Chapter 9
Aubrey Bentone sat at Cordelia's desk, coloring happily. The little girl was normal now, full of life and smiles. June Bentone stared at her little girl coloring her "secret project" as she sipped some coffee.
"How is he?" June asked quietly.
Serena gazed into her coffee. "Still unconscious."
"And the souls?"
"From what we can tell, they went to where they came from." Serena looked up at Aubrey coloring. "Your daughter is the perfect example of that."
"Angel Investigations is the one I have to thank for that." The mother smiled warmly at the Slayer.
"Too bad Angel isn't awake to see her." Serena remarked sadly. "He wanted so badly to get your daughter's soul back, and now, when he did, he can't see how happy that little girl is."
June Bentone had stopped by to thank the group once again. And to pay them, which was music to Cordelia's ears.
"Did I mention how." June started.
"Thankful you are?" Serena interrupted, smiling. "I believe you only mentioned it with the dozens of fruit baskets and flowers, as well as the supply of blood, for Angel." She stopped suddenly. "You know that Angel's a vampire and it doesn't scare you?"
"I didn't know he was a vampire, not when he first took the case. But I think the non-reflection thing kinda worked against him." June smiled. "I guess I put two and two together and figured that no matter what he is, he saved my little girl. A true monster wouldn't be able to do such deeds."
Aubrey dashed over to Serena, concealing something behind her back. "I know Angel isn't awake now, but when he does wake up can you give this to him?" Aubrey asked innocently.
From behind her back, Aubrey pulled a paper halo that she so meticulously colored a bright yellow. Serena's heart swelled with the overwhelming emotion that was triggered by the child's generosity and kindness. "Now Angel is a real angel, like those in heaven." The child put simply.
Serena glanced at Cordelia and Wesley across the room. Cordelia had a hand over her mouth in awe and a tear trickled down her cheek. Wesley removed his glasses, cleaning them on his sleeve and ducked his head so his face was concealed.
Serena fought the huge knot in her throat and smiled at Aubrey, accepting the gift graciously. "I will do that. Angel will truly love it." She smiled widely at the girl, who smiled back, happy that Angel would love her gift. She just hoped he would wake up to see the gift.
*****
Serena stood on a balcony, leaning on the railing. Thunder boomed, as if predicting a shower. Clouds billowed, making the world turn dark. She felt the first raindrop, and then suddenly, it was coming down in buckets. She stood in the rain, enjoying the feel of the raindrops against her skin. She sensed some movement behind her and spun around, her hair swinging over her shoulder. To her surprise, she found Angel standing there.
"Angel, you're up!" She said, smiling. She took a step towards him. "How are you feeling?"
He just stared at her, his eyes wide as if he'd seen a ghost. Which isn't the best analogy because Angel has seen a ghost before, and his eyes weren't that large. And even if he saw another one, he'd go downstairs and look up something in his books to find out how to kill it. She thought to herself, smiling wider.
Angel said nothing, just stared at her and walked towards her slowly. She stared back at him, inquisitively. "Angel, what's.what's wrong?"
As they were being bombarded by the rain, Serena stared up at Angel. He gently took her hand and placed it on his chest. "Wha." She trailed off, her eyes growing huge. What she felt was unmistakable, but yet, somehow, impossible. A heartbeat. Angel's heart was beating. He was alive. Tears rimmed her eyes in disbelief.
"Your heart.it's beating." Serena whispered to herself, trying to convince herself that this was reality, not another dream. "You're.you're human?" She gazed up at him, her eyes wide.
Angel nodded, smiling slightly. Serena stroked his face gently. His fingers danced lightly on her arm. The rain subsided and the sunshine shone dimly through the clouds, glowing down on the couple on the balcony.
"You're not bursting into flames.I'd say your pretty human." Serena commented, her voice breathy.
Their lips met with such intensity and passion, it took Serena's breath away. She ran her fingers through Angel hair as the kiss deepened. As the sun beamed into the room, casting shadows onto the wall, Serena gave herself to Angel, the vampire with a soul that was now human.
