Title Dreams
Author Marie a.k.a. Loves Bitch
Email Lovesbitch84@yahoo.com
Feedback Please please please send me feedback
Distribution You can post this fanfic on your webpage as long as you email me with a link and give me credit :)
Spoilers End of Season Three
Content Buffy/Xanderish
Rating R - note although rated PG in this piece it will grow darker and earn it's R rating.
Disclaimer I do not own or have any rights to Buffy the Vampier Slayer. I am only a fan
Summary Angel returns to Sunnydale 20 years after Graduation and finds that nothing is the same.
NoteThis is Book One in a Series I am currently writing. Also, I would like to thank Caryl mailto:agenie_13@hotmail.com for beta reading this piece! Thank you so much!
His fist hung inches away from the cold, dark wooden door of Buffy's apartment. Angel once again pulled his hand away and began to walk back down the hall for the fifth time that night. It wasn't like Angel to be afraid , but he was. He had been gone for twenty years, twenty years without a call or a visit or a letter. Buffy would be 38 now, the oldest slayer in history although rumor circulated underground that the council had retried Buffy and a new slayer had been called.
He stopped in the middle of the hallway and stood still in the silence. Slowly he turned and walked back to her apartment. He ran his fingers over the gold numbers on the door. 730. It had been fairly easy to find where Buffy was living. He had gone to her old house only to find she no longer lived there.
He had talked to the new owner of the house who had informed him Buffy had moved into a nearby apartment a few weeks after graduation but she didn't know which one. When Angel asked where Joyce had moved the lady grew silent. She finally managed to tell him Joyce had been killed a few weeks after Buffy's leaving. He had spent all of last night going to every apartment building in Sunnydale.
This was the last apartment building on his list. It was the closet to the graveyard and near to Buffy's old home. He wasn't surprised when the smiling lady behind the counter had given him Buffy's apartment number. He had known deep in his heart all along that this was the most likely spot for her to be. It was for that reason he had chosen it last.
Now he had no other way to avoid it. He needed to face Buffy, he need to face his past. He closed his eyes and knocked on the door. It took all his self control not to run down the hall and out of Sunnydale. He heard footsteps inside the apartment and the door opened. In front of him stood a young girl, seventeen, eighteen years old.
"Can I help you?" She asked, power in her voice. He stared at her. She had red, orange hair that hung just past her shoulders. Her eyes where a pale green and she had full lips. She looked ready to leave the house, wearing tight, dark blue jeans, a brown stretch tank top with a blue jean jacket that matched her pants. "Um, hello?' She said waving a hand in front of his face.
"Adolfina! Who's at the..." Buffy said stepping into the room but fell silent. Despite her age, Buffy still looked young, She wore a old ragged scooby-doo t-shirt with blue pajama pants. She stood in shock at the sight of Angel. The young girl, apparently Adolfina, turned to look at her Buffy.
"You know this guy?" She questioned.
"Honey, this is Angel. You remember me telling you about him," Buffy said brushing a stray curl of her blond hair behind her ear.
"You mean the vampire guy who skipped town?" Adolfina asked, only half caring. She looked back at him, fake smile on her face. "Welcome home."
"Adolfina!" Buffy scolded, she then realized Angel was still out in the hallway, "Come in Angel." He silently stepped into the room and stared questionably at the two of them. He was about to speak when there was a loud knock on the wall behind him. He spun around to see Spike walk into the room.
"You're late," Adolfina said, smiling at Spike.
"Sorry love," he answered, noticing Angel. "Well, isn't this a bloody surprise. Look who's back in town."
"Come on, let's go," Adolfina said, walking out the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Buffy asked.
"Spike's taking me patrolling so don't worry," Adolfina said with a smile.
"That's what you said last week when you came home drunk from that party!" Buffy said, anger rising in her voice.
"Sorry, gotta go. Sacred duty and all," she replied and with that she was gone.
"I'm so sorry about that Angel, Adolfina can be such a handful," Buffy said sitting down on the sofa. Angel, finally coming out of his shock sat next to her.
"Is she your...?" Angel said, looking away with pain in his eyes.
"My daughter?" Buffy finished for him and Angel looked up at her. "Yes, she is."
"Oh. How old is she?" Angel whispered.
