AN: Sorry for the LONG wait on these two new parts, but school has been ruling my time lately so when I do make new parts for this story, I'll probably add 2 or 3 new parts because there's going to be long waits :(
Stone Cold
Part 7 - Let's get moving
Angel P.O.V.
We enter the room and instantly all conversation stops and their heads all turn to stare at us, Buffy's already flushed face turns a brighter shade of red and I shift nervously under their gazes.
"What?"
Did they know? I mean yeah we weren't exactly quiet but this is a pretty solidly built house and the room we were in was pretty far away. My eyes dart from face to face trying to read their expressions.
"Are you okay? Ontop of everything?"
"Ontop?"
"of Buffy?"
Buffy reddens even more while I stand there open mouthed at Cordelia.
"You know, is she gonna all spaz on us?"
Wesley sighs and rubs his temples.
"Cordelia..."
"What? Tact, remember not my thing."
He sighs again and glares at her while she feigns innocence. Gunn laughs and wraps his arm round her shoulders, I sigh and run my hands through my hair while Buffy lets out a breath of air and slides over to the table, her face returning to its natural colour.
"Uhhh...yeah..it was good-I mean it's all good, it's okay."
Great way to sound suspicious, idiot. Cordelia raises an eyebrow at me and opens her mouth but is cut off by Wesley clearing his throat. Whew saved from my stupidity.
"I know Faith and Connor aren't here but let's get started on-"
"Hold up Wes old boy, we're here."
He glares at Faith and she beams at him, sliding into the seat next to me and taking my hand. Connor smiles at me and takes a seat next to Buffy, she flinches when he sits down but she tries to cover it with a smile that once again falters. She stares at him a while longer before her gaze travels to me, I know we said this can't ever be anything but I want her, so badly it hurts. It must show on my face because she flushes and looks away quickly.
"Well now that we're all here, let's get on with tonight's raid."
"Raid?"
"Oh sorry Buffy, groups of demons have been kidnapping humans and keeping them as prisoners.. rather slaves, to either feed off, work for them or for other....ahh...reasons."
She nods her head and he continues.
"So what we do is go in and rescue these people."
"What for?"
Everyone's eyes widen at Buffy's question.
"What do you mean?"
"Why do you save these people?"
Wesley is shocked into silence, as is everyone else. I open my mouth and reply.
"Because that's what we do, protect the innocents."
"But really, what's the point? This town...the whole world is damned, what's the point in saving a few people when there are a billion more that also need saving?"
"We do what we can Buffy, saving some is better than none."
"Right, risking your own lives to save a few people who probably couldn't give a rat's ass about you and they only care now because they're in trouble. The powers that be, I'm guessing that you guys work for them? Haven't you ever wondered why they don't *ever* reward us? Their supposed warriors? They strip away everything we love, when we do *so* much for them, we fight for them, for good, for balance blah blah blah. And what do we get in return? A big fat nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada. Talk about underpaid."
"Buffy, we fight because we have to, save the people that don't deserve to be treated like they have been. It doesn't matter if the Powers don't reward us because that's not why we fight."
She shrugs her shoulders and stares at me blankly.
"Just not seeing the point here."
What happened to the girl who used to fight against the evil even if she knew she couldn't win? What happened to the girl who cared? Faith sighs and shakes her head.
"Why the fuck did I suggest we ask her to help? She doesn't even want to."
Buffy smirks at her and leans forward on the table.
"That's where you're wrong Faith, I do want to help, just this once, because well, got to return the favour that Angel gave me upstairs."
Faith's eyes narrow and my face pales even more than it usually is, her hand loosens in my grip and she stares at me, her face is passive but I can feel the rage boiling underneath, just waiting to be unleashed.
"What is she talking about?"
"*she* is talking about how he helped me get through some shit so, as Cordelia put it so eloquently I don't go all spaz on you guys. What were you thinking Faith?"
Buffy leans back in her chair and smirks at Faith, daring her to say something, to start something, but remarkably she sits there facing forward, not looking at anyone in particular just staring, I reach for her hand but she pushes it away and clenches her fists.
"Well I still don't see the point in helping these people, were they there for us when the revolution first started? No, they hid while we had to fight for their lives, risking our own. The powers are useless bastards who can't do things for themselves. I don't see the point, I don't want to see the point so let it go, I'll help, this one time and then I'll be out of your way. I'll disappear back into the darkness so you can all play happy families again."
She stands up and the silence that had fallen over the room a while ago stays, settled above us, mixing with the tension, anger and frustration. As she walks past Faith, she grabs Buffy's arm and looks up at her menacingly.
"Ever wondered why I call you B?"
