Forbidden
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Can we help you?" Eve asked staring at the costumer that stood in front of the doors. He dressed in really outdated clothes; the clothes must have been from around the 11 hundreds.
"Yes, as a matter of you fact you can. I am looking for a person named Eve." The man looked forward, taking a step forward.
"I'm Eve," Eve answered rising to her feet and stepping forward.
"I am Báróid." He would have said more but Eve interrupted him.
"Báróid? Oh my god you're like well god is a good word. You're suppose to be dead. Like 900 years ago. Nice to meet you, dude." Eve reached for his hand and shook it." Báróid nodded and shook her hand as well. "Please tell me you're not a demon."
"Oh no. Course not. I died when I was suppose to, Eve. The powers thought that angel investigation should realize that there's a traitor among them." Eve looked down then around.
"Who?" Eve asked.
Báróid grinned. "You," he simply answered.
Eve's face straighten, she no longer felt like joking. "Me? Oh you've got to be kidding me."
"There is no kidding. Fore you are not a kid - child. Don't try to hide it." Báróid pointed up then continued. "They see all. They know who is kidding who. You're a traitor, Eve."
"You can't prove it," Eve argued. "Why the hell would they bring back some dumbass corpse to prove that 'there's a traitor among us'?"
"They figured out that part too." Báróid's expression changed in the blink of an eye then he lashed out his fist, connecting it with Eve's jaw and knocking her to the ground. He knocked her out. "Had strength when I was alive but never enough to knock out a vampire..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connor laid in bed, staring unblinkingly at the ceiling. Things were starting to get so dull. What was he suppose to do? Go out and kill vampires? No, he'd probably end up getting killed. He certainly couldn't hang out or even talk with the rest. That'd give a sense of family, and he didn't want to be part of their family. What about Eve? Nah, he didn't feel like talking with her. Her or Doyle, the only two people that didn't act like Angel's family.
But Connor saw Doyle. Saw Doyle in the past. Once upon a time Doyle was Angel's family. Angel's only family. Cordelia didn't act like his family then - all Angel had was Doyle. But now - now it's like Angel don't even need Doyle.
That pissed Connor off.
It hurt, deep down it hurt him. Hurt him more than any demon could ever do to him. Angel had all these people throwing themselves at him. He had Doyle, Cordelia, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Buffy - all those people in Sunnydale. Connor saw it, he saw it all. But what he didn't get was how Angel met Gunn, Fred, and Lorne. It came clear that Angel had to save their lives. All of them. That's his style. Save the life and befriend the victim.
Connor yawned in boredom. Where was Eve anyway? He hasn't seen her for a few hours. Memories flushed around in Connor's head. He remember meeting Eve, meeting Angel and Cordelia. He remembered it all so vividly. His memories were fine, despite how much Angel pisses him off. But now, he had all this new information. Angel and Buffy. Willow and Xander. Faith... Where was Faith?
Was she in jail? Nah, last time he checked she was dead. Connor jumped off his bed and left his room. He jogged down the hall then down the stair -- then out the door. That all went quick, yes, but not quick enough for him to notice no one there. Certainly Buffy and angel were in their room - or Angel's room. Xander and Anya were probably together as well. But Willow and Spike and Dawn and Gunn and Cordelia and Fred -- where were they?
Connor didn't give himself enough time to debate on it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angel and Buffy sat on his bed, their lips together. Guilt washed over Buffy. What, was she attracted to vampires? Everything told her, this was wrong. But ignored them all. She and Angel should be destined for each other. They were meant to be together! Damn the powers. Damn god. Damn whoever decided on them being apart. Damn them all!
"Angel," Buffy whispered, the two parting. "We can't do this. We say it every time."
"It's time for a change."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eve slowly opened her eyes, pain greeting her. She pushed herself into a sitting position and gazed around at her surroundings. She was in a cage which was in a dark room. Eve groaned and pushed herself to her feet.
"Hey," Eve shouted at the guy that was obviously guarding her. "Where am I?"
"Laterality dimension. Báróid brought you," the guard answered.
"Why?" Eve asked, resting her head against the bars. The guard shrugged. "Damnit!" Eve threw a finger in his direction and lit him on fire. But that didn't help. There were more guards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connor didn't even see the demon. The scene changed and he was once again in the past.
It's a back alley lit by Chinese lanterns. Angel breaks through into it from Lorne's bedroom. Wooden shards fly as he enlarges the opening. Cordelia steps through it, followed by Wesley, Fred, Gunn and Lorne. Then Angel half carries Darla through it.
"No. No. Go on. I can't. It doesn't matter anyway," Darla began.
"I'm not leave you, alright?" Angel assured her. "Easy. Alright." Angel pulls out his keys and tosses them towards the others. "Go get my car. It's out front."
He lowers Darla to the ground and crouches down beside her. "I got you." Cordelia makes a move to join him. "Go!" Angel ordered. All of them turn and hurry off; Lorne holding two pieces of carboard over his head to keep some of the rain off himself. After a few steps Fred stops and runs back to crouch beside Angel and Darla.
