Title: Music for the Soul: Part V
Author: Katherine Eve
Summary: Eve's history with Angel starts to become a little more clear as we start our trip into Angel's past.
Characters: Angel, Eve
Disclaimer: You guessed it, Angel and Doyle aren't from my not-as-creative-as-Joss's mind, I'm just borrowing them for my own evil purposes!!
Note: Okay, so I can't spell Cordy's name (I'm sorry). Good thing she was only in the first chapter =)
Chapter V
The sky had begun raining down again as Angel stood outside the doors of an old apartment building a few blocks from the Bronze where the redhead had just walked through the main entrance and disappeared. He knew she was aware of his presence behind her all the way back to her building. He had not tried to keep it much of a secret. With a shove, the doors swung open. Angel wasted no time as he swept into the lobby, leaving a trail of rain water behind him. He froze when a figure standing by the elevator unexpectedly turned around to face him.
"You ruined my set," she said, holding her guitar case in one hand.
Angel did not move. The girl crept toward him, her free arm remaining still by her side as she stepped. No sound was audible when her shoes struck the ground, and her eyes never blinked or broke away from Angel's as the space between their two bodies decreased.
"Confused?" Her voice was so calm and soothing she could have recorded relaxation tapes. Angel nodded his head in affirmation. Eve, now only a few feet away from Angel, broke her gaze away and twisted her neck to look at the elevator. "Come on. We have a lot of talking to do."
Angel remained mute and dazed as the two crammed into the small box along with the guitar. Eve flashed out a bare arm and punched the number for the third floor on the side panel. The doors closed, and the elevator slowly began to rise. Angel kept his eyes fixed on the doors in front of him, never once looking her in the eye.
The doors slid open to reveal a narrow, dimly-lit hallway with doors lining either side. An indistinguishable odor rose from the stained, brown carpet, and the paint on the walls had been peeling for quite some time.
Eve glided down the hallway until she reached the fourth door on the left. Taking a silver key from her pocket, she slid it into the lock and pushed the door open. The smell of freshly-cut lilacs burst from the apartment in an intense wave. As the scent of flowers mixed with whatever horrific stench reeked from the hallway carpet, Angel was relieved he did not have to breathe in the resulting combination.
"I believe an invitation is required. Please, come in," she beckoned with her arm as she stepped into the apartment.
Little furniture decorated the undersized apartment. One couch sat hidden in a dark corner, and a low, round coffee table rested in the middle of the living room floor. Angel noted that no electronics were intermixed with the simple decor. No television, stereo or computer. Numerous acoustic guitars lined the far wall along with a piano so old the keys had taken on a yellowish tint, and the wood had begun to splinter.
To the right of the living room was a small kitchen, which appeared to be used often enough. A few dirty glasses rested on the dinghy counters, and numerous pots and pans overran the sink. To the left of the living room was a short hallway with one door on either side, which Angel assumed were the bathroom and bedroom. Both doors were shut.
During Angel's close examination of the apartment, Eve removed her guitar from the case and placed it next to the others that lined the wall. She walked over to the piano and pulled out the matching bench. Angel heard a squeak as Eve adjusted herself in front of the keys. She flexed her fingers and pressed down on the pedals. A single note soared from the wooden box and hung in the air for a few seconds. It was followed by another and soon a simple, but sweet melody reached Angel's ears.
"Do you remember it?" she asked, not turning from the keys.
The familiar song took hold of Angel and transported him back into a less satisfying time in his existence. The worst time in his existence. Back to the lonely streets of Manhattan where he had lost himself only a few earlier.
***
Reverberations of a high pitched screamed echoed through a narrow alley in the dark of the New York night. The sound woke him, but he paid no attention. He had grown accustom to the fear and pain of those lost in the depth of the city. So, people suffered. He suffered more.
