detour through the research department in the vain hope that he would bump into Wesley, only to be told he was working on an acquisition and would be away for a couple of days. Harmony was gone, which was a blessing but only what he'd expected. He entered his dark office hanging up his coat before turning on his desk lamp and sitting down to see what Harmony had left for him, paperwork the last thing on his mind.
"Was your quest successful my lord?" Came her tired voice from a dark corner.
"What? Oh, I found the guy just where you showed me he'd be." He smiled at her gently, remembering the scene.
Though it hadn't started well, this day had ended as one of the best he'd had in a while thanks mostly to this mysterious young woman. His muscles were tired from exertion. Not stiff from sitting behind a desk all day. It had been a while since he had physically saved a life. So long in fact he had almost forgotten just how addictive the sensation was. Sleep was the farthest thing from his mind.
"You look exhausted." He commented after clicking on the art deco up lighter beside the long black leather sofa which filled one corner of his office . She was still sitting on the floor, though she had finally relented slightly and was leaning against the sofa arm.
"If you would tell me, I should like to hear of your adventure." She could tell from the look in his eyes that he was eager to talk.
"It was awesome Ari, I pulled up in the car when I saw that kid running." He began, almost sitting down then thinking better of it.
"I let him run passed me and then clotheslined the Kruplar. He landed on the ground and I punched him a few times before he managed to get back up. We sparred for a bit before I roundhoused him." He demonstrated. "I don't know if you know this, but Kruplar Demons are notoriously hard to kill. They have this layer of body armour see and you have to find a weak spot. Anyway while he was down I managed to draw my sword and force it between his third and fourth ribs. That's where its brain's located. Kruplar don't have hearts, they have kind of an open circulatory system, more like an insect." She nodded her understanding, fighting a yawn. He continued, his enthusiasm undaunted.
"I picked up its carcass and threw it in the back of the car and drove to the lair we saw. I carried it into the middle of the nest and dropped it in front of the queen, knocked out a couple of guys just for the hell of it and told her I had brought her a sacrifice."
"Hey slugger I think you've lost your audience." Angel turned at the sound of Spike's voice then returned his attention to Ariane who had finally succumbed to sleep.
"She looks kinda cute when she's sleeping." Spike admitted leaning sideways to look at her. " Come to think of it she looks a bit like Dawn. What you going to do with her anyway?" He asked.
"Damned if I know." Angel admitted shrugging and shaking his head. He picked her up effortlessly, noticing for the first time just how tiny and fragile she was. "How could someone beat her up like that?" He asked.
"Hell Angel, we wouldn't have thought twice about it at one time. Different cultures have different attitudes to what's right and wrong. You have a bloody nerve dissing anyone, you accepted her as frigging gift, how immoral is that?"
"I didn't have an option, Christ Spike it was you who told me that."
"I know, I just love seeing you cornered, it makes me feel all warm and tingly." He sniggered.
"Sometimes Spike you're a real pain the a.."
"That's what I love about you Angel, all the myriad ways I can wind you up." Spike smiled broadly and raised a quizzical eyebrow as Angel shot him a disapproving stare. He shoved his hands deep in the pockets of his duster and threw himself on the sofa.
"Where have you been all afternoon?" He asked lacing his fingers behind his peroxide blonde head, "I was bored so I popped in earlier just to piss you off but Harmony said you ran out. I'd hoped you'd finally had enough of the good life and decided to top yourself but no such luck."
"Had a thing with a Kruplar Demon. I was just telling Ariane when you appeared."
"Is that what put her to sleep?" Spike asked nodding toward the sleeping figure still in Angel's arms. He turned and laid her on the sofa taking great care to pass her directly through Spike, then took his jacket from the stand and laid it over her shoulders.
"She's had a hectic day, what with the offering and the vision.."
"Not to mention doing half of Harmony's work then screening some staff with Lorne while you were battling the forces of evil on the streets of LA. Does one Kruplar Demon count as real evil?" He asked sliding along to the opposite end of the long black sofa.
"There were more like a dozen, eventually." Angel answered sullenly, what he didn't need right now was Spike raining on his parade.
"A whole dozen, how did you ever cope all on your own? You must be pretty rusty after all that pansy arsing around behind that poncey desk." Spike spat back caustically.
"You'd be surprised just how quickly it all comes flooding back. Then again maybe I should have invited you along, I'm sure you could have scared them all to death with some really interesting kung fu spook moves."
"You been working on that for awhile?" Spike asked.
"Yeah, but I thought it worked pretty well." He retorted dryly.
"Hmm."
"Did you say she was working with Lorne?"
