Title: Music for the Soul: Part X
Author: Katherine Eve
Summary: Angel makes a tough decision.
Characters: Angel and Eve (don't worry, Doyle will be back).
Disclaimer: Tall, dark and brooding guy (ah, I mean Angel) came from Joss Whedon's imagination, I'm just borrowing him for my own purposes.
Note: Okay, so this part and the next may break with cannon a little, but hey, it's just a story.
Chapter X
Pain. Immense pain overcame every limb as the raindrops continually pounded on her face. Was the sky black or were her eyes just closed? She jostled her head back and forth on the pavement. Her neck seemed fine, but a searing pain burst through her body as she tried to move her leg. She had experienced that feeling once before when she was a little girl. Definitely broken.
Eve had almost forgotten where she was and what had happened until a cold hand placed itself on her forehead. Her eyes flashed open though she didn't need to see his face to know who was kneeling beside her.
"No," she managed to moan. "Leave me alone."
"Please, would you just let me help you?" His voice had a hint of irritability in it. She could tell he was becoming impatient with her every time she had tried to run away. Maybe he really did mean well.
She sighed and stared at him, almost forgetting about the pain throbbing in her leg. His eyes were so hard to read. He was a complete loony toon, that Eve was certain of. But she would be too if she didn't accept his help in her current situation.
"I guess I don't have much a choice. Just take me inside and call an ambulance."
Exhausted just by speaking, Eve let every one of her muscles relax as the man's strong arms wrapped themselves around her back. The vampire lifted her limp body as if she was a rag doll and carried her up several flights of stairs until he reached the front door of her apartment. Being invited in, he supported Eve with one arm and unlocked the door with the silver key he still held in his palm.
Gently, the vampire deposited the girl on a beat-up, white sofa in the living room and began searching the apartment for a blanket. Stepping through the doorway to Eve's room, he suddenly froze. His mind drifted away from the present and back to the nights he had spent in the alley listening to her sing as his eyes fell fondly upon the keyboard pressed up against Eve's bedroom wall.
"I can feel it coming with each night
And I don't want to close my eyes.
With each passing second it comes closer
And I pray I'll see the next sunrise."
Such a waste. Angel could not bring himself to understand the reasoning of whatever higher power brought her into existence. To bless her with such a gift to give to the world, only to take away her life before she could use it. Death was completely pointless if came before a person had a chance to live. What of the people she could reach out to with her music? Why deny them the experience he had enjoyed every night below her window? She could be so much.
In frustration, Angel wrapped his fingers around the withered blanket crumpled at the foot of Eve's bed. Anger flowed through his bloodless veins as he ripped the blanket from the mattress and draped it over his arm. Walking back into the living room, the vampire picked up the scent of death emanating from the body he had placed on the couch. She had passed out from the pain in her leg. Crouching down by her side, Angel tenderly spread the blanket out across her shivering body.
Each time his hand brushed her skin, he could feel the life slowly draining out of her. If only he had known sooner he wouldn't have let himself grow so attached to her. It had been such a shock to feel the weakness of her as he had swept her hair out from under the collar of his jacket. How long had she known?
Reaching for the phone to call an ambulance, a thought shot through his mind. His hand froze a few inches away from the receiver. He didn't have to call an ambulance for her broken leg. She would never have to go to the hospital for any reason again. She wouldn't have to die.
He could save her.
Wait! What was he thinking? All her talent and passion would be lost the moment his demon blood entered her body. She would not be the girl in death she was in life. Just a vampire with only one purpose: to kill.
Yet, he had heard stories. Stories about undead who were able to control the demon within. After all, he had known some with human emotions himself. Some vampires became nothing more than animals with a bloodlust, while others managed to keep all the personality traits they had when they were human. Maybe Eve could be one of them.
The vampire's reasoning was cut short as the sound of Eve's breathing became louder and raspier with each gasp for air. She didn't have much time left. With his arm still outstretched toward the phone, Angel made his decision.
***
She awoke on what felt like a hard, asphalt street. The stars twinkled above her head as she opened her eyes. They seemed much brighter and closer to her than ever before. As she marveled at their beauty, Eve realized she was seeing more of them than she ever thought possible. She remembered a time when she was a little girl and had gone camping with her parents up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado where the pollution of the city didn't dim the stars' brilliant glow. That was nothing compared to what she could see now.
Galaxies lit up her eyes. Constellations were lost within the massive and chaotic heavenly body. Yet, with all the light shining down, she could still make out each one individually, and each one was different.
"Do you like them?" A vaguely familiar voice came from somewhere within the alley. "After seeing them for a few nights, you won't even miss the sun."