Buffy shrugs her shoulders nochantly and shoves Faith's hand off her arm, but Faith stands up and grabs her again, spinning her around, she steps forward, almost knocking Buffy over. I quickly move to push them apart but Faith holds her hand up and shakes her head at me.
"B stands for Bitch."
Everything remains quiet and we all stare at the pair, engrossed in the dangerous scene before us. Then suddenly without warning a smile breaks out on Buffy's face and she begins to laugh, the same hollow sounding laugh that she did when we first met her. Buffy slaps Faith on the back and continues to laugh while we all look on puzzeled. She finally stops laughing, gasping for air slightly and suddenly stands up straight, sending her fist flying towards Faith's face, and before any of us can react, Buffy's fist connects with Faith's nose and she screams out in pain after the sickening thud, she falls to the ground, blood flying. Buffy looks down at her and winks.
"But I've got something better."
I run forward to Faith and hold her down as she tries to get up, swearing and screaming.
"The fucken bitch! whore! slut!"
"Faith! Calm down!"
"Calm down??!! You're just gonna let her get away with that?! Let her punch *me*?!"
"Faith.....what the hell should I do? huh?"
She sighs and wipes at the blood, smearing it over her face.
"Just keep away her away from me, that's all I'm gonna say."
I help Faith up and Cordelia passes her a damp flannel. She snatches it off her and storms away towards the mirror by the sink. I look over at Buffy and I feel so torn. I *should* be over with faith, soothing her, calming her, but instead I kneel here, mere inches away from Buffy, just watching her, feeling her around me. Buffy looks down at me and once again I'm staring into those empty green eyes that used to be filled with so much love and hope, she shrugs her shoulders innocently and flicks her hair over her shoulder.
"Come on, let's get going, we haven't got all night, there's bottles of vodka waiting at home for me and if I'm not back soon, they'll start to worry."
She turns and walks out of the room, what happened to the confident, beautfiul girl I once knew? She's someone else now, I should get used to that, let go of the past, look at the future, focus on Faith...Faith the girl I......love? Yes, love, I love her, maybe not like I love Buffy but I love her...Buffy and I are over anyway...finished...ended..over...it's done..it's..it's..
End of Part 7
It seems a little unfinished the ending to this part, that's because he's still all confused over the whole Buffy/Angel relationship thing, like is it really over etc etc. Hope you're all liking it and please ease my addicition for feedback by reviewing me ;)
Stone Cold
Part 7 - Let's get moving
Angel P.O.V.
We enter the room and instantly all conversation stops and their heads all turn to stare at us, Buffy's already flushed face turns a brighter shade of red and I shift nervously under their gazes.
"What?"
Did they know? I mean yeah we weren't exactly quiet but this is a pretty solidly built house and the room we were in was pretty far away. My eyes dart from face to face trying to read their expressions.
"Are you okay? Ontop of everything?"
"Ontop?"
"of Buffy?"
Buffy reddens even more while I stand there open mouthed at Cordelia.
"You know, is she gonna all spaz on us?"
Wesley sighs and rubs his temples.
"Cordelia..."
"What? Tact, remember not my thing."
He sighs again and glares at her while she feigns innocence. Gunn laughs and wraps his arm round her shoulders, I sigh and run my hands through my hair while Buffy lets out a breath of air and slides over to the table, her face returning to its natural colour.
"Uhhh...yeah..it was good-I mean it's all good, it's okay."
Great way to sound suspicious, idiot. Cordelia raises an eyebrow at me and opens her mouth but is cut off by Wesley clearing his throat. Whew saved from my stupidity.
"I know Faith and Connor aren't here but let's get started on-"
"Hold up Wes old boy, we're here."
He glares at Faith and she beams at him, sliding into the seat next to me and taking my hand. Connor smiles at me and takes a seat next to Buffy, she flinches when he sits down but she tries to cover it with a smile that once again falters. She stares at him a while longer before her gaze travels to me, I know we said this can't ever be anything but I want her, so badly it hurts. It must show on my face because she flushes and looks away quickly.
"Well now that we're all here, let's get on with tonight's raid."
"Raid?"
"Oh sorry Buffy, groups of demons have been kidnapping humans and keeping them as prisoners.. rather slaves, to either feed off, work for them or for other....ahh...reasons."
She nods her head and he continues.
"So what we do is go in and rescue these people."
"What for?"
Everyone's eyes widen at Buffy's question.
"What do you mean?"
"Why do you save these people?"
Wesley is shocked into silence, as is everyone else. I open my mouth and reply.
"Because that's what we do, protect the innocents."
