The Night Remembers - Part 39
Where was the gate, Faith asked herself after they'd walked through the
outer skirts of hell for what seemed like an eternity. Where was this damned
thing they all risked their lives for? She sighed inwardly. She was nuts.
She had to be nuts. What on God's green earth had driven her to jump when
Kate had come to see her in prison a few days ago? She hadn't hesitated at
all, hadn't even asked what exactly was waiting for her.
Oh yes, she was definitely nuts.
There was no other explanation for this trip from hell. Or rather into.
Okay, so she was the slayer, she dealt with demons and vampires on a daily
basis, and had so for some years, but walking around in the demon dimension.
No, it certainly wasn't in any job description. Not that there had been any
at all. Spike was right she never had a choice.
Just the way Buffy never got to choose. Slayers didn't wake one morning with
a smile on their face, thinking that slaying demons and vampires at night,
losing friends, looked at like a freak, was their dream job. No, their
calling found them, without mercy, without chance to turn your back on it.
Faith remembered how frightened she had been when her watcher had told her
about what went bump in the night.
But unlike Buffy she came to love her job, embraced the power and the thrill
of the hunt. She knew it was in Buffy too. More hidden, far more under the
surface, but when it came to it, she was a slayer from head to toe, aware of
her calling, her destiny. They had embraced it, more or less, and it was
reason they were still alive. She winced glancing at her sister slayer. All
right, so Buffy had died twice. But she had overcome it. Hey, Faith wanted
to shout, look at her. She is a slayer and fooled twice death, there is no
demon strong enough to beat us, just come and we'll kick your ass.
But of course she didn't shout. There was no way she would risk to have the
demons noticing them. It wasn't that she was afraid now, she told herself,
her sweaty palms and trembling hands were just a sign of the heat down here,
had nothing to do with the things she saw. Oh Hell, she was scared spit
less. And she hated it. Hated the feeling of fear, the feeling of being
helpless. But no, she wasn't helpless she was a slayer and-
"Don't sweat, slayer," Spike interrupted her musings. "What is the worst
that can happen down here?"
"They could kill us?" Buffy asked, raising a brow. "And I *so* don't like
the thought."
"Neither do I," Angel agreed, "Did anyone of you see anything that looked
like a Gate?"
"Nope," Faith replied, "I was thinking the very same just a minute ago."
"Maybe they should've given us a description, you know, is it a shiny brass
gate, or one of those high-security thingies or just some shabby, wooden
door. Although I think wood might not be the best-," Buffy stopped abruptly,
staring ahead of her, "Uh-oh," she said, tightening the hold on her lover's
hand to a bone-crushing grip. "I think we have our answer."
"Yeah," he said, exhaling sharply, "I suppose we have."
They were standing in front of the gate. It was nothing they had expected. It
wasn't anything palpable, but an invisible force that prevented them from going
any further.
"Welcome strangers," a voice said but they saw no body belonging to it. The
voice was neither male nor female it was neutral, unreal. Unmistakable was
the evil in it. The kind of evil only Angel knew, had heard before, but only
heard, he'd never come near it. Until now. And he shivered, trembled, as his
lover's hand did in his own. You couldn't have a human soul and not tremble
at such undisguised evil.
Maniacal laughter followed the greeting. It wasn't the same voice that had
welcomed them, it was more real, more from their world above. And although
the laughter sounded like some crazy woman out of an 19th century novel,
Angel was sure he had heard the voice before. Often. Daily. And not so long
ago.
He inhaled sharply, his suddenly clumsy fingers fumbling in his pocket
reaching for the spell Willow had given him. They needed to get out of here.
All his survival instincts were set on running. Running as fast as possible. But
there was still Buffy's hand in his.
Together you are strong.
And he stayed. Taking a deep breath, calming him, collecting his thoughts.
No, he told himself firmly, he was not falling apart. Not now. Not ever. The
world needed him. His friends needed him. Buffy needed him. Another
steadying breath did the trick, his breathing slowed, the panic lessened. He
would not fall apart. He would-
"Hello Angelus."
The vampire froze, his hand cramping around the piece of paper in his pocket.
He forgot to breathe. This wasn't possible. They were in the demon's
dimension. This was just a dream, she couldn't be here. It was only a trick
like the first evil had once played on him. Only his imagination running
wild. Calm down. She is not here. Not here.
"I suppose it's a little surprise to see me down here," she spoke again.
"And not a pleasant one," Spike muttered under his breath. After the initial
shock all he felt now was disgust and hatred. He had never liked her. She
was too much a bitch in his eyes, and much too possessive of his grand-sire.
