Misery Made Beautiful

Chapter 5


Angel never noticed the single spectator who was standing at safe distance watching the metamorphosis that took place before his eyes.

Wesley knew what was about to happen.

Sitting alone in his study looking through the ancient texts he came across a passage that had let him here in a frenzy.

It shouldn't have been there. He knew his texts, knew the texture of the scrolls, knew the words nearly by heart. It was the one thing he was good at. Most of the time anyway. So he knew the passage wasn't supposed to be there. Nevertheless he didn't dare to question it, too much depended upon it. And it had let him to the right place just in time.

When he had first caught sign of Angel standing on the pier he had to fight the urge to interfere, surprised at how strong his feelings of friendship still were despite all that had happened.

Despite all of Angel's attempts to push them away, to severe all threads that bound him to his human friends, madly believing that it would be for the best, that they were better off without him.

Wes felt ashamed that he ever doubted them.

But at the same time the former Watcher knew of nothing he could have done to ease his friend's pain.

He didn't possess the words to make him believe what was going to happen, didn't possess the power to drag him out of his suicidal state of mind.

Acknowledging his defeat, his incapacity to help his friend and the sickening feeling of having failed once again he just stood there and waited.

The two friends waited together yet apart, one oblivious of the presence of the other waiting, hoping and wishing for death, the other waiting for rebirth.

He saw the first rays of light lick over the figure clothed in black, saw the smoke rise and heard his pierced scream. Saw him slump down and lose consciousness as light started to radiate from his inside like glowing embers.

He never took his eyes from the former dark figure as he lay there bathed in his inner light, slowly coming to life before Wesley's very own eyes.

He didn't know how much time had passed when Angel finally stirred.

Howling laughter and the desperate cry still ringing in his ears Wesley cautiously moved towards the pier and towards the confrontation he knew he had to win if he wanted to save the new-born life of his friend.

He approached him, desperately praying to whatever entity who was listening that just once he wouldn't fail.

TBC