"Fred, go with them," Angel ordered.
"It's okay. They'll come back for us," Fred assured. Angel takes off his jack and slings it around Fred's shoulders.
Angel turned to Darla. "You're gonna be okay."
"No," Darla began. "No, I don't think so. Once he's gone, I won't be okay. I won't be okay at all. I don't know what I'll be. - Angel...our baby is gonna die right here in this alley. - You died in an alley, remember?"
"I remember," Angel answered.
"I want to say I'm sorry. I want to say it and mean it, but - I can't. - Aren't you gonna tell me it's okay?" Darla asked.
"No," Angel answered.
"No?" Darla asked. "It's really not, is it? We did so many terrible things together. So much destruction, so much - pain. - We can't make up for any of it. You know that, don't you." Connor stood behind Angel, looking at Darla. Tears escaped his eyes and slide down his cheeks.
"Yeah," Angel answered after a pause.
"This child - Angel, it's the one good thing we ever did together." Angel lifted Darla's hand between both of his and pressed it again his lips. "The only good thing," Darla repeated. Angel buries his face in his hands, still holding onto Darla's, and takes a sobbing breath. "You make sure to tell him that," Darla ordered.
Darla is holding one of the splinters of wood and buries it in her chest, gasping. Angel lifts his head and stares as Darla turns to dust. Where Darla was there is now a naked human infant lying in the rain, crying. The teenager infant stood behind Angel, crying as well.
The scene shifted again and he was in a warehouse (atop the bronze.) Angel is in his vamped face and Buffy has her crossbow trained on him. Angel morphs back into his human form.
"C'mon! Don't go soft on me now!" Angel ordered.
Buffy launches the bolt. It hits the wall next to Angel. "Little wide."
"Why?" Buffy gets up. "Why didn't you just attack me when you had the chance? Was it a joke? To make me feel for you and then...I've killed a lot of vampires. I've never hated one before."
"Feels good, doesn't it? Feels simple."
"I invited you into my home and then you attacked my family!" Buffy accused.
"Why not?" Angel asked. "I killed mine. I killed their friends...and their friend's children...for a hundred years i offered ugly deaths to everyone I met, and I did it with a song in my heart."
"What changed?" Buffy asked.
"Fed on a girl bout your age...beautiful...dumb as a post...but a favorite among her clan," Angel answered."
"Her clan?" Buffy asked, urging him to go on with the story.
"Romany," Angel continued. "Gypsies. The elders conjured the perfect punishment for me. They restored my soul."
"What, they were all out of boils and blinding torment?" Buffy asked coldly.
"When you become a vampire the demon takes your body, but it doesn't get your soul. That's gone! No conscience, no remorse...it's an easy way to live. You have no idea what it's like to have done the thing I've done...and to care. I haven't fed on a living human being since that day."
"So you started with my mom?" Buffy snapped.
"I didn't bite her," Angel spat.
"Then why didn't you say something?" Buffy asked.
"But I wanted to," Angel admitted. "I can walk like a man, but I'm not one," Angel continued. "I wanted to kill you tonight." Buffy looks at her bow and back at Angel. She puts the bow down on the floor and approaches him. She offers her neck.
"Go ahead." He just looks at her in silence. "Not as easy as it looks."
"Sure it is!" Buffy and Angel turn toward the voice to see Darla coming out of the shadows. Connor looks at Darla. "Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is?" Darla jumped onto a pool table.
"Bad hair on top of that outfit?" Buffy asked.
"To love someone who used to love you," Darla answered, ignoring Buffy.
Buffy looks at Angel. "You guys were involved?"
"For several generations," Darla answered for Angel.
"Well, you been around since Columbus, you are bound to pile up a few ex's. You're older than him, right?" Buffy asked. "Just between us girls, you are looking a little worn around the eyes."
Darla smiles. "I made him," she answered. "There was a time when we shared everything, wasn't there Angelus?" Darla asked Angel. "You had a chance to come home, to rule with me in the Master's court for a thousand years, but you threw that away because of her. You love someone who hates us. You're sick. And you'll always be sick. And you'll always remember what it was like to watch her die." Darla smiles again. "You don't think I came alone, do you?"
"I know I didn't." Buffy kicks the bow up into her hands and aims it at Darla.
"Hmm, scary." Darla produces two pistols from behind her back, one in each hand. "Scarier." Darla shoots Angel. Angel staggers back onto a post. Buffy looks back at Angel. "Oh, don't worry. Bullets can't kill vampires. Can hurt them like hell, but..." Darla giggles and Buffy retreats.
Darla starts shoot at Buffy. Buffy does a diving shoulder roll over a pool table and takes cover behind it. Buffy reloads the crossbow. "So many body parts so few bullets. Let's begin with the kneecaps. No fun dancing without them." She caps off a few more rounds, and the pool table takes a few hits. Buffy pops up with the crossbow and takes a shot at Darla. Darla doubles over when it hits her in the abdomen. Buffy watches as she straightens back up again. "Close, but no heart." Darla grabs the bolt, pulls it out and tosses it aside.