How long had it been since he had arrived on the island? He had lost track of all time in the last century. His eyes had seen many places over the past hundred years as he wandered erratically through the world. Every place looked the same. Filled with buildings, cars, pollution, and people.
Yes, the people. Their clothes and faces were all different, but their minds all worked the same way. Whether it was the homeless or the white-collared businessmen, they were all empty. All lost. That was the humans' curse. No matter what material possessions or loved ones they had in their lives, they always wanted more. No amount of love or money could fill the void inside. They suffered. He suffered more.
The vampire crawled out of the shadowy alley that had protected him from the light of the day. The sound of a scream was always a sign that night had fallen and it was once again time to scrounge the dampest, rat-infested corners of the streets for blood. He used to feast on the blood of hundreds for the love of the kill, but he found that he needed only a small amount in order to sustain his strength. He was immortal, but his energy needed to come from somewhere.
But energy for what? For lying in the sewers of some massive city, waiting for the sun to go down. Why did he continue to survive? Why didn't he just throw himself on the ground at the mercy of the blazing sun at high noon? He was nothing. Just one more tortured soul to add to the misery that consumed the world. All the pain could be wiped out with one step into the light. Why not just do it?
The streets were empty. Only a few dared to brave the horrors that lay hidden in the shadows late at night on the island. None of the monsters bothered him, though. *He* used to be the thing hidden in the dark, waiting for the innocent victim to appear. Now he only listened to the screams of pain. He felt sorry for the victimcs, of course, but could never bring himself to help them. Whether he was too scared or just did not care enough to save them, he didn't know. After all, he knew what the monsters were and how to defeat them. He could be their perfect nemesis, and the peoples' perfect hero. He just never felt the need to be.
Rats scurried behind metal trash cans in the alleys as his clumsy hands tried to grasp hold of one. He squandered more energy trying to catch one rat than its blood actually gave him. The night drew on, and the chaos of the city dimmed to silence. No people were visible in his secluded part of the island, and he was alone and free to hunt for his rats. The alleys he wandered down seemed endless. Each was the same with the sickening sewer smell rising from the damp, cement ground. The only distinction between them was the difference in the graffettee scribbled on the brick walls.
A drained rat dropped from his hands as he collapsed to his knees and rested the back of his head on an alley wall. All was dark except the stars in the sky and one window that drew the attention of his eyes upward. On the top level of an apartment building, a golden light streamed through the cracks of the blinds. The window was open, allowing the cool air to seep into the room.
A faint sound weaved its way down from the open window into his ears as he rested in the alley. Only his acute, vampiric senses allowed him to hear the stream of music coming from the room. Listening more intently, he could hear the fingernails click on the piano keys and a gentle voice drown out the sound of the rats scampering across the ground.
He pressed his eyes closed and let the soothing melody become even more vivid. The voice seemed to sweep down like a breeze of wind and carry away the painful reality that surrounded him. Minutes flew by faster than they ever seemed to before as he sunk deeper into the song. His past slowly faded away leaving only him, the piano, and the voice. For the first time in a century his pain was almost bearable. All the misery was still there, but it seemed worth it if he was able to experience this music.
His eyes opened as the song came to a close, and he was forced back into the real world. Impatiently waiting for the music to continue, he glanced up at the window only to watch the light disappear and blackness to fill its space. It was over, and he knew the music would not come again tonight. Making note of the location of the alley, he continued his hunt for dinner and moved on.
***
"What are you doing in Sunnydale?" Angel softly asked after he snapped himself back into the present.
"My music," she smiled. "People always say New York is the best place to get your career started. Well, not in my case. I stayed there a few years after you left but finally decided it wasn't working out. So, I moved to LA. And when that didn't work, I figured it might be easier to start in a smaller town. I didn't want to move very far, and Sunnydale looked pretty nice. So far it's been working out well. They love my music at the Bronze, anyway. A small start, but it's better than I ever did in New York or LA."
Angel smiled slightly and held back a bit of a laugh.
