Doyle stood behind the desk, the desk that people would usual go to if
they'd come to the hotel. Before it was homey, you know, one small family,
Angel Cordelia and him. But now, there were more people, a lot more, and it
was no longer homey. Angel treated Doyle different, it was as if he was
avoiding him. And in return Doyle acted a lot different than he used to
when he was alive. But never the less, his past, everything he had done,
everything, every moment that has made him to be at this moment, at this
time, dead right now, made him feel guilty. He wasn't the best demon, and
the only good deeds he's done was with Angel, and that was not a lot, it
made him mad, even sad, that he was alive for quite sum time, yet he was
never living.
What was there to do? Angel was sure to have given his job to someone else. But was his part in Angel's life given away as well? Cordelia had accepted him back, why couldn't Angel?
"Hey?" Eve said sitting on a stool beside Doyle. "Something on your mind?" Eve looked up at him. She was listener, she loved listening to people's problems. She was a demon, but truth be known, the demon was never born, so therefore it cannot live, so therefore, no part of her is demon.
"No, I'm good," Doyle lied, leaning against the desk, looking forward into the empty hotel.
"It feels different don't it?" Eve asked, she didn't even have to read his mind. She saw how Angel only talked to him when he first seen him alive. She realized how much Angel avoided Doyle.
"Completely," Doyle answered.
"I know you didn't expect it, but well it has been nearly 4 years. Angel had to move on," Eve said.
"I know, Eve," Doyle said, his voice rising.
"You've changed, Doyle. You acted one way when you were living, okay maybe two ways, you know with you and Cordelia then you and Angel...But you died, then you went well where ever it is that you went, and you lived there for 3 isolated years. You expected to act different," Eve assured him. Doyle didn't bother to look at her.
"Angel thinks about it all the time," Eve said, changing the subject.
"What?" Doyle asked, not sure of what she was talking about.
"How it would have been if you had not died for him. He stopped, but he's been thinking about it a lot more since you're here. He's died before, Buffy killed him. But he's never died, died. Not the way you died. It must've hurt a lot."
"It did," Doyle said, agreeing. He could remember the light burning his skin, ripping it off of his body.
"Aw." Eve stood up, turned Doyle to face her and hugged him. Doyle didn't reject the hug, he endured it. He hugged back. And they stood like that, stood like that, wishing the moment to never end. They understood each other. He didn't love her and she didn't love him, he loved Cordelia and she loved everything. But they had a bond, an understanding one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Just a few left, Connor." The demon sat on Connor bed, it disgusted Connor but he held his tongue.
The demon took Connor arm and disappeared. They reappeared in Faith's apartment (In Graduation, where Buffy and her fight.)
"Where are we?" Connor asked.
"Well, there's two slayers, Connor. Both have their own little relationship with Angel. Buffy loves him and Faith loves to hate him. Well, that's an overstatement. But she wants to kill him and Buffy's here to stop her."
Buffy walks in, past Connor and turns off Faith's music. "Thought I'd stop by," the slayer said when Faith turn to look at her.
Faith rolls off the bed and stands. "Is he dead yet?" She asks as she brushes herself off.
"He's not gonna die," Buffy answers. "It's a good try, though. Your plan?
"Uh-huh," Faith answered. The mayor got me the poison. Said it was wicked painful.
"There's a cure," Buffy stated.
"Damn," Faith sweared. "What is it?"
"Your blood. As justice goes, it's not un-poetic, don't you think?
"Come to get? Gonna feed me to Angel? You know you're not going to take me alive."
"Not a problem."
"Well, look at you. All dressed up in big sister's clothes."
Buffy walks out toward Faith. "You told me I was just like you. But I was holding it in."
"Ready to cut loose?"
"Try me."
Faith tilts her head. "Okay then. Give us a kiss." Buffy punches Faith in her jaw. Faith takes the hit but does doesn't fall. After the realization hit her, she straightens and back hand punches Buffy. The two face off.
Buffy tries a low blow but Faith blocks that so Buffy tries a blow to the head but Faith blocks that as well. Buffy swings but misses Faith. Faiths a double back hand punch, Buffy blocks the first. Buffy reels around and swings at Faith but Faith ducks it. Faith does a series of punches, Buffy blocking or ducking all of them. Faith swings at Buffy, it is blocked. Buffy's other hand pushes Faith's arm down, using her free arm to punch the evil slayer. Faith takes the punch and pushes Buffy away.