"She just turned 18. Hopefully she graduates this spring, although with her record we can't be quite sure. She's also the new slayer," Buffy rambled on. Then she paused, the question that had been lingering on her tongue since Angel had walked back into the room rolled off her lips, "Why are you here?"
"Because," Angel said but he couldn't go on.
"Buffy, are you coming to bed?" a man Buffy's age asked as he stepped into he room. Angel eyed the man, who was also wearing pajamas. There was something very familiar about him.
"Angel, you remember Xander," Buffy said standing up and walking to him. "Angel's come to visit us."
"Why?" Xander asked, sharply and Angel looked away. He had not expected Buffy to stay single all these years, and her daughter had proven that, but he hadn't expected her to be with Xander. Buffy felt the tension building in the room and knew she needed to act quickly.
"Xander, sweetheart, go back to bed. I'll be there in a minute," Buffy said and kissed Xander's lips softly.
"Don't be to long," Xander said, a smile on his face. Buffy gazed after him for a second but then returned her attention to Angel.
"Where are you staying?" Buffy asked.
"An old crypt," Angel said.
"Not anymore, you can stay here with us. At least until you find a more suitable place," Buffy said and Angel forced a smile. He looked around her apartment, that was obviously very small. He was sitting in the living room which was connected to a small kitchen/dining room. The only other two rooms in the apartment were a bathroom and a bedroom that Buffy and Xander shared. "I know it's not that big. I mean, Xander and I don't have that much money. Neither one of us went to college," Buffy said, shame in her voice.
"Buffy, it's fine," Angel assured.
"No it's not! God, Adolfina doesn't even have her own room! She sleeps on the couch!" Buffy said falling back onto the couch, about to break into tears.
"I would love to stay here Buffy," Angel said causing her to look up at him, "Just where would I sleep?"
"On the couch," Buffy said jumping up and walking towards the closet. She retrieved a blanket and pillow and brought them to Angel.
"And where will Adolfina sleep?" Angel questioned.
"Adolfina doesn't spend that much time at home anymore. She's always at parties or out slaying," Buffy sighed, hurt in her eyes, "The only time she's at home is first thing in the morning for a little nap before she's off again. Both Xander and I work then..."
"What's with Spike?" Angel asked, trying to change the subject.
"None of us expected that. He came back to kill her but things happened," Buffy began but trailed off.
"You mean they're...together?" Angel asked.
"No, just friends. At lest that's what Adolfina says," Buffy said but Angel could sense Buffy didn't exactly believe what her daughter had told her. "Well, I need to get some sleep. I have to work in the morning. We can talk tomorrow. Good night."
"Good night Buffy," Angel whispered as she walked back into her and Xander's room and shut the door behind her.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
Angel laid on Buffy's couch and stared at the white, cracking ceiling. He closed his eyes and longed for sleep. Anything that would take him away from here. But it had been his dreams that brought him to this place.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
"Where am I?" Angel asked himself as he found himself on a deserted street in the middle of the night. The only light came from the dim, flickering streetlights located up and down the street, and the full moon shining in the starless sky.
"Where you are needed," a voice said behind him, and he spun around to see a beautiful lady walking towards him. She stood out in the night wearing a old fashioned, white dress that seemed to glow in the darkness. The bottom flapped elegantly in the non-existing wind while the top clung to her, perfectly highlighting her small waist and full breasts. Her hair was pure white, although she appeared to be no more then twenty, and her skin matched, pale as moonlight. Her lips were full and the lightest shade of red Angel had ever seen, and her eyes were a frozen baby blue. Angel knew just by looking that she wasn't human, although she didn't appear to be a demon.
"Who are you?" he inquired, unable to look away from her. She walked towards him without making a sound, not even her footsteps could be hear.
"Shhh," she whispered, placing a finger to Angel's lips. Her finger was like ice but different from his own cold body. For his heart had once beaten, warming his now deceased body. Her body never knew that feeling. "That's not important."
"What is going on?" Angel asked, brushing her fingers from his lips.
"You're dreaming," she answered, unfazed by Angel's growing anger. "It's the only way I could contact you."
"I don't understand," Angel said, frustrated.
"I don't walk in your world," she said and Angel heard melancholy in her voice. "Not anymore. That's why I need your help."
