Out Of Sight...(Homecoming pt. VI)
Another ongoing fanfic by Joe Stakem
A familiar van sped through the interstate. It veered off to the L.A. exit. The driver was going to see another old friend, but this wasn't a social visit. Oz's knuckles were white on the steering wheel. He didn't want to be the wolf anymore, he didn't want to hurt anymore. I devoured a freakin' state trooper, he probably had a family, sure he was corrupt, but was I right to eat him? He thought to himself. He was in no shape to see Willow, he was rapidly coming to the conclusion that the chance for that had passed. He was going nowhere, it was time to end it...
Dave woke up in the trailer hitch of the truck he stowed away on. The driver wasn't the wiser, as he was too busy singing along with Nirvana on the radio, and he was terrible. Dave had no clue where to start searching, and he'd never really been to L.A. Fine mess you've gotten into here, Dave thought to himself during the driver's third verse of 'Come As You Are'. The driver stopped at a gas station. They were in L.A., not far from the city. Dave hopped out of the trailer while the driver was in the store. He could see all the buildings from where he was, it was night there, the lights of the city shown bright. Dave took his bag and began walking toward the lights. Let's get what I came for...
After seeing the deserted former Angel Investigations office, Oz stopped by a phone booth and looked in the phone book. After seeing the new Angel address he headed off to the old hotel...
It had been a crappy month for Angel Investigations. There were no new cases, and a couple of clients hadn't paid up. Gunn was out cleaning out vamp nests in his hood, Cordelia had Wesley hostage shopping for clothes with Fred, Cordelia took on the happy task of reacquainting Fred with the world, the fashion world anyway. Angel was alone in his chamber, brooding over a cup of blood. It had been two months since he came back to find Willow in the lobby, the news wasn't good, something terrible had happened...
Oz walked through the door of the hotel, to find it totally empty. He walked around, looking at the decor, he was prepared to leave when Angel came out of his office. "Oz, been awhile." His voice was dry. "Yeah." "So what brings you to L.A.?" Angel said, but the look in Oz's eyes said most of it. Angel had been there before, sick of his own skin, wanting to end it all. Losing Buffy had did that to him. It was the mere fact that he would most likely outlive everyone he ever cared about, tore at him. Oz searched for words, but he could find any at the moment, so he put it simply. "I can't stand it anymore." Angel didn't have to ask, he already knew. They walked back into his office. Angel sat down into his chair, Oz sat down in front of Angel's desk. The two had a lot in common, they both were still reeling from lost love, they both had their demons to fight. Angel poured Oz a shot of Stolichnaya that he kept in his desk drawer, then he spoke. "I wish I could tell you that it gets easier, I wish I could tell you there's no pain involved, but I can't. We are what we are, we do what we do." Angel said. "Well I can't do it anymore. I just came from some piss hick town, some state troopers got their kicks hunting down humans like rabbits, and I ran into a very nice but very dead waitress, and I ended up killing a policeman, this wolf thing has gotta stop." Oz's blood was starting to bubble. Angel didn't know how to help his friend, but he knew of someone who might be able to. "Oz, awhile back I was feeling a bit unraveled, and this guy helped me a lot, let's pay him a visit." Oz downed the shot, and went with Angel.
Oz and Angel walked into Karitas lounge and saw Dave up on stage singing a hip hop version of 'Come as You Are'....
TO BE CONTINUED