"What is it?" she asked.
Angel shook his head. "You haven't changed much."
"No, I suppose I haven't," she replied. Angel's smile faded as he broke his eyes away from Eve and stared at the carpet. "I always knew I'd see you again. I didn't realize it would be this soon. How did you find me"
Angel still kept his head down as he spoke. "I have a business in LA."
"And that explains everything," Eve sarcastically stated. "Still a man of few words, I see."
"I help people with things that the police can't handle," he continued.
"And that's a business?" she asked.
Angel nervously dug his hands deep into his coat pockets. He hated being asked all these questions. He should be the one doing the interrogation. He was the detective. "It is if you charge them for it."
Eve wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion. "Wait. You save people from demons, and then demand payment for it? Well, I guess even vampires need to make a living somehow." She paused a moment and added, "Okay, maybe those weren't the best words to use, but you know what I mean. So, how do you find these people? Are you like Batman and just wander the streets until you find someone in trouble?"
"I have help. I'm told who to help and where to find them," he answered.
"By who? The Powers-That-Be?"
Angel did not respond.
Eve continued asking her questions. "Is that how you found me, then." Angel nodded. "Why? Shouldn't you be out saving whomever is in danger?"
Angel glanced up from the carpet to meet her gaze. After a moment's pause, Eve caught on.
"Oh. I see." Her voice was steady, but Angel could see the hint of fear in her eyes. "So you're here to protect me. Rather ironic, isn't it?" Angel's neck bent down until his chin touched his chest. The look in her eyes was too much to take. "Well, you're the detective. Do you know whose after me?"
"I don't know, but I'm going find out. I know you, and I know you haven't done anything to deserve this. You've never done anything wrong. Maybe that's the problem," Angel pondered as he reassuringly squeezed Eve's shoulder. "I'm going to need to ask you a few questions, okay?" Eve nodded in compliance. "First, would you mind explaining to me how this is possible?"
To Be Continued... yes, Doyle will return!!
Author: Katherine Eve
Summary: Eve's history with Angel starts to become a little more clear as we start our trip into Angel's past.
Characters: Angel, Eve
Disclaimer: You guessed it, Angel and Doyle aren't from my not-as-creative-as-Joss's mind, I'm just borrowing them for my own evil purposes!!
Note: Okay, so I can't spell Cordy's name (I'm sorry). Good thing she was only in the first chapter =)
Chapter V
The sky had begun raining down again as Angel stood outside the doors of an old apartment building a few blocks from the Bronze where the redhead had just walked through the main entrance and disappeared. He knew she was aware of his presence behind her all the way back to her building. He had not tried to keep it much of a secret. With a shove, the doors swung open. Angel wasted no time as he swept into the lobby, leaving a trail of rain water behind him. He froze when a figure standing by the elevator unexpectedly turned around to face him.
"You ruined my set," she said, holding her guitar case in one hand.
Angel did not move. The girl crept toward him, her free arm remaining still by her side as she stepped. No sound was audible when her shoes struck the ground, and her eyes never blinked or broke away from Angel's as the space between their two bodies decreased.
"Confused?" Her voice was so calm and soothing she could have recorded relaxation tapes. Angel nodded his head in affirmation. Eve, now only a few feet away from Angel, broke her gaze away and twisted her neck to look at the elevator. "Come on. We have a lot of talking to do."
Angel remained mute and dazed as the two crammed into the small box along with the guitar. Eve flashed out a bare arm and punched the number for the third floor on the side panel. The doors closed, and the elevator slowly began to rise. Angel kept his eyes fixed on the doors in front of him, never once looking her in the eye.
The doors slid open to reveal a narrow, dimly-lit hallway with doors lining either side. An indistinguishable odor rose from the stained, brown carpet, and the paint on the walls had been peeling for quite some time.