"With what?" Angel questioned, his anger fading.
"She needs your help," she whispered.
"Who?" he inquired.
"The wolf with the mark of Luna," she said.
"What?!" Angel demanded, anger rising in him. Worry crossed the young woman's face as she looked to the sky. Angel followed her gaze to see the sun was about to rise.
"There's not much time left," she said turning her gaze back to him. "Go to Sunnydale," she said, as the sun broke over the horizon.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
Angel had awoken then in the small hotel room he had spent the last few weeks in. Angel sighed, remembering how he had dismissed the dream as nothing more than that. Despite the fact he no longer ached for Buffy, she would always have a part of his heart and he didn't want to open an old wound because of a dream. He pushed the illusion from his head, until the next one came.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
"Why?" Angel heard a voice say as he once again found himself on the deserted street. "Why won't you help me?" Angel turned to see the same beautiful woman.
"This is just a dream," Angel said, more to himself then her.
"Of course, I told you that," she said walking towards him. "Why won't you go to her?"
"How I can help her if you won't tell me who she is?" Angel demanded.
"Her name can not be spoken here," she whispered.
"Why not?" Angel questioned. "I'm not running back to Sunnydale to help some wolf. It's not worth the pain it would bring."
"She's not a wolf," the woman said as she walked down the street. Angel followed her, as she knew he would.
"But you said I needed to help..." Angel started but then she turned to face him.
"Everything is not as it seems. That's the first thing you must learn. You have to look closer, deeper, into a persons heart. There you will find her power," she said.
"She's human?" he interrogated.
"No," the woman said running her fingers down Angel's cheek causing a chill to run down* his spine. Her touch was not unpleasant and Angel almost lost himself in her eyes. "Nor is a demon, her power is beyond that. Her human body is merely a mask, like your human face hiding the demon inside of you."
"Is she evil?" he questioned, realizing he knew nothing of this woman in front of him. He stepped away from her and her touch.
"Are you?" she whispered, appearing to be slightly hurt by Angel's reaction. He opened his mouth to answer but no words came out. He didn't know what to say. His soul made him good, but there was still a demon inside of him that urged to run free. "There's a darkness inside of her, deep and powerful, and if it was ever freed, horrible things would come to be."
"Is she powerful?" Angel asked, concern entering his mind.
"Yes," the woman said. "More than you. The only thing that holds her darkness in is her human soul. A gift she was given before being born on Earth as human. But her soul is only so powerful," she said, as her voice faded, and Angel noticed the sun was rising. "Go to her."
"At least tell me who you are," Angel said, grabbing her wrist and the sensation rushed into him.
"Another time," she said gently as she faded away and the sun broke over the horizon.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
Angel had known then that this was more than just some dream, for her touch still lingered on his face and he couldn't forget her pale eyes. He had left for Sunnydale that evening but another dream came to him before he arrived.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
"Third times a charm," Angel said looking down the street.
"My powers are weak," the voice said from behind him and Angel didn't need to look to know who it was. "I can only makes these dreams last so long. Once I was powerful but..."
"But what?" Angel said, turning to face her.
"I let my heart lead me and it led me here," she whispered, "But we don't have time to talk about that."
"Then tell me something useful," Angel demanded. "How can I find her if I don't know who she is?"
"I told you I cannot tell you that. There are rules," the lady cried. "I gave you the pieces, it's up to you to put them together."
Angel collapsed on a bench and stared at the woman. "Why do you want to help her?"
"She could do it," the woman whispered, not meeting his eyes.
"Do what?" Angel asked, upset by how this woman never gave him a straight answer.
"Bring Armageddon," she softly spoke, and a chill went down Angel's spine as he realized she was telling the truth.
"How do you know?" Angel inquired as she sat next to him on the bench.
"I live in the world of dreams, I exist in them, and I see hers," she answered.
"But they're just dreams," Angel responded.
"Is this just a dream?" she asked and Angel didn't reply. "This world of dreams is just as real as the world on Earth."
"You're telling me this is another Earth?" Angel asked.
"Not exactly," she replied, "It's another dimension of Earth. There, you walk in your body, here, you walk in mind. When you dream, you leave your body and come here."
"But you said you don't.." Angel started, but the woman smiled and placed a finger to his lips.