"I told you I was bored so I thought I'd kill some time, see what she got up to while the "Lord" was away." He shrugged, " She's a quick learner I'll give her that, probably already knows more about computers than you do. She typed some letters and surfed the net for a while. Then Lorne came and whisked her away to do some behind the scenes vetting. Did you know she can do what he does only without all the hopeless wailing?"
"Just exactly how bored were you Spike?"
"Don't give me any crap Angel, it's not like I'm proud of it." He shrugged again "I can't explain it I feel kind of drawn to her."
"Because she looks like Dawn?"
"No, I don't know, maybe?" He muttered, shrugging his shoulders and sinking further into the seat.
Please accept my apologies if some of the details are wrong, I researched as much as I could. That is to say there is an intersection in the city with that name, but if it is in the business area? I have no idea. I live in Scotland and have yet to venture over the pond to visit. Oh, and thanks for your time.
Some thanks before I start. Kind regards to Oddisee, Imazadi, Goldstranger, Tariq, Maliek and Cyan Novella for your reviews; they have been a great source of inspiration. I posted the second chapter before I noticed I had reviews the last time.
I will try to take your ideas on board but I have no idea where this is going, so I'm afraid your going to have to let me run with it. I hope you enjoy this one just as much. Please read and review, but as before be gentle with me it's my first time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Jeez Louise, honey you should come with your own government health warning." Lorne stated snatching back his hand. "Angel, this girl doesn't need me to read her. She just gave me the psychic equivalent of her life story in milliseconds." He reported rubbing his temple with his now free hand and gulping the meagre remains of his martini.
"And?"
"And, she doesn't need me to show her a path, she's already on one. I need a refill."
"I'm not following this." Angel stood, rubbing the back of his head in exasperation and began pacing his office.
Ariane's vivid blue eyes followed him everywhere. Her stare was disconcerting to say the least. It was so frank, so innocent.
"Don't look at me like that, I can't think straight." He muttered returning to his seat. She dropped her eyes immediately. Suddenly she seemed to stiffen Angel could smell ozone. He felt sure if he touched her; he would receive a shock.
"Hey I didn't mean.." He attempted to apologise again.
"Angel puddin' that wasn't you." Lorne looked on amazed completely forgetting the empty martini glass in his hand. "She's glowing, her aura's like fireworks on the fourth of July."
"What's going on?" He asked, not expecting an answer.
Ariane opened her eyes, immediately concentrating her exotic stare straight at Angel. "You are needed. I can't . I don't know how to." She seemed to internally weigh the pros and cons of some decision before grasping Angels hand tightly and stating simply "Watch."
Angel was compelled to close his eyes and the instant he did he was transported to a dark area in the business sector of the city where a young man was being chased by what Angel took to be a Kruplar Demon. If memory served him correctly they were chameleon like demons, very fast, very agile and very strong, though they were ordinarily passive and reclusive creatures.
"Union Pacific Avenue and Prado Street." She whispered to him as he continued to watch a replay of her vision. By this time the man had been captured and was being taken, still living to the demon's lair where more Kruplars' waited. It seemed their Queen required a sacrifice before she could call forth some procreation god." Angel opened his eyes.
"Gross, you could have spared me the pregnant Kruplar." He shook his head trying to dispel the image.
"What's going on?" Lorne asked confused, "What did she show you?"
"Didn't you hear her? Union Pacific and Prado, I have to go." Angel grabbed a sword from the weapons cabinet beside his desk then dashed over to snatch his leather coat from a stand behind the door and continued running into the outer office. Stopping abruptly as he pulled on his coat he turned back to Harmony. "Cancel the rest of my appointments and look after Ariane." Boy he had missed this rush.
"What am I supposed to do with her?" She yelled at him, irritated.
"Show her what you do, I don't know. You're supposed to be an assistant right, so assist." He yelled over his shoulder.
"Didn't anyone tell you pet's are for life not just for Christmas Angel?" She called after him as he disappeared down the corridor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By the time Angel returned darkness had fallen and the offices were deserted, only a few staff opting to work late. He took a detour through the research department in the vain hope that he would bump into Wesley, only to be told he was working on an acquisition and would be away for a couple of days. Harmony was gone, which was a blessing but only what he'd expected. He entered his dark office hanging up his coat before turning on his desk lamp and sitting down to see what Harmony had left for him, paperwork the last thing on his mind.
"Was your quest successful my lord?" Came her tired voice from a dark corner.
"What? Oh, I found the guy just where you showed me he'd be." He smiled at her gently, remembering the scene.
Though it hadn't started well, this day had ended as one of the best he'd had in a while thanks mostly to this mysterious young woman. His muscles were tired from exertion. Not stiff from sitting behind a desk all day. It had been a while since he had physically saved a life. So long in fact he had almost forgotten just how addictive the sensation was. Sleep was the farthest thing from his mind.