"Darla," Angel turned around slowly, finding his lover staring at his blond
sire, Faith watching them with confusion and Spike growling in full
game-face. He noticed all, but saw nothing. Not really. "This isn't
possible."
"My thoughts exactly," Spike muttered again.
"Oh, but it is," she smiled. Evil. Superior. "You see, I thought this whole
vampire existence is kind of pathetic, don't you think? So when a friend
came and asked me if I would help bringing you and your little cheerleader
down," she laughed, this maniacal laughter again, "Well, I just couldn't
resist. And aren't you a pair. A vampire and a slayer," her pretty face
contorted in rage, "Disgusting. An abomination. Do you have no self-respect,
Angelus? I thought I taught you better."
It had to be true. She stood there, looking at him. And the others saw her
as well. The initial shock fading, he recovered quickly. "And I thought
we've been over all this crap," his voice sounded annoyed now, and Buffy
found herself turning towards him sharply. What did she not remember? Or
hadn't maybe known at all?
"Angel?" she asked in confusion, sensing there was more between them. She
recognized Darla, remembered her being dusted at the Bronze. She had thought
her dead, dust in the wind, and now she was standing before them. And the
slayer sensed there were things between her and her childe, things Buffy
couldn't quite grasp.
"Tell her Angelus," Darla smiled, tilting her head. "I suppose she doesn't
even know what we shared."
"We shared nothing," he hissed. "Absolutely nothing. Whatever was between
you and my demon, it's over. I don't belong to you, never did, so why don't
you just go and leave us alone. We have a job to do."
Her laughter sounded honestly amused, "You remember me, little girl, don't
you?" she asked, approaching Buffy.
"Oh yeah, I do," the slayer shot back, desperately trying to hide her
confusion, "You were the one who attacked my mother and laid the blame on
him. And then he dusted you," she smiled sweetly, "for me."
"You!" Darla shouted, slipping into game-face, her demonic eyes flashing
yellow, her prolonged canines shining in the light of the torches. "You
uncouth little girl," she hissed, "hasn't anyone taught you how to treat
your elders?"
"You aren't my elder," Buffy snapped. "You are just some overripe vamp who
is in desperate need of dusting."
"Yeah, I agree," Faith couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer. "Let's get
it done," she suggested, clenching her fingers around her stake.
"No, let them," Spike argued. "It's just starting to get interesting." He
liked to watch a good drama enfolding and regarding all the information Dru
had given him this would become a first class one.
"You shut up, fang-boy," Faith whirled around, glaring at him, the stake in
her hand not looking very friendly.
"Whoa," he raised his hands, "I'm just a vamp with a chip, okay. And I'm
your ally. Remember, Spike is good, he helps the slayers, even gives them a
happy."
Her eyes narrowed, "You better not forget it!"
"All this aggression," Darla smiled, enjoying the scene. "We should love
each other, children."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "What's this? Are you getting holy on us now? Where
does this crap come from? I thought you were a hooker before you became a
vamp and the undead don't like churches a lot."
"Oh, but there was this priest in Dublin," her eyes wandered to Angel, "do
you remember, my dear boy? They're awfully catholic in your home country. Even
believed that a mere cross could hold us back. What a joke."
"Yeah, I remember. Unfortunately. So what do you want Darla?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," she made, shaking her head, "always in such a hurry, my
boy. At least you take your time making love."
"We didn't make love," Angel hissed the same time, Buffy shouted, "WHAT?"
Darla laughed again, "You didn't tell her?" she sighed dramatically, "Men.
Always with their little secrets. Never trusting in the love of a woman.
Don't you think she'd forgive you? You see," she looked comparatively at
Buffy, "we spent a night together. Just recently. And what a night it was,"
she sighed again. "Even after hundred years he hasn't forgotten a thing
about making a woman feel special. Just one thing, Angelus. These days the
guys usually call their ladies a cab afterwards."
"Damn you," Angel hissed, slipping into game-face himself, but not moving
towards her, "Damn you, Darla." He turned towards Buffy, his human features
returning, his eyes pleading, "Buffy, you have to believe-"
"Stop," she held up her hands, then slowly directed her gaze towards Darla.
"So you had sex with him?" she shrugged almost casually, "Big deal. I had
sex with Riley. We weren't together then, so what?"