Eve glided down the hallway until she reached the fourth door on the left. Taking a silver key from her pocket, she slid it into the lock and pushed the door open. The smell of freshly-cut lilacs burst from the apartment in an intense wave. As the scent of flowers mixed with whatever horrific stench reeked from the hallway carpet, Angel was relieved he did not have to breathe in the resulting combination.
"I believe an invitation is required. Please, come in," she beckoned with her arm as she stepped into the apartment.
Little furniture decorated the undersized apartment. One couch sat hidden in a dark corner, and a low, round coffee table rested in the middle of the living room floor. Angel noted that no electronics were intermixed with the simple decor. No television, stereo or computer. Numerous acoustic guitars lined the far wall along with a piano so old the keys had taken on a yellowish tint, and the wood had begun to splinter.
To the right of the living room was a small kitchen, which appeared to be used often enough. A few dirty glasses rested on the dinghy counters, and numerous pots and pans overran the sink. To the left of the living room was a short hallway with one door on either side, which Angel assumed were the bathroom and bedroom. Both doors were shut.
During Angel's close examination of the apartment, Eve removed her guitar from the case and placed it next to the others that lined the wall. She walked over to the piano and pulled out the matching bench. Angel heard a squeak as Eve adjusted herself in front of the keys. She flexed her fingers and pressed down on the pedals. A single note soared from the wooden box and hung in the air for a few seconds. It was followed by another and soon a simple, but sweet melody reached Angel's ears.
"Do you remember it?" she asked, not turning from the keys.
The familiar song took hold of Angel and transported him back into a less satisfying time in his existence. The worst time in his existence. Back to the lonely streets of Manhattan where he had lost himself only a few earlier.
***
Reverberations of a high pitched screamed echoed through a narrow alley in the dark of the New York night. The sound woke him, but he paid no attention. He had grown accustom to the fear and pain of those lost in the depth of the city. So, people suffered. He suffered more.
How long had it been since he had arrived on the island? He had lost track of all time in the last century. His eyes had seen many places over the past hundred years as he wandered erratically through the world. Every place looked the same. Filled with buildings, cars, pollution, and people.
Yes, the people. Their clothes and faces were all different, but their minds all worked the same way. Whether it was the homeless or the white-collared businessmen, they were all empty. All lost. That was the humans' curse. No matter what material possessions or loved ones they had in their lives, they always wanted more. No amount of love or money could fill the void inside. They suffered. He suffered more.
The vampire crawled out of the shadowy alley that had protected him from the light of the day. The sound of a scream was always a sign that night had fallen and it was once again time to scrounge the dampest, rat-infested corners of the streets for blood. He used to feast on the blood of hundreds for the love of the kill, but he found that he needed only a small amount in order to sustain his strength. He was immortal, but his energy needed to come from somewhere.
But energy for what? For lying in the sewers of some massive city, waiting for the sun to go down. Why did he continue to survive? Why didn't he just throw himself on the ground at the mercy of the blazing sun at high noon? He was nothing. Just one more tortured soul to add to the misery that consumed the world. All the pain could be wiped out with one step into the light. Why not just do it?
The streets were empty. Only a few dared to brave the horrors that lay hidden in the shadows late at night on the island. None of the monsters bothered him, though. *He* used to be the thing hidden in the dark, waiting for the innocent victim to appear. Now he only listened to the screams of pain. He felt sorry for the victimcs, of course, but could never bring himself to help them. Whether he was too scared or just did not care enough to save them, he didn't know. After all, he knew what the monsters were and how to defeat them. He could be their perfect nemesis, and the peoples' perfect hero. He just never felt the need to be.
Rats scurried behind metal trash cans in the alleys as his clumsy hands tried to grasp hold of one. He squandered more energy trying to catch one rat than its blood actually gave him. The night drew on, and the chaos of the city dimmed to silence. No people were visible in his secluded part of the island, and he was alone and free to hunt for his rats. The alleys he wandered down seemed endless. Each was the same with the sickening sewer smell rising from the damp, cement ground. The only distinction between them was the difference in the graffettee scribbled on the brick walls.
