The Night Remembers - Part 43
"Angel!"
Dawn's shout sounded through the night and then she ran full speed into the
vampire's arms, holding him with all her might. "Angel," she repeated in a
muffled whisper against his chest. Over her head Angel could see the others
approach them. Spike who was standing by his side had crossed his arms.
"Angel," Giles's face wore a smile when he finally reached the vampire. "We
thought you dead. Are you sure Buffy is alive? Where is she?"
"I'm positive," Angel smiled back, stroking Dawn's back.
She looked at him through tear-streaked eyes, "Y - you are absolutely sure?,"
she asked again, afraid to believe.
"Yes," he nodded, squeezing her form. He looked around meeting the faces of
his friends, all showing relief at seeing him. As soon as Dawn let go of him
Cordelia grabbed him up in her arms.
"I'm so glad," she whispered and Angel felt a lump in his throat. He wasn't
used to such a Public display of affection, but Cordelia saved him from it,
by pulling back and hitting his chest with her fist. "What did you think you
were doing," she shouted. "We thought you were dead, you stupid... vampire.
Don't do it again, do you understand!"
There were tears in her eyes and he smiled at her affectionately, "I'll
try," he replied with a lopsided grin.
"Really good to see that everyone's so glad I'm back," Spike muttered beside
him.
"Oh Spike, but we are," Dawn moved towards the blond vampire and took his
arm. "You're my friend. I wouldn't like to you were dust. Life would only be
half as funny."
"Me, dust?" Spike raised a brow. "Not bloody likely. I saved the bugger's
ass. You know," he looked around, glad he had everyone's attention, "he has
a little problem with authorities. Not cocky enough for my taste. You can't
just give in to them. You have to stand up for yourself."
"Yeah," Angel agreed dryly, "or fly backwards against a wall."
His grand-childe narrowed his eyes, "Hey, it was a god or something like
that. They're stronger than we are."
The dark-haired vampire chuckled, "Of course."
"A god?" Wesley stepped closer.
"I'm not quite sure," Angel replied, "but the person I spoke to could've
been one of the Powers."
Several gasps were to be heard, and then Giles spoke, "The Powers? They
summoned you."
"They didn't summon us," Spike said on a snort. "They ordered us. Or rather
him. They only took me by accident." Now he smirked.
The watcher raised a brow at him, and then looked back at Angel, "What did
they say?"
"A lot of things," Angel said, not eager to share the whole conversation,
"One them being that Buffy is alive and well. All we need is to find her."
****
"How long can you hold up?"
"I'm okay," Faith replied, glad that she could hold onto Buffy's hand in the
dark. "I'm just a little cold."
Blood loss and probably first signs of shock, Buffy guessed, while she tried
to stay calm and positive. She and her sister slayer were still sitting
where they'd been before. There was no way Faith could move around, and
although Buffy was strong when it came to fighting, she simply couldn't
manage to carry the other girl around. Not that she would've known where to
carry her to in the first place.
The blond had left the other woman's side just a few minutes ago to move
around and check their whereabouts. The result wasn't good. Thick, massive
stones surrounded them. Walls, probably caves, closed up by the detonation
that had taken place only seconds after Angel had managed to close the gate.
Angel.
Buffy had pushed all thoughts about him aside. She knew if she allowed
herself to think about all the possibilities she'd go insane. She was
clinging to the hope that he was alive and well and that he would come and
find her and Faith, although rationally she had no idea how he would manage
to do that. The darkness, the missing noises made it impossible for the two
slayers to establish their exact whereabouts. Sure, they were probably in a
cave, but where was it? East, west, or south - they had no idea. And south
of what?
Buffy frowned and was happy that Faith wasn't able to see the worry in the
blond's eyes. The brunette slayer didn't need anymore bad news. The fact
that Faith's voice had become weaker, that she was coughing more and that
she only sometimes managed to suppress a moan of pain showed Buffy that her
sister slayer was in urgent need of medical treatment.
'Angel. Please be all right. Please help us', she prayed silently, willing
him to hear her silent plea.
In the darkness she leaned her head wearily against the wall. She was tired.
No not only tired, exhausted. As she'd told Faith a while ago, the events at
the Gate had brought back all her lost memory. She remembered everything, or
at least she thought it was everything. Without asking, she couldn't be
certain, but it pretty much looked like everything, she thought, while she
was mentally traveling down the memory lane.
She remembered her mother, and felt a tear slip from her eye. **Oh mommy.**
She saw Willow with braids, shy and desperately in love with Xander. And
Xander having a thing for her, then dating Cordelia. **Some memories
should've stayed lost.** Her training and discussions with Giles. All the
wonderful times with Angel. The moment he drank from her. The most
incredible moment in her life, when she'd felt closer to him than ever
before. **Mental note. Maybe he can do that again. Just for fun.** She felt
herself blush at that and was glad Faith couldn't see her. **Who would've
thought that a vampire bite could be so erotic? No, not a vampire bite. Angel's
bite.**
But she also remembered all the things she'd preferred to forget, like
Parker, the tension and the spell between her and Spike. **God almighty.
Spike!!! He actually kissed me. Ewwww.** And she also remembered Riley. The
good times and the bad ones, and the many times they'd... **No, don't go
there. Just forget it ever happened. And besides. It was just sex. Period.
With Angel...** She sighed at the thought. With Angel it was so much more,
so intensive, so loving. Making love with Angel was extraordinary and she
could hardly believe she'd once believed Riley could be able to feel the
void.
Angel's leaving really had left her devastated, there was no other
explanation for her behavior. And it hadn't been fair. Not to herself and
certainly not to Riley. He was a good guy she knew that now. He deserved
someone who could appreciate what he was able to give. A girl who believed
he really did hang the moon for her. A girl that would feel for him what
Buffy felt for Angel, who thought the sun, was shining brighter only because
he was near. The blond slayer hoped that Riley was all right. She wanted to
talk to him. Sure they'd been separated for a while now, but there was
unfinished business between them and she knew she had to close chapter Riley
for good before her future with Angel could begin.
That was, if they had a future together.
"Buffy?"
"Hmmm?"
"I think I'm going to faint." Faith's voice was barely above a whisper.
"No you won't," Buffy replied sharply.
"Oh," the brunette slayer chuckled, then instantly pressed a hand over her
hurting ribs. "And how are you going to prevent that."
"You are a slayer," the blond said firmly. "Behave like one."
"Sorry," Faith smiled in the darkness. "But this time..." and then it was
gone. Frantically Buffy searched for a pulse and exhaled a breath of relief
when she found it. It was a bit weak, but it was beating regularly. "Oh
Faith," she found her sister slayer's head in the dark and stroked it.
"You're not going to die," she promised. "I won't let you die."
****
Angel's head jerked around, his eyes widening. "She's there," he said.
"Somewhere. Not far away."
Dawn looked up, "Buffy?"
He nodded, gazing at the others. He couldn't tell them that he had had the
impression that she'd spoken to him. But that was what had happened. He had
heard her, clearly in his head. 'Angel. Please be all right. Please help
us.' And she'd sounded so tired and helpless. God, he had to find her, had
to find a way to get her back, wherever she was. "We need to go to the
hellmouth."
"Angel, I already told you, the hellmouth is closed," Wesley reminded him.
"I know," the vampire replied, "but if there's a way to find her, we'll find
it there. I just know it." And without waiting for an answer he turned and
walked away.
The others looked at each other only for a second, and then followed him.
... to be continued