Buffy swings but Faith ducks. Buffy jumps, but Faith kicks her legs, forcing her to return to the ground. Faith aims a kick to Buffy's face but Buffy easily ducks it. Buffy kicks at Faith, but it's blocked. Buffy reels and immidently does another high out - to- in crescent kick but Faith ducks it.
Faith grabs a hold of Buffy's shoulders and knees her in the face. They spin forcefully around and Buffy breaks free. Buffy does a high out - to - in crescent kick, kicking Faith in the face and knocking her back into a blue arm chair. Buffy runs at Faith. Faith stands up and kicks a foot rest, stool, it sliding and hitting Buffy's legs, knocking her back. Faith steps onto the stool and jumps off in an attempt to tackle Buffy. Buffy throws Faith off into, Faith lands in a red arm chair.
Buffy runs at Faith, but Faith kicks out and knocked Buffy into a wall, Buffy falls down. Faith pulls Buffy up but Buffy throws Faith off, knocking her down. Faith rolls to her feet to get kicked in the face by Buffy. Faith is knocked into a wall. Faith turns around soon enough to side step a kick from Buffy. Faith catches a swing from Buffy and flips her over onto her back. Faith jumps up and comes down with a punch to the floor, Buffy rolled away, missing it.
Buffy rolls to her feet to get kicked in the face by Faith, knocking her down again. Buffy gets to her feet again, she ducks a kick and dodges to the side to block a hit. Faith grabs a hold of Buffy's arm and neck. "Not getting tired are you? I'm just starting to feel it." Buffy shoves back, pushing Faith into a wall, getting free of her grip. She twists around and grabs onto Faith's arm and shoves her into a railing, flipping her over to be on her window seat. Faith clumsily stands.
Buffy jumps onto Faith's bed, holds onto the railing and jumps off, kicking Faith in the process on landing in front of her. Faith reels around. She punches but Buffy blocks. Buffy punches but Faith blocks. Faith slams Buffy into a wall. Buffy punches Faith then jumps out the window, breaking it, bringing Faith with her.
Faith gets into a sitting position; Buffy slaps on handcuffs. "Stick around," Buffy hisses to Faith. Faith punches Buffy knocking her to the side. Faith punches Buffy again, knocking her down. Buffy gets to her feet, pulling Faith with her. She turns around, spinning Faith, and slams faith into an electric box.
Faith throws Buffy into poles then drops to her knees and flips Buffy onto her back. Buffy gets to her feet pulling Faith up and kicks her twice in the back. Faith reels around and kicks Buffy in the face. Buffy throws Faith into a pile of stones then yanks her up and throws her to the ground. Buffy yanks Faith to her knees and holds her there. "What's the matter Faith? All that killing and you're afraid to die?" Faith punches Buffy in the face then flips her onto her back again. She unhand cuffs herself by breaking the handcuffs apart.
Faith rolls to her feet, picking up a pole. Buffy gets up and pulls out Faith's knife. "That's mine," Faith sneered.
"Well, you're about to get it back," Buffy assured. Faith swings the pole in a down motion, Buffy side steps it. Buffy swings the knife at Faith. Faith catches her arm and throws her into an above ground air vent. Faith climbs up as well. Faith pulls Buffy to her feet.
"Man, I'm going to miss this," Faith breathed. Connor stood in the window watching, interested.
Buffy breaks Faith's grip and plunges the knife into Faith's abdomen. Both of them looked stunned for a moment.
"You did it," Faith congratulated, smiling weekly.
Faith does an up ward punch, throwing Buffy off the vent and onto her back.
"You killed me," Faith rasped. She climbs onto the low wall at the edge of the terrace and looks down. "Still won't help your boy, though. Shoulda been there, B, quite a ride. Faith falls backward off the wall and lands in the bed of a moving truck. Buffy hurries to her feet and to the wall; she sees Faith's body, unmoving, in a truck.
"Now, one last stop. Since Doyle's in town, lets check into his history." The scene shifts to a bar. Cordelia and Doyle's standing.
"So you got everyone figured out, huh?" Doyle asked.
"Not everyone. I mean you I don't get," Cordelia answered.
"Me?" How could someone not get Doyle?
"Yeah, I mean, what's with those vision things of yours?" Cordelia asked.
"They're messages I get, you know from the higher powers, whoever they may be. You know, it's my gift!" Doyle said defensively.
"If that was my gift, I'd return it. I mean you get those headaches, and you do this bleh thing with your face," Cordelia commented, hardly meaning to hurt.
Doyle downs a drink "What thing with my face?"