The vampiress was speechless, not expecting this reaction from the blond
slayer. The last time they'd met she'd been no more than a little girl, but
Darla had to admit this wasn't a little girl anymore. "You have no idea what
you're talking about," she spoke slowly, intently, "Angel and I, we share
more than a century of passion, we were together for longer than you'll
live. How can you compare to that? Tell her William, tell her how it was.
Tell her, he was mine before she was ever born."
"Yeah, they were inseparable," Spike agreed with a shrug. He saw Darla
grinning smugly. **Oh yeah, this is going to be good.** "But I also remember
Dru telling me about the little mojo you were running on my grand-sire to
make him lose his soul. Magic Darla?" he raised a brow. "Did you lose your
touch or what?"
"You ... You'll pay for this," she yelled, realizing that none of them would
fall for this. "You'll never leave this dimension alive."
"We'll see," Angel replied, pulling the spell from his pocket. "I think
we're close enough," he said while Darla began to retreat towards the Gate,
towards the pit of Hell.
"POWERS OF GOOD - HEAR MY PLEA
TO BAN EVIL WE STAND HERE BEFORE THIS GATE
WE SEEK YOUR HELP
COME AND LEND US YOUR STRENGTH
CLOSE THIS GATE
END THIS EVIL
CLOSE THIS GATE"
Angel's eyes were closed when he recited the spell, Willow had given to him,
feeling the strength of it gather around him, increasing with each word.
"POWERS OF GOOD - HEAR MY PLEA
TO BAN EVIL WE STAND HERE BEFORE THIS GATE
WE SEEK YOUR HELP
COME AND LEND US YOUR STRENGTH
CLOSE THIS GATE
END THIS EVIL
CLOSE THIS GATE"
He opened his eyes, saw his lover and the others staring at him. Buffy
smiled, her eyes shining with love. And he began for the third time, feeling
the power pulsing.
"POWERS OF GOOD - HEAR MY PLEA
TO BAN EVIL WE STAND HERE BEFORE THIS GATE
WE SEEK YOUR HELP
COME AND LEND US YOUR STRENGTH
CLOSE THIS GATE
END THIS EVIL
CLOSE THIS-"
There was suddenly a blinding light, and an almost deafening noise,
laughter, shouting, cries, and then thunder and then Angel found himself
thrown against a wall, the impact pressing all the air from his lungs.
When he opened his eyes again, Buffy was gone.
... to be continued
Where was the gate, Faith asked herself after they'd walked through the
outer skirts of hell for what seemed like an eternity. Where was this damned
thing they all risked their lives for? She sighed inwardly. She was nuts.
She had to be nuts. What on God's green earth had driven her to jump when
Kate had come to see her in prison a few days ago? She hadn't hesitated at
all, hadn't even asked what exactly was waiting for her.
Oh yes, she was definitely nuts.
There was no other explanation for this trip from hell. Or rather into.
Okay, so she was the slayer, she dealt with demons and vampires on a daily
basis, and had so for some years, but walking around in the demon dimension.
No, it certainly wasn't in any job description. Not that there had been any
at all. Spike was right she never had a choice.
Just the way Buffy never got to choose. Slayers didn't wake one morning with
a smile on their face, thinking that slaying demons and vampires at night,
losing friends, looked at like a freak, was their dream job. No, their
calling found them, without mercy, without chance to turn your back on it.
Faith remembered how frightened she had been when her watcher had told her
about what went bump in the night.
But unlike Buffy she came to love her job, embraced the power and the thrill
of the hunt. She knew it was in Buffy too. More hidden, far more under the
surface, but when it came to it, she was a slayer from head to toe, aware of
her calling, her destiny. They had embraced it, more or less, and it was
reason they were still alive. She winced glancing at her sister slayer. All
right, so Buffy had died twice. But she had overcome it. Hey, Faith wanted
to shout, look at her. She is a slayer and fooled twice death, there is no
demon strong enough to beat us, just come and we'll kick your ass.
But of course she didn't shout. There was no way she would risk to have the
demons noticing them. It wasn't that she was afraid now, she told herself,
her sweaty palms and trembling hands were just a sign of the heat down here,
had nothing to do with the things she saw. Oh Hell, she was scared spit
less. And she hated it. Hated the feeling of fear, the feeling of being
helpless. But no, she wasn't helpless she was a slayer and-
"Don't sweat, slayer," Spike interrupted her musings. "What is the worst
that can happen down here?"
"They could kill us?" Buffy asked, raising a brow. "And I *so* don't like
the thought."
"Neither do I," Angel agreed, "Did anyone of you see anything that looked
like a Gate?"