"There are some that leave your world all together because it is to hard and to filled with pain. They stay here, like me," she said. "It's hard at first, I guess. Leaving all your friends and family, but I still see them sometimes."
"How?" Angel asked softly.
"When you live in this world you gain powers," she answered. "And one of them is to enter other peoples dreams. You can talk to them there."
"Then why has no one heard of this world?" he asked.
"Have you ever had a dream that when you wake up you can't remember it, even though you know you were dreaming?" she asked, and Angel nodded. "Those are the dreams we enter. You can never remember them."
"But I remember these dreams," Angel said, and she smiled.
"That's because this is a special dream," she explained. "There are a small number of us who can enter dreams and allow the person to remember them. We just have rules to follow, like no names or exact information."
"How?" Angel asked.
"Our human bodies are still alive, in comas," she answerd. "So we are still connected to your world in a way. Just in an endless sleep. But when our bodies die, so does this power and my body is weakening. That's why you must hurry."
"I still don't understand how you can be so sure she will end the world," Angel said, brushing hair away from her face.
"Like I said earlier, I've entered her dreams. I see the true her," she explained. "Your dreams are more than just a mixture of thoughts and ideas. When you're in this world you are truly yourself. Your soul and your true self separate."
"What do you mean, soul and true self?" Angel asked. "Time is running out," she said, looking at the horizon. "When a human is born they are given a soul for a reason. In every human is evil, just like the evil that is found in demons. When you receive your soul it is pure, golden, but as you grow, it is tainted by the evil within you. This doesn't affect most people. The evil isn't powerful enough to cause any real damage. Sometimes it breaks through enough to cause the person to do evil things, like murder, but the soul always stays true in the end."
"So humans in essence are no better then demons?" Angel asked.
"No, they just have souls to keep them in check," she whispered. "But she's not human in essence."
"What does that mean?" Angel asked, as he saw the sun break over the horizon.
"Her evil is stronger, it will break through. And it will cause the end of the world if it isn't stopped," the woman murmured.
"How do I stop it?" Angel said.
"Save her soul," she whispered, as the sun broke over the horizon.
To be Continued
Author Marie a.k.a. Loves Bitch
Email Lovesbitch84@yahoo.com
Feedback Please please please send me feedback
Distribution You can post this fanfic on your webpage as long as you email me with a link and give me credit :)
Spoilers End of Season Three
Content Buffy/Xanderish
Rating R - note although rated PG in this piece it will grow darker and earn it's R rating.
Disclaimer I do not own or have any rights to Buffy the Vampier Slayer. I am only a fan
Summary Angel returns to Sunnydale 20 years after Graduation and finds that nothing is the same.
NoteThis is Book One in a Series I am currently writing. Also, I would like to thank Caryl mailto:agenie_13@hotmail.com for beta reading this piece! Thank you so much!
His fist hung inches away from the cold, dark wooden door of Buffy's apartment. Angel once again pulled his hand away and began to walk back down the hall for the fifth time that night. It wasn't like Angel to be afraid , but he was. He had been gone for twenty years, twenty years without a call or a visit or a letter. Buffy would be 38 now, the oldest slayer in history although rumor circulated underground that the council had retried Buffy and a new slayer had been called.
He stopped in the middle of the hallway and stood still in the silence. Slowly he turned and walked back to her apartment. He ran his fingers over the gold numbers on the door. 730. It had been fairly easy to find where Buffy was living. He had gone to her old house only to find she no longer lived there.
He had talked to the new owner of the house who had informed him Buffy had moved into a nearby apartment a few weeks after graduation but she didn't know which one. When Angel asked where Joyce had moved the lady grew silent. She finally managed to tell him Joyce had been killed a few weeks after Buffy's leaving. He had spent all of last night going to every apartment building in Sunnydale.
This was the last apartment building on his list. It was the closet to the graveyard and near to Buffy's old home. He wasn't surprised when the smiling lady behind the counter had given him Buffy's apartment number. He had known deep in his heart all along that this was the most likely spot for her to be. It was for that reason he had chosen it last.
Now he had no other way to avoid it. He needed to face Buffy, he need to face his past. He closed his eyes and knocked on the door. It took all his self control not to run down the hall and out of Sunnydale. He heard footsteps inside the apartment and the door opened. In front of him stood a young girl, seventeen, eighteen years old.