"Plus, your visions are kind of lame. A bar? That's nice and vague! I mean they should send you one of those self-destructing tapes, you know, that come with a dossier?"
"Well, I'm sure to mention it." Doyle said, obviously he had no choice.
A blond guy comes up holding a calling card "Hey, you're the one handing out those cards?"
"Do you need help?" Cordelia asked dismissing her and Doyle's conversation.
"Well, I was wondering if that is really your number. Do you mind if I ring you up some time for a date?" The blond guy asked.
"Yeah, she minds," Doyle snapped.
Cordelia puts a hand on Doyle's chest. "I can handle this, ok? Yes, I mind. This is a business card. We offer our services to people in need."
"Well, I might be in need of a little service. You charge by the hour?" The blond guy asked.
"Excuse me?" Cordelia asked.
"Alright. Just everyone relax here a little bit. The Lady is with me, all right?" Doyle said.
"No, I'm not," Cordelia argued.
"Hey, nobody is talking to you, wipe," the blond guy snapped at Doyle, getting annoyed with him.
"Listen, I don't want any trouble, okay?" Doyle said, dismissing the insult aimed at him.
Another guy walks up to them. "Hey, what's the trouble?"
"No trouble," Doyle answered. "Did I not just get through saying that we don't want any trouble? We are trouble-free, okay?"
"Turns out, she's a hooker and her pimp here is giving me a hard time," the blond guy answers.
"That's it!" Cordelia said defensively.
"Down, Cord..."
"Did you hear what he just said about me?" Cordelia snapped.
"Everyone just simmer down here, okay. violence isn't going to solve a thing here." Doyle steps forward and head-butts the blond guy. "On the other hand it is kind of festive." The three guys start fighting.
"Oh my gosh!" Cordelia shouts.
The bartender comes up to break up the fight and the blonde's friend hit him in the face.
"Oh my god!" Cordelia shouts.
Angel comes up and grabs the chair away from the blond guy as he gets ready to hit Doyle with it. He uses the chair to block the blond guy's punches, then throws him into the wall. Both guys go up against Angel but he hold them off easily. Then he and Doyle throw them into a pile and the bartender steps between them.
Cordelia points at the two guys. "Those two jerks started it!"
When they start to protest the bartender cuts them off. "Not a word. Not a word! Every time with you guys. Out! Come on. Lets go!"
The scene shifts and Connor is back in bed as if it all had been a dream. Connor relaxes. The scenes weren't that bad, in fact they were a bit entertaining.
Eve steps out of the shadow. "Where've you been?" Connor jumps at seeing her.
What was there to do? Angel was sure to have given his job to someone else. But was his part in Angel's life given away as well? Cordelia had accepted him back, why couldn't Angel?
"Hey?" Eve said sitting on a stool beside Doyle. "Something on your mind?" Eve looked up at him. She was listener, she loved listening to people's problems. She was a demon, but truth be known, the demon was never born, so therefore it cannot live, so therefore, no part of her is demon.
"No, I'm good," Doyle lied, leaning against the desk, looking forward into the empty hotel.
"It feels different don't it?" Eve asked, she didn't even have to read his mind. She saw how Angel only talked to him when he first seen him alive. She realized how much Angel avoided Doyle.
"Completely," Doyle answered.
"I know you didn't expect it, but well it has been nearly 4 years. Angel had to move on," Eve said.
"I know, Eve," Doyle said, his voice rising.
"You've changed, Doyle. You acted one way when you were living, okay maybe two ways, you know with you and Cordelia then you and Angel...But you died, then you went well where ever it is that you went, and you lived there for 3 isolated years. You expected to act different," Eve assured him. Doyle didn't bother to look at her.
"Angel thinks about it all the time," Eve said, changing the subject.
"What?" Doyle asked, not sure of what she was talking about.
"How it would have been if you had not died for him. He stopped, but he's been thinking about it a lot more since you're here. He's died before, Buffy killed him. But he's never died, died. Not the way you died. It must've hurt a lot."
"It did," Doyle said, agreeing. He could remember the light burning his skin, ripping it off of his body.
"Aw." Eve stood up, turned Doyle to face her and hugged him. Doyle didn't reject the hug, he endured it. He hugged back. And they stood like that, stood like that, wishing the moment to never end. They understood each other. He didn't love her and she didn't love him, he loved Cordelia and she loved everything. But they had a bond, an understanding one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Just a few left, Connor." The demon sat on Connor bed, it disgusted Connor but he held his tongue.