Miss the sun? What was he talking about? And where was she? Slowly, like a dream coming back, vague images began flashing through her head. Pain. There had been so much pain. Like she had been dying.
Was that it? Had it happened? The last thing she could clearly recall was seeing her angel's fuzzy figure standing in her doorway while she had laid helpless on the couch. Is that why all the stars seemed so close? Because she was in Heaven?
"I know what you're thinking. You couldn't be more right, and you couldn't be more wrong."
What did that mean? If she was dead, she was dead. End of story; case closed. She wasn't feeling any pain right now. She could even move her leg with ease. Come to think of it, she could move everything with ease she had never known before. Her whole body felt so light. Was she floating? No, she could still feel the asphalt underneath her back. They probably didn't have asphalt in Heaven. Where was she?
She couldn't recall standing up. All she remembered was wanting to stand up, and she found herself on her feet, looking once more into the black eyes of her angel. While the stars seemed more alive than ever, he seemed even more lifeless than when she had studied him under the light of the street lamp. She could feel the coldness of his body.
It was then that she noticed the coldness of her own body. It wasn't like the coldness she felt during every long, snowy winter of New York. She felt a cold within herself. Looking at her arms, she could see the paleness of her own skin. The veins she had always been able to see on the back of her hands were no longer visible. No blood flowed through them.
"Am I...?" She had finally mustered up the courage to ask the question that had been hanging over her head for the past few moments, but was unable to finish it.
"You're just as alive as I am," he replied. His face displayed no sign of any emotion, but there was a smile behind his eyes. Whatever he had done to her, he was proud of it.
Not knowing why, an overwhelming sense of fear overcame her. She still had no explanation as to what had happened to her, but something inside her went off. An alarm.
"I can explain." Her angel stepped closer to her, his hands reaching for her. He could feel her slipping away. He had to stop her.
His giant hands were like monster claws reaching out to grab her. He wasn't human. And neither was she. She had grown accustom to running away, but this time it felt different. Like standing up, she didn't have to think about it. She wanted to get away. She needed to get away. Her body followed the command, and soon buildings were going by so quickly she felt like she was flying.
Her sire took one step forward, but that was all. He knew seeing her vanish around the corner of the alley was the last time he would ever lay eyes on her again.*****
To Be Continued... no more flashback, but we still have to kick the bad guy's butt!!!
Author: Katherine Eve
Summary: Angel makes a tough decision.
Characters: Angel and Eve (don't worry, Doyle will be back).
Disclaimer: Tall, dark and brooding guy (ah, I mean Angel) came from Joss Whedon's imagination, I'm just borrowing him for my own purposes.
Note: Okay, so this part and the next may break with cannon a little, but hey, it's just a story.
Chapter X
Pain. Immense pain overcame every limb as the raindrops continually pounded on her face. Was the sky black or were her eyes just closed? She jostled her head back and forth on the pavement. Her neck seemed fine, but a searing pain burst through her body as she tried to move her leg. She had experienced that feeling once before when she was a little girl. Definitely broken.
Eve had almost forgotten where she was and what had happened until a cold hand placed itself on her forehead. Her eyes flashed open though she didn't need to see his face to know who was kneeling beside her.
"No," she managed to moan. "Leave me alone."
"Please, would you just let me help you?" His voice had a hint of irritability in it. She could tell he was becoming impatient with her every time she had tried to run away. Maybe he really did mean well.
She sighed and stared at him, almost forgetting about the pain throbbing in her leg. His eyes were so hard to read. He was a complete loony toon, that Eve was certain of. But she would be too if she didn't accept his help in her current situation.
"I guess I don't have much a choice. Just take me inside and call an ambulance."
Exhausted just by speaking, Eve let every one of her muscles relax as the man's strong arms wrapped themselves around her back. The vampire lifted her limp body as if she was a rag doll and carried her up several flights of stairs until he reached the front door of her apartment. Being invited in, he supported Eve with one arm and unlocked the door with the silver key he still held in his palm.
Gently, the vampire deposited the girl on a beat-up, white sofa in the living room and began searching the apartment for a blanket. Stepping through the doorway to Eve's room, he suddenly froze. His mind drifted away from the present and back to the nights he had spent in the alley listening to her sing as his eyes fell fondly upon the keyboard pressed up against Eve's bedroom wall.
"I can feel it coming with each night
And I don't want to close my eyes.
With each passing second it comes closer
And I pray I'll see the next sunrise."
Such a waste. Angel could not bring himself to understand the reasoning of whatever higher power brought her into existence. To bless her with such a gift to give to the world, only to take away her life before she could use it. Death was completely pointless if came before a person had a chance to live. What of the people she could reach out to with her music? Why deny them the experience he had enjoyed every night below her window? She could be so much.