"Nope," Faith replied, "I was thinking the very same just a minute ago."
"Maybe they should've given us a description, you know, is it a shiny brass
gate, or one of those high-security thingies or just some shabby, wooden
door. Although I think wood might not be the best-," Buffy stopped abruptly,
staring ahead of her, "Uh-oh," she said, tightening the hold on her lover's
hand to a bone-crushing grip. "I think we have our answer."
"Yeah," he said, exhaling sharply, "I suppose we have."
They were standing in front of the gate. It was nothing they had expected. It
wasn't anything palpable, but an invisible force that prevented them from going
any further.
"Welcome strangers," a voice said but they saw no body belonging to it. The
voice was neither male nor female it was neutral, unreal. Unmistakable was
the evil in it. The kind of evil only Angel knew, had heard before, but only
heard, he'd never come near it. Until now. And he shivered, trembled, as his
lover's hand did in his own. You couldn't have a human soul and not tremble
at such undisguised evil.
Maniacal laughter followed the greeting. It wasn't the same voice that had
welcomed them, it was more real, more from their world above. And although
the laughter sounded like some crazy woman out of an 19th century novel,
Angel was sure he had heard the voice before. Often. Daily. And not so long
ago.
He inhaled sharply, his suddenly clumsy fingers fumbling in his pocket
reaching for the spell Willow had given him. They needed to get out of here.
All his survival instincts were set on running. Running as fast as possible. But
there was still Buffy's hand in his.
Together you are strong.
And he stayed. Taking a deep breath, calming him, collecting his thoughts.
No, he told himself firmly, he was not falling apart. Not now. Not ever. The
world needed him. His friends needed him. Buffy needed him. Another
steadying breath did the trick, his breathing slowed, the panic lessened. He
would not fall apart. He would-
"Hello Angelus."
The vampire froze, his hand cramping around the piece of paper in his pocket.
He forgot to breathe. This wasn't possible. They were in the demon's
dimension. This was just a dream, she couldn't be here. It was only a trick
like the first evil had once played on him. Only his imagination running
wild. Calm down. She is not here. Not here.
"I suppose it's a little surprise to see me down here," she spoke again.
"And not a pleasant one," Spike muttered under his breath. After the initial
shock all he felt now was disgust and hatred. He had never liked her. She
was too much a bitch in his eyes, and much too possessive of his grand-sire.
"Darla," Angel turned around slowly, finding his lover staring at his blond
sire, Faith watching them with confusion and Spike growling in full
game-face. He noticed all, but saw nothing. Not really. "This isn't
possible."
"My thoughts exactly," Spike muttered again.
"Oh, but it is," she smiled. Evil. Superior. "You see, I thought this whole
vampire existence is kind of pathetic, don't you think? So when a friend
came and asked me if I would help bringing you and your little cheerleader
down," she laughed, this maniacal laughter again, "Well, I just couldn't
resist. And aren't you a pair. A vampire and a slayer," her pretty face
contorted in rage, "Disgusting. An abomination. Do you have no self-respect,
Angelus? I thought I taught you better."
It had to be true. She stood there, looking at him. And the others saw her
as well. The initial shock fading, he recovered quickly. "And I thought
we've been over all this crap," his voice sounded annoyed now, and Buffy
found herself turning towards him sharply. What did she not remember? Or
hadn't maybe known at all?
"Angel?" she asked in confusion, sensing there was more between them. She
recognized Darla, remembered her being dusted at the Bronze. She had thought
her dead, dust in the wind, and now she was standing before them. And the
slayer sensed there were things between her and her childe, things Buffy
couldn't quite grasp.
"Tell her Angelus," Darla smiled, tilting her head. "I suppose she doesn't
even know what we shared."
"We shared nothing," he hissed. "Absolutely nothing. Whatever was between
you and my demon, it's over. I don't belong to you, never did, so why don't
you just go and leave us alone. We have a job to do."
Her laughter sounded honestly amused, "You remember me, little girl, don't
you?" she asked, approaching Buffy.
"Oh yeah, I do," the slayer shot back, desperately trying to hide her
confusion, "You were the one who attacked my mother and laid the blame on
him. And then he dusted you," she smiled sweetly, "for me."
"You!" Darla shouted, slipping into game-face, her demonic eyes flashing
yellow, her prolonged canines shining in the light of the torches. "You
uncouth little girl," she hissed, "hasn't anyone taught you how to treat
your elders?"
"You aren't my elder," Buffy snapped. "You are just some overripe vamp who
is in desperate need of dusting."