A drained rat dropped from his hands as he collapsed to his knees and rested the back of his head on an alley wall. All was dark except the stars in the sky and one window that drew the attention of his eyes upward. On the top level of an apartment building, a golden light streamed through the cracks of the blinds. The window was open, allowing the cool air to seep into the room.
A faint sound weaved its way down from the open window into his ears as he rested in the alley. Only his acute, vampiric senses allowed him to hear the stream of music coming from the room. Listening more intently, he could hear the fingernails click on the piano keys and a gentle voice drown out the sound of the rats scampering across the ground.
He pressed his eyes closed and let the soothing melody become even more vivid. The voice seemed to sweep down like a breeze of wind and carry away the painful reality that surrounded him. Minutes flew by faster than they ever seemed to before as he sunk deeper into the song. His past slowly faded away leaving only him, the piano, and the voice. For the first time in a century his pain was almost bearable. All the misery was still there, but it seemed worth it if he was able to experience this music.
His eyes opened as the song came to a close, and he was forced back into the real world. Impatiently waiting for the music to continue, he glanced up at the window only to watch the light disappear and blackness to fill its space. It was over, and he knew the music would not come again tonight. Making note of the location of the alley, he continued his hunt for dinner and moved on.
***
"What are you doing in Sunnydale?" Angel softly asked after he snapped himself back into the present.
"My music," she smiled. "People always say New York is the best place to get your career started. Well, not in my case. I stayed there a few years after you left but finally decided it wasn't working out. So, I moved to LA. And when that didn't work, I figured it might be easier to start in a smaller town. I didn't want to move very far, and Sunnydale looked pretty nice. So far it's been working out well. They love my music at the Bronze, anyway. A small start, but it's better than I ever did in New York or LA."
Angel smiled slightly and held back a bit of a laugh.
"What is it?" she asked.
Angel shook his head. "You haven't changed much."
"No, I suppose I haven't," she replied. Angel's smile faded as he broke his eyes away from Eve and stared at the carpet. "I always knew I'd see you again. I didn't realize it would be this soon. How did you find me"
Angel still kept his head down as he spoke. "I have a business in LA."
"And that explains everything," Eve sarcastically stated. "Still a man of few words, I see."
"I help people with things that the police can't handle," he continued.
"And that's a business?" she asked.
Angel nervously dug his hands deep into his coat pockets. He hated being asked all these questions. He should be the one doing the interrogation. He was the detective. "It is if you charge them for it."
Eve wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion. "Wait. You save people from demons, and then demand payment for it? Well, I guess even vampires need to make a living somehow." She paused a moment and added, "Okay, maybe those weren't the best words to use, but you know what I mean. So, how do you find these people? Are you like Batman and just wander the streets until you find someone in trouble?"
"I have help. I'm told who to help and where to find them," he answered.
"By who? The Powers-That-Be?"
Angel did not respond.
Eve continued asking her questions. "Is that how you found me, then." Angel nodded. "Why? Shouldn't you be out saving whomever is in danger?"
Angel glanced up from the carpet to meet her gaze. After a moment's pause, Eve caught on.
"Oh. I see." Her voice was steady, but Angel could see the hint of fear in her eyes. "So you're here to protect me. Rather ironic, isn't it?" Angel's neck bent down until his chin touched his chest. The look in her eyes was too much to take. "Well, you're the detective. Do you know whose after me?"
"I don't know, but I'm going find out. I know you, and I know you haven't done anything to deserve this. You've never done anything wrong. Maybe that's the problem," Angel pondered as he reassuringly squeezed Eve's shoulder. "I'm going to need to ask you a few questions, okay?" Eve nodded in compliance. "First, would you mind explaining to me how this is possible?"
To Be Continued... yes, Doyle will return!!