In frustration, Angel wrapped his fingers around the withered blanket crumpled at the foot of Eve's bed. Anger flowed through his bloodless veins as he ripped the blanket from the mattress and draped it over his arm. Walking back into the living room, the vampire picked up the scent of death emanating from the body he had placed on the couch. She had passed out from the pain in her leg. Crouching down by her side, Angel tenderly spread the blanket out across her shivering body.
Each time his hand brushed her skin, he could feel the life slowly draining out of her. If only he had known sooner he wouldn't have let himself grow so attached to her. It had been such a shock to feel the weakness of her as he had swept her hair out from under the collar of his jacket. How long had she known?
Reaching for the phone to call an ambulance, a thought shot through his mind. His hand froze a few inches away from the receiver. He didn't have to call an ambulance for her broken leg. She would never have to go to the hospital for any reason again. She wouldn't have to die.
He could save her.
Wait! What was he thinking? All her talent and passion would be lost the moment his demon blood entered her body. She would not be the girl in death she was in life. Just a vampire with only one purpose: to kill.
Yet, he had heard stories. Stories about undead who were able to control the demon within. After all, he had known some with human emotions himself. Some vampires became nothing more than animals with a bloodlust, while others managed to keep all the personality traits they had when they were human. Maybe Eve could be one of them.
The vampire's reasoning was cut short as the sound of Eve's breathing became louder and raspier with each gasp for air. She didn't have much time left. With his arm still outstretched toward the phone, Angel made his decision.
***
She awoke on what felt like a hard, asphalt street. The stars twinkled above her head as she opened her eyes. They seemed much brighter and closer to her than ever before. As she marveled at their beauty, Eve realized she was seeing more of them than she ever thought possible. She remembered a time when she was a little girl and had gone camping with her parents up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado where the pollution of the city didn't dim the stars' brilliant glow. That was nothing compared to what she could see now.
Galaxies lit up her eyes. Constellations were lost within the massive and chaotic heavenly body. Yet, with all the light shining down, she could still make out each one individually, and each one was different.
"Do you like them?" A vaguely familiar voice came from somewhere within the alley. "After seeing them for a few nights, you won't even miss the sun."
Miss the sun? What was he talking about? And where was she? Slowly, like a dream coming back, vague images began flashing through her head. Pain. There had been so much pain. Like she had been dying.
Was that it? Had it happened? The last thing she could clearly recall was seeing her angel's fuzzy figure standing in her doorway while she had laid helpless on the couch. Is that why all the stars seemed so close? Because she was in Heaven?
"I know what you're thinking. You couldn't be more right, and you couldn't be more wrong."
What did that mean? If she was dead, she was dead. End of story; case closed. She wasn't feeling any pain right now. She could even move her leg with ease. Come to think of it, she could move everything with ease she had never known before. Her whole body felt so light. Was she floating? No, she could still feel the asphalt underneath her back. They probably didn't have asphalt in Heaven. Where was she?
She couldn't recall standing up. All she remembered was wanting to stand up, and she found herself on her feet, looking once more into the black eyes of her angel. While the stars seemed more alive than ever, he seemed even more lifeless than when she had studied him under the light of the street lamp. She could feel the coldness of his body.
It was then that she noticed the coldness of her own body. It wasn't like the coldness she felt during every long, snowy winter of New York. She felt a cold within herself. Looking at her arms, she could see the paleness of her own skin. The veins she had always been able to see on the back of her hands were no longer visible. No blood flowed through them.
"Am I...?" She had finally mustered up the courage to ask the question that had been hanging over her head for the past few moments, but was unable to finish it.
"You're just as alive as I am," he replied. His face displayed no sign of any emotion, but there was a smile behind his eyes. Whatever he had done to her, he was proud of it.
Not knowing why, an overwhelming sense of fear overcame her. She still had no explanation as to what had happened to her, but something inside her went off. An alarm.
"I can explain." Her angel stepped closer to her, his hands reaching for her. He could feel her slipping away. He had to stop her.
His giant hands were like monster claws reaching out to grab her. He wasn't human. And neither was she. She had grown accustom to running away, but this time it felt different. Like standing up, she didn't have to think about it. She wanted to get away. She needed to get away. Her body followed the command, and soon buildings were going by so quickly she felt like she was flying.
Her sire took one step forward, but that was all. He knew seeing her vanish around the corner of the alley was the last time he would ever lay eyes on her again.*****
To Be Continued... no more flashback, but we still have to kick the bad guy's butt!!!