The demon took Connor arm and disappeared. They reappeared in Faith's apartment (In Graduation, where Buffy and her fight.)
"Where are we?" Connor asked.
"Well, there's two slayers, Connor. Both have their own little relationship with Angel. Buffy loves him and Faith loves to hate him. Well, that's an overstatement. But she wants to kill him and Buffy's here to stop her."
Buffy walks in, past Connor and turns off Faith's music. "Thought I'd stop by," the slayer said when Faith turn to look at her.
Faith rolls off the bed and stands. "Is he dead yet?" She asks as she brushes herself off.
"He's not gonna die," Buffy answers. "It's a good try, though. Your plan?
"Uh-huh," Faith answered. The mayor got me the poison. Said it was wicked painful.
"There's a cure," Buffy stated.
"Damn," Faith sweared. "What is it?"
"Your blood. As justice goes, it's not un-poetic, don't you think?
"Come to get? Gonna feed me to Angel? You know you're not going to take me alive."
"Not a problem."
"Well, look at you. All dressed up in big sister's clothes."
Buffy walks out toward Faith. "You told me I was just like you. But I was holding it in."
"Ready to cut loose?"
"Try me."
Faith tilts her head. "Okay then. Give us a kiss." Buffy punches Faith in her jaw. Faith takes the hit but does doesn't fall. After the realization hit her, she straightens and back hand punches Buffy. The two face off.
Buffy tries a low blow but Faith blocks that so Buffy tries a blow to the head but Faith blocks that as well. Buffy swings but misses Faith. Faiths a double back hand punch, Buffy blocks the first. Buffy reels around and swings at Faith but Faith ducks it. Faith does a series of punches, Buffy blocking or ducking all of them. Faith swings at Buffy, it is blocked. Buffy's other hand pushes Faith's arm down, using her free arm to punch the evil slayer. Faith takes the punch and pushes Buffy away.
Buffy swings but Faith ducks. Buffy jumps, but Faith kicks her legs, forcing her to return to the ground. Faith aims a kick to Buffy's face but Buffy easily ducks it. Buffy kicks at Faith, but it's blocked. Buffy reels and immidently does another high out - to- in crescent kick but Faith ducks it.
Faith grabs a hold of Buffy's shoulders and knees her in the face. They spin forcefully around and Buffy breaks free. Buffy does a high out - to - in crescent kick, kicking Faith in the face and knocking her back into a blue arm chair. Buffy runs at Faith. Faith stands up and kicks a foot rest, stool, it sliding and hitting Buffy's legs, knocking her back. Faith steps onto the stool and jumps off in an attempt to tackle Buffy. Buffy throws Faith off into, Faith lands in a red arm chair.
Buffy runs at Faith, but Faith kicks out and knocked Buffy into a wall, Buffy falls down. Faith pulls Buffy up but Buffy throws Faith off, knocking her down. Faith rolls to her feet to get kicked in the face by Buffy. Faith is knocked into a wall. Faith turns around soon enough to side step a kick from Buffy. Faith catches a swing from Buffy and flips her over onto her back. Faith jumps up and comes down with a punch to the floor, Buffy rolled away, missing it.
Buffy rolls to her feet to get kicked in the face by Faith, knocking her down again. Buffy gets to her feet again, she ducks a kick and dodges to the side to block a hit. Faith grabs a hold of Buffy's arm and neck. "Not getting tired are you? I'm just starting to feel it." Buffy shoves back, pushing Faith into a wall, getting free of her grip. She twists around and grabs onto Faith's arm and shoves her into a railing, flipping her over to be on her window seat. Faith clumsily stands.
Buffy jumps onto Faith's bed, holds onto the railing and jumps off, kicking Faith in the process on landing in front of her. Faith reels around. She punches but Buffy blocks. Buffy punches but Faith blocks. Faith slams Buffy into a wall. Buffy punches Faith then jumps out the window, breaking it, bringing Faith with her.
Faith gets into a sitting position; Buffy slaps on handcuffs. "Stick around," Buffy hisses to Faith. Faith punches Buffy knocking her to the side. Faith punches Buffy again, knocking her down. Buffy gets to her feet, pulling Faith with her. She turns around, spinning Faith, and slams faith into an electric box.
Faith throws Buffy into poles then drops to her knees and flips Buffy onto her back. Buffy gets to her feet pulling Faith up and kicks her twice in the back. Faith reels around and kicks Buffy in the face. Buffy throws Faith into a pile of stones then yanks her up and throws her to the ground. Buffy yanks Faith to her knees and holds her there. "What's the matter Faith? All that killing and you're afraid to die?" Faith punches Buffy in the face then flips her onto her back again. She unhand cuffs herself by breaking the handcuffs apart.