"Can I help you?" She asked, power in her voice. He stared at her. She had red, orange hair that hung just past her shoulders. Her eyes where a pale green and she had full lips. She looked ready to leave the house, wearing tight, dark blue jeans, a brown stretch tank top with a blue jean jacket that matched her pants. "Um, hello?' She said waving a hand in front of his face.
"Adolfina! Who's at the..." Buffy said stepping into the room but fell silent. Despite her age, Buffy still looked young, She wore a old ragged scooby-doo t-shirt with blue pajama pants. She stood in shock at the sight of Angel. The young girl, apparently Adolfina, turned to look at her Buffy.
"You know this guy?" She questioned.
"Honey, this is Angel. You remember me telling you about him," Buffy said brushing a stray curl of her blond hair behind her ear.
"You mean the vampire guy who skipped town?" Adolfina asked, only half caring. She looked back at him, fake smile on her face. "Welcome home."
"Adolfina!" Buffy scolded, she then realized Angel was still out in the hallway, "Come in Angel." He silently stepped into the room and stared questionably at the two of them. He was about to speak when there was a loud knock on the wall behind him. He spun around to see Spike walk into the room.
"You're late," Adolfina said, smiling at Spike.
"Sorry love," he answered, noticing Angel. "Well, isn't this a bloody surprise. Look who's back in town."
"Come on, let's go," Adolfina said, walking out the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Buffy asked.
"Spike's taking me patrolling so don't worry," Adolfina said with a smile.
"That's what you said last week when you came home drunk from that party!" Buffy said, anger rising in her voice.
"Sorry, gotta go. Sacred duty and all," she replied and with that she was gone.
"I'm so sorry about that Angel, Adolfina can be such a handful," Buffy said sitting down on the sofa. Angel, finally coming out of his shock sat next to her.
"Is she your...?" Angel said, looking away with pain in his eyes.
"My daughter?" Buffy finished for him and Angel looked up at her. "Yes, she is."
"Oh. How old is she?" Angel whispered.
"She just turned 18. Hopefully she graduates this spring, although with her record we can't be quite sure. She's also the new slayer," Buffy rambled on. Then she paused, the question that had been lingering on her tongue since Angel had walked back into the room rolled off her lips, "Why are you here?"
"Because," Angel said but he couldn't go on.
"Buffy, are you coming to bed?" a man Buffy's age asked as he stepped into he room. Angel eyed the man, who was also wearing pajamas. There was something very familiar about him.
"Angel, you remember Xander," Buffy said standing up and walking to him. "Angel's come to visit us."
"Why?" Xander asked, sharply and Angel looked away. He had not expected Buffy to stay single all these years, and her daughter had proven that, but he hadn't expected her to be with Xander. Buffy felt the tension building in the room and knew she needed to act quickly.
"Xander, sweetheart, go back to bed. I'll be there in a minute," Buffy said and kissed Xander's lips softly.
"Don't be to long," Xander said, a smile on his face. Buffy gazed after him for a second but then returned her attention to Angel.
"Where are you staying?" Buffy asked.
"An old crypt," Angel said.
"Not anymore, you can stay here with us. At least until you find a more suitable place," Buffy said and Angel forced a smile. He looked around her apartment, that was obviously very small. He was sitting in the living room which was connected to a small kitchen/dining room. The only other two rooms in the apartment were a bathroom and a bedroom that Buffy and Xander shared. "I know it's not that big. I mean, Xander and I don't have that much money. Neither one of us went to college," Buffy said, shame in her voice.
"Buffy, it's fine," Angel assured.
"No it's not! God, Adolfina doesn't even have her own room! She sleeps on the couch!" Buffy said falling back onto the couch, about to break into tears.
"I would love to stay here Buffy," Angel said causing her to look up at him, "Just where would I sleep?"
"On the couch," Buffy said jumping up and walking towards the closet. She retrieved a blanket and pillow and brought them to Angel.
"And where will Adolfina sleep?" Angel questioned.
"Adolfina doesn't spend that much time at home anymore. She's always at parties or out slaying," Buffy sighed, hurt in her eyes, "The only time she's at home is first thing in the morning for a little nap before she's off again. Both Xander and I work then..."