"Yeah, I agree," Faith couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer. "Let's get
it done," she suggested, clenching her fingers around her stake.
"No, let them," Spike argued. "It's just starting to get interesting." He
liked to watch a good drama enfolding and regarding all the information Dru
had given him this would become a first class one.
"You shut up, fang-boy," Faith whirled around, glaring at him, the stake in
her hand not looking very friendly.
"Whoa," he raised his hands, "I'm just a vamp with a chip, okay. And I'm
your ally. Remember, Spike is good, he helps the slayers, even gives them a
happy."
Her eyes narrowed, "You better not forget it!"
"All this aggression," Darla smiled, enjoying the scene. "We should love
each other, children."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "What's this? Are you getting holy on us now? Where
does this crap come from? I thought you were a hooker before you became a
vamp and the undead don't like churches a lot."
"Oh, but there was this priest in Dublin," her eyes wandered to Angel, "do
you remember, my dear boy? They're awfully catholic in your home country. Even
believed that a mere cross could hold us back. What a joke."
"Yeah, I remember. Unfortunately. So what do you want Darla?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," she made, shaking her head, "always in such a hurry, my
boy. At least you take your time making love."
"We didn't make love," Angel hissed the same time, Buffy shouted, "WHAT?"
Darla laughed again, "You didn't tell her?" she sighed dramatically, "Men.
Always with their little secrets. Never trusting in the love of a woman.
Don't you think she'd forgive you? You see," she looked comparatively at
Buffy, "we spent a night together. Just recently. And what a night it was,"
she sighed again. "Even after hundred years he hasn't forgotten a thing
about making a woman feel special. Just one thing, Angelus. These days the
guys usually call their ladies a cab afterwards."
"Damn you," Angel hissed, slipping into game-face himself, but not moving
towards her, "Damn you, Darla." He turned towards Buffy, his human features
returning, his eyes pleading, "Buffy, you have to believe-"
"Stop," she held up her hands, then slowly directed her gaze towards Darla.
"So you had sex with him?" she shrugged almost casually, "Big deal. I had
sex with Riley. We weren't together then, so what?"
The vampiress was speechless, not expecting this reaction from the blond
slayer. The last time they'd met she'd been no more than a little girl, but
Darla had to admit this wasn't a little girl anymore. "You have no idea what
you're talking about," she spoke slowly, intently, "Angel and I, we share
more than a century of passion, we were together for longer than you'll
live. How can you compare to that? Tell her William, tell her how it was.
Tell her, he was mine before she was ever born."
"Yeah, they were inseparable," Spike agreed with a shrug. He saw Darla
grinning smugly. **Oh yeah, this is going to be good.** "But I also remember
Dru telling me about the little mojo you were running on my grand-sire to
make him lose his soul. Magic Darla?" he raised a brow. "Did you lose your
touch or what?"
"You ... You'll pay for this," she yelled, realizing that none of them would
fall for this. "You'll never leave this dimension alive."
"We'll see," Angel replied, pulling the spell from his pocket. "I think
we're close enough," he said while Darla began to retreat towards the Gate,
towards the pit of Hell.
"POWERS OF GOOD - HEAR MY PLEA
TO BAN EVIL WE STAND HERE BEFORE THIS GATE
WE SEEK YOUR HELP
COME AND LEND US YOUR STRENGTH
CLOSE THIS GATE
END THIS EVIL
CLOSE THIS GATE"
Angel's eyes were closed when he recited the spell, Willow had given to him,
feeling the strength of it gather around him, increasing with each word.
"POWERS OF GOOD - HEAR MY PLEA
TO BAN EVIL WE STAND HERE BEFORE THIS GATE
WE SEEK YOUR HELP
COME AND LEND US YOUR STRENGTH
CLOSE THIS GATE
END THIS EVIL
CLOSE THIS GATE"
He opened his eyes, saw his lover and the others staring at him. Buffy
smiled, her eyes shining with love. And he began for the third time, feeling
the power pulsing.
"POWERS OF GOOD - HEAR MY PLEA
TO BAN EVIL WE STAND HERE BEFORE THIS GATE
WE SEEK YOUR HELP
COME AND LEND US YOUR STRENGTH
CLOSE THIS GATE
END THIS EVIL
CLOSE THIS-"
There was suddenly a blinding light, and an almost deafening noise,
laughter, shouting, cries, and then thunder and then Angel found himself
thrown against a wall, the impact pressing all the air from his lungs.
When he opened his eyes again, Buffy was gone.
... to be continued