"You look exhausted." He commented after clicking on the art deco up lighter beside the long black leather sofa which filled one corner of his office . She was still sitting on the floor, though she had finally relented slightly and was leaning against the sofa arm.
"If you would tell me, I should like to hear of your adventure." She could tell from the look in his eyes that he was eager to talk.
"It was awesome Ari, I pulled up in the car when I saw that kid running." He began, almost sitting down then thinking better of it.
"I let him run passed me and then clotheslined the Kruplar. He landed on the ground and I punched him a few times before he managed to get back up. We sparred for a bit before I roundhoused him." He demonstrated. "I don't know if you know this, but Kruplar Demons are notoriously hard to kill. They have this layer of body armour see and you have to find a weak spot. Anyway while he was down I managed to draw my sword and force it between his third and fourth ribs. That's where its brain's located. Kruplar don't have hearts, they have kind of an open circulatory system, more like an insect." She nodded her understanding, fighting a yawn. He continued, his enthusiasm undaunted.
"I picked up its carcass and threw it in the back of the car and drove to the lair we saw. I carried it into the middle of the nest and dropped it in front of the queen, knocked out a couple of guys just for the hell of it and told her I had brought her a sacrifice."
"Hey slugger I think you've lost your audience." Angel turned at the sound of Spike's voice then returned his attention to Ariane who had finally succumbed to sleep.
"She looks kinda cute when she's sleeping." Spike admitted leaning sideways to look at her. " Come to think of it she looks a bit like Dawn. What you going to do with her anyway?" He asked.
"Damned if I know." Angel admitted shrugging and shaking his head. He picked her up effortlessly, noticing for the first time just how tiny and fragile she was. "How could someone beat her up like that?" He asked.
"Hell Angel, we wouldn't have thought twice about it at one time. Different cultures have different attitudes to what's right and wrong. You have a bloody nerve dissing anyone, you accepted her as frigging gift, how immoral is that?"
"I didn't have an option, Christ Spike it was you who told me that."
"I know, I just love seeing you cornered, it makes me feel all warm and tingly." He sniggered.
"Sometimes Spike you're a real pain the a.."
"That's what I love about you Angel, all the myriad ways I can wind you up." Spike smiled broadly and raised a quizzical eyebrow as Angel shot him a disapproving stare. He shoved his hands deep in the pockets of his duster and threw himself on the sofa.
"Where have you been all afternoon?" He asked lacing his fingers behind his peroxide blonde head, "I was bored so I popped in earlier just to piss you off but Harmony said you ran out. I'd hoped you'd finally had enough of the good life and decided to top yourself but no such luck."
"Had a thing with a Kruplar Demon. I was just telling Ariane when you appeared."
"Is that what put her to sleep?" Spike asked nodding toward the sleeping figure still in Angel's arms. He turned and laid her on the sofa taking great care to pass her directly through Spike, then took his jacket from the stand and laid it over her shoulders.
"She's had a hectic day, what with the offering and the vision.."
"Not to mention doing half of Harmony's work then screening some staff with Lorne while you were battling the forces of evil on the streets of LA. Does one Kruplar Demon count as real evil?" He asked sliding along to the opposite end of the long black sofa.
"There were more like a dozen, eventually." Angel answered sullenly, what he didn't need right now was Spike raining on his parade.
"A whole dozen, how did you ever cope all on your own? You must be pretty rusty after all that pansy arsing around behind that poncey desk." Spike spat back caustically.
"You'd be surprised just how quickly it all comes flooding back. Then again maybe I should have invited you along, I'm sure you could have scared them all to death with some really interesting kung fu spook moves."
"You been working on that for awhile?" Spike asked.
"Yeah, but I thought it worked pretty well." He retorted dryly.
"Hmm."
"Did you say she was working with Lorne?"
"I told you I was bored so I thought I'd kill some time, see what she got up to while the "Lord" was away." He shrugged, " She's a quick learner I'll give her that, probably already knows more about computers than you do. She typed some letters and surfed the net for a while. Then Lorne came and whisked her away to do some behind the scenes vetting. Did you know she can do what he does only without all the hopeless wailing?"
"Just exactly how bored were you Spike?"
"Don't give me any crap Angel, it's not like I'm proud of it." He shrugged again "I can't explain it I feel kind of drawn to her."
"Because she looks like Dawn?"
"No, I don't know, maybe?" He muttered, shrugging his shoulders and sinking further into the seat.
Please accept my apologies if some of the details are wrong, I researched as much as I could. That is to say there is an intersection in the city with that name, but if it is in the business area? I have no idea. I live in Scotland and have yet to venture over the pond to visit. Oh, and thanks for your time.