"What's with Spike?" Angel asked, trying to change the subject.
"None of us expected that. He came back to kill her but things happened," Buffy began but trailed off.
"You mean they're...together?" Angel asked.
"No, just friends. At lest that's what Adolfina says," Buffy said but Angel could sense Buffy didn't exactly believe what her daughter had told her. "Well, I need to get some sleep. I have to work in the morning. We can talk tomorrow. Good night."
"Good night Buffy," Angel whispered as she walked back into her and Xander's room and shut the door behind her.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
Angel laid on Buffy's couch and stared at the white, cracking ceiling. He closed his eyes and longed for sleep. Anything that would take him away from here. But it had been his dreams that brought him to this place.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
"Where am I?" Angel asked himself as he found himself on a deserted street in the middle of the night. The only light came from the dim, flickering streetlights located up and down the street, and the full moon shining in the starless sky.
"Where you are needed," a voice said behind him, and he spun around to see a beautiful lady walking towards him. She stood out in the night wearing a old fashioned, white dress that seemed to glow in the darkness. The bottom flapped elegantly in the non-existing wind while the top clung to her, perfectly highlighting her small waist and full breasts. Her hair was pure white, although she appeared to be no more then twenty, and her skin matched, pale as moonlight. Her lips were full and the lightest shade of red Angel had ever seen, and her eyes were a frozen baby blue. Angel knew just by looking that she wasn't human, although she didn't appear to be a demon.
"Who are you?" he inquired, unable to look away from her. She walked towards him without making a sound, not even her footsteps could be hear.
"Shhh," she whispered, placing a finger to Angel's lips. Her finger was like ice but different from his own cold body. For his heart had once beaten, warming his now deceased body. Her body never knew that feeling. "That's not important."
"What is going on?" Angel asked, brushing her fingers from his lips.
"You're dreaming," she answered, unfazed by Angel's growing anger. "It's the only way I could contact you."
"I don't understand," Angel said, frustrated.
"I don't walk in your world," she said and Angel heard melancholy in her voice. "Not anymore. That's why I need your help."
"With what?" Angel questioned, his anger fading.
"She needs your help," she whispered.
"Who?" he inquired.
"The wolf with the mark of Luna," she said.
"What?!" Angel demanded, anger rising in him. Worry crossed the young woman's face as she looked to the sky. Angel followed her gaze to see the sun was about to rise.
"There's not much time left," she said turning her gaze back to him. "Go to Sunnydale," she said, as the sun broke over the horizon.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
Angel had awoken then in the small hotel room he had spent the last few weeks in. Angel sighed, remembering how he had dismissed the dream as nothing more than that. Despite the fact he no longer ached for Buffy, she would always have a part of his heart and he didn't want to open an old wound because of a dream. He pushed the illusion from his head, until the next one came.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
"Why?" Angel heard a voice say as he once again found himself on the deserted street. "Why won't you help me?" Angel turned to see the same beautiful woman.
"This is just a dream," Angel said, more to himself then her.
"Of course, I told you that," she said walking towards him. "Why won't you go to her?"
"How I can help her if you won't tell me who she is?" Angel demanded.
"Her name can not be spoken here," she whispered.
"Why not?" Angel questioned. "I'm not running back to Sunnydale to help some wolf. It's not worth the pain it would bring."
"She's not a wolf," the woman said as she walked down the street. Angel followed her, as she knew he would.
"But you said I needed to help..." Angel started but then she turned to face him.
"Everything is not as it seems. That's the first thing you must learn. You have to look closer, deeper, into a persons heart. There you will find her power," she said.
"She's human?" he interrogated.
"No," the woman said running her fingers down Angel's cheek causing a chill to run down* his spine. Her touch was not unpleasant and Angel almost lost himself in her eyes. "Nor is a demon, her power is beyond that. Her human body is merely a mask, like your human face hiding the demon inside of you."
"Is she evil?" he questioned, realizing he knew nothing of this woman in front of him. He stepped away from her and her touch.
"Are you?" she whispered, appearing to be slightly hurt by Angel's reaction. He opened his mouth to answer but no words came out. He didn't know what to say. His soul made him good, but there was still a demon inside of him that urged to run free. "There's a darkness inside of her, deep and powerful, and if it was ever freed, horrible things would come to be."