"But really, what's the point? This town...the whole world is damned, what's the point in saving a few people when there are a billion more that also need saving?"
"We do what we can Buffy, saving some is better than none."
"Right, risking your own lives to save a few people who probably couldn't give a rat's ass about you and they only care now because they're in trouble. The powers that be, I'm guessing that you guys work for them? Haven't you ever wondered why they don't *ever* reward us? Their supposed warriors? They strip away everything we love, when we do *so* much for them, we fight for them, for good, for balance blah blah blah. And what do we get in return? A big fat nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada. Talk about underpaid."
"Buffy, we fight because we have to, save the people that don't deserve to be treated like they have been. It doesn't matter if the Powers don't reward us because that's not why we fight."
She shrugs her shoulders and stares at me blankly.
"Just not seeing the point here."
What happened to the girl who used to fight against the evil even if she knew she couldn't win? What happened to the girl who cared? Faith sighs and shakes her head.
"Why the fuck did I suggest we ask her to help? She doesn't even want to."
Buffy smirks at her and leans forward on the table.
"That's where you're wrong Faith, I do want to help, just this once, because well, got to return the favour that Angel gave me upstairs."
Faith's eyes narrow and my face pales even more than it usually is, her hand loosens in my grip and she stares at me, her face is passive but I can feel the rage boiling underneath, just waiting to be unleashed.
"What is she talking about?"
"*she* is talking about how he helped me get through some shit so, as Cordelia put it so eloquently I don't go all spaz on you guys. What were you thinking Faith?"
Buffy leans back in her chair and smirks at Faith, daring her to say something, to start something, but remarkably she sits there facing forward, not looking at anyone in particular just staring, I reach for her hand but she pushes it away and clenches her fists.
"Well I still don't see the point in helping these people, were they there for us when the revolution first started? No, they hid while we had to fight for their lives, risking our own. The powers are useless bastards who can't do things for themselves. I don't see the point, I don't want to see the point so let it go, I'll help, this one time and then I'll be out of your way. I'll disappear back into the darkness so you can all play happy families again."
She stands up and the silence that had fallen over the room a while ago stays, settled above us, mixing with the tension, anger and frustration. As she walks past Faith, she grabs Buffy's arm and looks up at her menacingly.
"Ever wondered why I call you B?"
Buffy shrugs her shoulders nochantly and shoves Faith's hand off her arm, but Faith stands up and grabs her again, spinning her around, she steps forward, almost knocking Buffy over. I quickly move to push them apart but Faith holds her hand up and shakes her head at me.
"B stands for Bitch."
Everything remains quiet and we all stare at the pair, engrossed in the dangerous scene before us. Then suddenly without warning a smile breaks out on Buffy's face and she begins to laugh, the same hollow sounding laugh that she did when we first met her. Buffy slaps Faith on the back and continues to laugh while we all look on puzzeled. She finally stops laughing, gasping for air slightly and suddenly stands up straight, sending her fist flying towards Faith's face, and before any of us can react, Buffy's fist connects with Faith's nose and she screams out in pain after the sickening thud, she falls to the ground, blood flying. Buffy looks down at her and winks.
"But I've got something better."
I run forward to Faith and hold her down as she tries to get up, swearing and screaming.
"The fucken bitch! whore! slut!"
"Faith! Calm down!"
"Calm down??!! You're just gonna let her get away with that?! Let her punch *me*?!"
"Faith.....what the hell should I do? huh?"
She sighs and wipes at the blood, smearing it over her face.
"Just keep away her away from me, that's all I'm gonna say."
I help Faith up and Cordelia passes her a damp flannel. She snatches it off her and storms away towards the mirror by the sink. I look over at Buffy and I feel so torn. I *should* be over with faith, soothing her, calming her, but instead I kneel here, mere inches away from Buffy, just watching her, feeling her around me. Buffy looks down at me and once again I'm staring into those empty green eyes that used to be filled with so much love and hope, she shrugs her shoulders innocently and flicks her hair over her shoulder.
"Come on, let's get going, we haven't got all night, there's bottles of vodka waiting at home for me and if I'm not back soon, they'll start to worry."
She turns and walks out of the room, what happened to the confident, beautfiul girl I once knew? She's someone else now, I should get used to that, let go of the past, look at the future, focus on Faith...Faith the girl I......love? Yes, love, I love her, maybe not like I love Buffy but I love her...Buffy and I are over anyway...finished...ended..over...it's done..it's..it's..
End of Part 7
It seems a little unfinished the ending to this part, that's because he's still all confused over the whole Buffy/Angel relationship thing, like is it really over etc etc. Hope you're all liking it and please ease my addicition for feedback by reviewing me ;)