Aubrey Bentone sat at Cordelia's desk, coloring happily. The little girl was normal now, full of life and smiles. June Bentone stared at her little girl coloring her "secret project" as she sipped some coffee.
"How is he?" June asked quietly.
Serena gazed into her coffee. "Still unconscious."
"And the souls?"
"From what we can tell, they went to where they came from." Serena looked up at Aubrey coloring. "Your daughter is the perfect example of that."
"Angel Investigations is the one I have to thank for that." The mother smiled warmly at the Slayer.
"Too bad Angel isn't awake to see her." Serena remarked sadly. "He wanted so badly to get your daughter's soul back, and now, when he did, he can't see how happy that little girl is."
June Bentone had stopped by to thank the group once again. And to pay them, which was music to Cordelia's ears.
"Did I mention how." June started.
"Thankful you are?" Serena interrupted, smiling. "I believe you only mentioned it with the dozens of fruit baskets and flowers, as well as the supply of blood, for Angel." She stopped suddenly. "You know that Angel's a vampire and it doesn't scare you?"
"I didn't know he was a vampire, not when he first took the case. But I think the non-reflection thing kinda worked against him." June smiled. "I guess I put two and two together and figured that no matter what he is, he saved my little girl. A true monster wouldn't be able to do such deeds."
Aubrey dashed over to Serena, concealing something behind her back. "I know Angel isn't awake now, but when he does wake up can you give this to him?" Aubrey asked innocently.
From behind her back, Aubrey pulled a paper halo that she so meticulously colored a bright yellow. Serena's heart swelled with the overwhelming emotion that was triggered by the child's generosity and kindness. "Now Angel is a real angel, like those in heaven." The child put simply.
Serena glanced at Cordelia and Wesley across the room. Cordelia had a hand over her mouth in awe and a tear trickled down her cheek. Wesley removed his glasses, cleaning them on his sleeve and ducked his head so his face was concealed.
Serena fought the huge knot in her throat and smiled at Aubrey, accepting the gift graciously. "I will do that. Angel will truly love it." She smiled widely at the girl, who smiled back, happy that Angel would love her gift. She just hoped he would wake up to see the gift.
*****
Serena stood on a balcony, leaning on the railing. Thunder boomed, as if predicting a shower. Clouds billowed, making the world turn dark. She felt the first raindrop, and then suddenly, it was coming down in buckets. She stood in the rain, enjoying the feel of the raindrops against her skin. She sensed some movement behind her and spun around, her hair swinging over her shoulder. To her surprise, she found Angel standing there.
"Angel, you're up!" She said, smiling. She took a step towards him. "How are you feeling?"
He just stared at her, his eyes wide as if he'd seen a ghost. Which isn't the best analogy because Angel has seen a ghost before, and his eyes weren't that large. And even if he saw another one, he'd go downstairs and look up something in his books to find out how to kill it. She thought to herself, smiling wider.
Angel said nothing, just stared at her and walked towards her slowly. She stared back at him, inquisitively. "Angel, what's.what's wrong?"
As they were being bombarded by the rain, Serena stared up at Angel. He gently took her hand and placed it on his chest. "Wha." She trailed off, her eyes growing huge. What she felt was unmistakable, but yet, somehow, impossible. A heartbeat. Angel's heart was beating. He was alive. Tears rimmed her eyes in disbelief.
"Your heart.it's beating." Serena whispered to herself, trying to convince herself that this was reality, not another dream. "You're.you're human?" She gazed up at him, her eyes wide.
Angel nodded, smiling slightly. Serena stroked his face gently. His fingers danced lightly on her arm. The rain subsided and the sunshine shone dimly through the clouds, glowing down on the couple on the balcony.
"You're not bursting into flames.I'd say your pretty human." Serena commented, her voice breathy.
Their lips met with such intensity and passion, it took Serena's breath away. She ran her fingers through Angel hair as the kiss deepened. As the sun beamed into the room, casting shadows onto the wall, Serena gave herself to Angel, the vampire with a soul that was now human.