"Is she powerful?" Angel asked, concern entering his mind.
"Yes," the woman said. "More than you. The only thing that holds her darkness in is her human soul. A gift she was given before being born on Earth as human. But her soul is only so powerful," she said, as her voice faded, and Angel noticed the sun was rising. "Go to her."
"At least tell me who you are," Angel said, grabbing her wrist and the sensation rushed into him.
"Another time," she said gently as she faded away and the sun broke over the horizon.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
Angel had known then that this was more than just some dream, for her touch still lingered on his face and he couldn't forget her pale eyes. He had left for Sunnydale that evening but another dream came to him before he arrived.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
"Third times a charm," Angel said looking down the street.
"My powers are weak," the voice said from behind him and Angel didn't need to look to know who it was. "I can only makes these dreams last so long. Once I was powerful but..."
"But what?" Angel said, turning to face her.
"I let my heart lead me and it led me here," she whispered, "But we don't have time to talk about that."
"Then tell me something useful," Angel demanded. "How can I find her if I don't know who she is?"
"I told you I cannot tell you that. There are rules," the lady cried. "I gave you the pieces, it's up to you to put them together."
Angel collapsed on a bench and stared at the woman. "Why do you want to help her?"
"She could do it," the woman whispered, not meeting his eyes.
"Do what?" Angel asked, upset by how this woman never gave him a straight answer.
"Bring Armageddon," she softly spoke, and a chill went down Angel's spine as he realized she was telling the truth.
"How do you know?" Angel inquired as she sat next to him on the bench.
"I live in the world of dreams, I exist in them, and I see hers," she answered.
"But they're just dreams," Angel responded.
"Is this just a dream?" she asked and Angel didn't reply. "This world of dreams is just as real as the world on Earth."
"You're telling me this is another Earth?" Angel asked.
"Not exactly," she replied, "It's another dimension of Earth. There, you walk in your body, here, you walk in mind. When you dream, you leave your body and come here."
"But you said you don't.." Angel started, but the woman smiled and placed a finger to his lips.
"There are some that leave your world all together because it is to hard and to filled with pain. They stay here, like me," she said. "It's hard at first, I guess. Leaving all your friends and family, but I still see them sometimes."
"How?" Angel asked softly.
"When you live in this world you gain powers," she answered. "And one of them is to enter other peoples dreams. You can talk to them there."
"Then why has no one heard of this world?" he asked.
"Have you ever had a dream that when you wake up you can't remember it, even though you know you were dreaming?" she asked, and Angel nodded. "Those are the dreams we enter. You can never remember them."
"But I remember these dreams," Angel said, and she smiled.
"That's because this is a special dream," she explained. "There are a small number of us who can enter dreams and allow the person to remember them. We just have rules to follow, like no names or exact information."
"How?" Angel asked.
"Our human bodies are still alive, in comas," she answerd. "So we are still connected to your world in a way. Just in an endless sleep. But when our bodies die, so does this power and my body is weakening. That's why you must hurry."
"I still don't understand how you can be so sure she will end the world," Angel said, brushing hair away from her face.
"Like I said earlier, I've entered her dreams. I see the true her," she explained. "Your dreams are more than just a mixture of thoughts and ideas. When you're in this world you are truly yourself. Your soul and your true self separate."
"What do you mean, soul and true self?" Angel asked. "Time is running out," she said, looking at the horizon. "When a human is born they are given a soul for a reason. In every human is evil, just like the evil that is found in demons. When you receive your soul it is pure, golden, but as you grow, it is tainted by the evil within you. This doesn't affect most people. The evil isn't powerful enough to cause any real damage. Sometimes it breaks through enough to cause the person to do evil things, like murder, but the soul always stays true in the end."
"So humans in essence are no better then demons?" Angel asked.
"No, they just have souls to keep them in check," she whispered. "But she's not human in essence."
"What does that mean?" Angel asked, as he saw the sun break over the horizon.
"Her evil is stronger, it will break through. And it will cause the end of the world if it isn't stopped," the woman murmured.
"How do I stop it?" Angel said.
"Save her soul," she whispered, as the sun broke over the horizon.
To be Continued