Faith rolls to her feet, picking up a pole. Buffy gets up and pulls out Faith's knife. "That's mine," Faith sneered.
"Well, you're about to get it back," Buffy assured. Faith swings the pole in a down motion, Buffy side steps it. Buffy swings the knife at Faith. Faith catches her arm and throws her into an above ground air vent. Faith climbs up as well. Faith pulls Buffy to her feet.
"Man, I'm going to miss this," Faith breathed. Connor stood in the window watching, interested.
Buffy breaks Faith's grip and plunges the knife into Faith's abdomen. Both of them looked stunned for a moment.
"You did it," Faith congratulated, smiling weekly.
Faith does an up ward punch, throwing Buffy off the vent and onto her back.
"You killed me," Faith rasped. She climbs onto the low wall at the edge of the terrace and looks down. "Still won't help your boy, though. Shoulda been there, B, quite a ride. Faith falls backward off the wall and lands in the bed of a moving truck. Buffy hurries to her feet and to the wall; she sees Faith's body, unmoving, in a truck.
"Now, one last stop. Since Doyle's in town, lets check into his history." The scene shifts to a bar. Cordelia and Doyle's standing.
"So you got everyone figured out, huh?" Doyle asked.
"Not everyone. I mean you I don't get," Cordelia answered.
"Me?" How could someone not get Doyle?
"Yeah, I mean, what's with those vision things of yours?" Cordelia asked.
"They're messages I get, you know from the higher powers, whoever they may be. You know, it's my gift!" Doyle said defensively.
"If that was my gift, I'd return it. I mean you get those headaches, and you do this bleh thing with your face," Cordelia commented, hardly meaning to hurt.
Doyle downs a drink "What thing with my face?"
"Plus, your visions are kind of lame. A bar? That's nice and vague! I mean they should send you one of those self-destructing tapes, you know, that come with a dossier?"
"Well, I'm sure to mention it." Doyle said, obviously he had no choice.
A blond guy comes up holding a calling card "Hey, you're the one handing out those cards?"
"Do you need help?" Cordelia asked dismissing her and Doyle's conversation.
"Well, I was wondering if that is really your number. Do you mind if I ring you up some time for a date?" The blond guy asked.
"Yeah, she minds," Doyle snapped.
Cordelia puts a hand on Doyle's chest. "I can handle this, ok? Yes, I mind. This is a business card. We offer our services to people in need."
"Well, I might be in need of a little service. You charge by the hour?" The blond guy asked.
"Excuse me?" Cordelia asked.
"Alright. Just everyone relax here a little bit. The Lady is with me, all right?" Doyle said.
"No, I'm not," Cordelia argued.
"Hey, nobody is talking to you, wipe," the blond guy snapped at Doyle, getting annoyed with him.
"Listen, I don't want any trouble, okay?" Doyle said, dismissing the insult aimed at him.
Another guy walks up to them. "Hey, what's the trouble?"
"No trouble," Doyle answered. "Did I not just get through saying that we don't want any trouble? We are trouble-free, okay?"
"Turns out, she's a hooker and her pimp here is giving me a hard time," the blond guy answers.
"That's it!" Cordelia said defensively.
"Down, Cord..."
"Did you hear what he just said about me?" Cordelia snapped.
"Everyone just simmer down here, okay. violence isn't going to solve a thing here." Doyle steps forward and head-butts the blond guy. "On the other hand it is kind of festive." The three guys start fighting.
"Oh my gosh!" Cordelia shouts.
The bartender comes up to break up the fight and the blonde's friend hit him in the face.
"Oh my god!" Cordelia shouts.
Angel comes up and grabs the chair away from the blond guy as he gets ready to hit Doyle with it. He uses the chair to block the blond guy's punches, then throws him into the wall. Both guys go up against Angel but he hold them off easily. Then he and Doyle throw them into a pile and the bartender steps between them.
Cordelia points at the two guys. "Those two jerks started it!"
When they start to protest the bartender cuts them off. "Not a word. Not a word! Every time with you guys. Out! Come on. Lets go!"
The scene shifts and Connor is back in bed as if it all had been a dream. Connor relaxes. The scenes weren't that bad, in fact they were a bit entertaining.
Eve steps out of the shadow. "Where've you been?" Connor jumps at seeing her.