Title: Hold onto the Wings of an Eagle Rating: ? Shipping: B/A with darkness (: B/S , A/C? implied Status: TBC Disclaimer: I don't own Angel or BTVS somebody does I think? Summary: I don't know?

The events in Angels recent adventure seemed to play backward in his mind as he walked through the crisp grass toward home. Not many places in LA were like this on a night like this. It was practically empty. Seeing only a few groping teenagers trying to escape the calamity of the overwhelming city. The vampire had not focused too much about what the girls were trying to tell him. It seemed to be a Shakespearean language that was foreign to his ears. Although his mind stretched to the limit, the souled-one could still hear and feel the steady pumping of a beating heart. Up until that point he had dismissed it as just another close body. But now he recognized that it seemed to be following him, for it never deterred from its thunderous noise that just now became unbearable. Whipping around to see his stalker all that his sharp eyes beheld was the cool black night. Still the beating went on. Using all his power the vampire senses kicked in to pinpoint the location. Angel twisted his head and tried again, that could not be right. But no matter how many times he listened to his inner wisdom he always came to the same conclusion. With a shaking hand, Angel reached to his own chest in between his now operating lungs. His whole hand repulsed as if it had captured lightning. It couldn't be. This is ludicrous. He felt it again and yet it seemed to be true. As his chest heaved up and down and a light steam blew from his throat so did a beating heart in his chest. The ex-vampire feel the bile rise in his throat. The time seemed to stop as the tall, dark man stood in the middle of the park and felt the gentle humming of his newly revived heart.

This realization made Angel ponder the exact words that the women had spoke to him, but irrationally they seemed to have been wiped off his memory. In fact; every conscious thing that happened to him seemed to be erased as his mind reeled from its recent discovery. Suddenly finding his feet the human made out for the bar that should hold some of the more inquisitive questions that screamed in his brain. A smile lit his face at the thought of the future. He was actually human. It felt like a subway when it hit. Crunching every bone in his body and twisting his heart to ring it out like a sponge. He felt it like a thousand hornets stings all over his body. BUFFY. The PTB had warned him that if he kept his humanity then he would put Buffys life at stake. Although they had grown apart, she was not going to be put on the line just so he could walk in the gaze of the sun.

Reaching his destination in more time then he thought, Angel swung through the office doors to reveal a group of very concerned friends. Cordelia was the first to move. She jumped from her seat on the couch and ran to the ex-vampire and gave him a squeeze that crushed his ribs. 'You're safe!' she cried into his shoulder before pushing back and giving him one of her movie screen smiles. Then she hit him. Hard. In the chest. He winced under the pressure. 'Why didn't you call.' She whined. 'I.We were so worried that you got hurt or kidnapped. Oh my god!' her face went to panic mode. 'You didn't do another one of those enlightening acts again with a vampire did you?' Angel just stood there and smiled at all the people he would have never thought to have one day considered as friends. Gunn gave him a puzzled look while Fred stood uncertain and Lorne's was unreadable. His smile seemed to lighten the mood. Cordelia's face relaxed a little. 'So where were you' came the dark man who had become quite skilled as of late, question. 'Around' was the broody mans only response. He walked calmly over to the host aware of 8 interested eyes following him. He looked Lorne in the eye and without a word, the green demon smiled and nodded his head as if to say he understood. As if he had explained everything Angel grabbed Cordelia's manicured hand and held it to his chest, where his normally cold body would have met it. But instead a live, beating muscle pumped away in his chest. Upon feeling his heart, the newest demon looked him in the eye for reassurance that it was true. Angels happy eyes held nothing back. The May queen's eyes blurred as happy tears filled her crystal eyes. Gunn and Fred were still in the dark about what was happening and felt left out, as Cordelia and Lorne looked extremely happy. 'He's human!' It came from rosy red lips that held a widening smile as she grinned at the confused girl and unnerved warrior. 'He's got a heart and it beats. Its so beautiful.' She kept grinning stupidly at the object of interest. 'Hey man.' Said Gunn, a little unconvinced. He looked at Angel with more intensity as if he could see his heart if he looked hard enough. 'Its true. I'm alive.' Is all the mortal could seem to say.

About three hours and a long story later, the LA gang sat around munching on chocolate mint chip ice cream and talking about the newly inhumaned. 'Angel, what do you think this means as far as fighting?' asked Winifred. 'I think it means I will have power just not as much. Wesley do you know if we could study this more in text? See causes and effects?' Angel asked the newest member of the Congratulate Angel on His New Lifespan Club. He was trying not to bring up what was really nagging him. Buffys future. Rubbing his forehead the watcher replied 'Perhaps. Though it may be interesting to find out about Buffys future now that your human.' Then he looked up, suddenly obviously sorry for his words. 'I mean the last time this happened you were told that she would die right?' he asked now unsure of himself. Angel tried not to look ruffled although it tore at his living insides. 'Yes. I don't know if this will have the same consequences though.' 'Calling Sunnydale would be a solid go then right?' asked Fred harmlessly. Most of the group well informed on the history turned away, but Wesley looked at Angel for permission. Without looking up the ex-demon nodded his approval. The room was completely silent as Wesley went to the phone and dialed. 'Hello. Wesley. I got new..' Wesley started only to be interrupted. A series of Oh's followed as everyone looked at Wesley with interest. 'Absolutely this must be serious. I cant completely promise but we will do..' 'that's right' 'As soon as possible. B..' being cut off a pale watcher put the phone down and turned to the undivided attention of the group. 'I'm afraid I have some rather bad news. There's real easy way to say this. I don't want to upset any of you.' 'Oh just spill.' Screeched Cordelia, clearly nervous. 'Buffy disappeared tonight.' He huffed 'Spike, believe it or not, last saw her in a very bad way and no one has seen or heard from her since. Now this wouldn't be serious but. they.well Willow.when she..um' 'Wesley!' the whole group shouted. 'Buffy might be dead.' He sighed. Silence cloaked the group until realization sunk in and every body turned to a struck Angel. His face was set in a horror flick. His eyes unbelieving and distant and his body tense. 'I may have said that wrong.' Said Wesley. 'What I meant was that Willow seems to think she saw Buffy. But in more of a vampire form kind of way.'

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