Willow is above them to the side. "Buffy, it wasn't Angel who attacked your mom, It was Darla!" She shouts. Darla turns toward the voice and lets loose a hail of bullets as they hug the floor for cover. Angel pulls the bolt from the wall. Darla turns her attention back on Buffy and hops up onto the pool table. Buffy jumps up, grabs the edge of the table and pulls, knocking Darla onto her back. She pushes the table away and starts to run for cover. Darla fires off a few rounds as she rides the table across the floor. Buffy leaps for cover over a glass case in a dive roll as bullets break it all around her. The pool table has stopped sliding, and Darla gets up to look for Buffy. She hops off of it and advances on the counter while shooting. Giles gets up and messes with the lighting system controls.
The strobes come on. Darla looks up at him and stops shooting. Buffy takes the opportunity to change position. Darla sees her move and lets loose another volley.
"C'mon, Buffy. Take it like a man!" Darla called out. Angel comes up behind her, roars and plunges the bolt into her back. She is surprised and cries out in pain. Darla turns to look at her attacker. "Angel?" Darla gasped then falls to the floor and bursts into ashes. Buffy rises up to see. Angel looks up from Darla's ashes at Buffy. She comes out from behind the counter. He looks at her a moment longer and then turns and leaves. Buffy is speechless and just watches him go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Can we help you?" Eve asked staring at the costumer that stood in front of the doors. He dressed in really outdated clothes; the clothes must have been from around the 11 hundreds.
"Yes, as a matter of you fact you can. I am looking for a person named Eve." The man looked forward, taking a step forward.
"I'm Eve," Eve answered rising to her feet and stepping forward.
"I am Báróid." He would have said more but Eve interrupted him.
"Báróid? Oh my god you're like well god is a good word. You're suppose to be dead. Like 900 years ago. Nice to meet you, dude." Eve reached for his hand and shook it." Báróid nodded and shook her hand as well. "Please tell me you're not a demon."
"Oh no. Course not. I died when I was suppose to, Eve. The powers thought that angel investigation should realize that there's a traitor among them." Eve looked down then around.
"Who?" Eve asked.
Báróid grinned. "You," he simply answered.
Eve's face straighten, she no longer felt like joking. "Me? Oh you've got to be kidding me."
"There is no kidding. Fore you are not a kid - child. Don't try to hide it." Báróid pointed up then continued. "They see all. They know who is kidding who. You're a traitor, Eve."
"You can't prove it," Eve argued. "Why the hell would they bring back some dumbass corpse to prove that 'there's a traitor among us'?"
"They figured out that part too." Báróid's expression changed in the blink of an eye then he lashed out his fist, connecting it with Eve's jaw and knocking her to the ground. He knocked her out. "Had strength when I was alive but never enough to knock out a vampire..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connor laid in bed, staring unblinkingly at the ceiling. Things were starting to get so dull. What was he suppose to do? Go out and kill vampires? No, he'd probably end up getting killed. He certainly couldn't hang out or even talk with the rest. That'd give a sense of family, and he didn't want to be part of their family. What about Eve? Nah, he didn't feel like talking with her. Her or Doyle, the only two people that didn't act like Angel's family.
But Connor saw Doyle. Saw Doyle in the past. Once upon a time Doyle was Angel's family. Angel's only family. Cordelia didn't act like his family then - all Angel had was Doyle. But now - now it's like Angel don't even need Doyle.
That pissed Connor off.
It hurt, deep down it hurt him. Hurt him more than any demon could ever do to him. Angel had all these people throwing themselves at him. He had Doyle, Cordelia, Gunn, Fred, Lorne, Buffy - all those people in Sunnydale. Connor saw it, he saw it all. But what he didn't get was how Angel met Gunn, Fred, and Lorne. It came clear that Angel had to save their lives. All of them. That's his style. Save the life and befriend the victim.
Connor yawned in boredom. Where was Eve anyway? He hasn't seen her for a few hours. Memories flushed around in Connor's head. He remember meeting Eve, meeting Angel and Cordelia. He remembered it all so vividly. His memories were fine, despite how much Angel pisses him off. But now, he had all this new information. Angel and Buffy. Willow and Xander. Faith... Where was Faith?
Was she in jail? Nah, last time he checked she was dead. Connor jumped off his bed and left his room. He jogged down the hall then down the stair -- then out the door. That all went quick, yes, but not quick enough for him to notice no one there. Certainly Buffy and angel were in their room - or Angel's room. Xander and Anya were probably together as well. But Willow and Spike and Dawn and Gunn and Cordelia and Fred -- where were they?
Connor didn't give himself enough time to debate on it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angel and Buffy sat on his bed, their lips together. Guilt washed over Buffy. What, was she attracted to vampires? Everything told her, this was wrong. But ignored them all. She and Angel should be destined for each other. They were meant to be together! Damn the powers. Damn god. Damn whoever decided on them being apart. Damn them all!
"Angel," Buffy whispered, the two parting. "We can't do this. We say it every time."
"It's time for a change."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eve slowly opened her eyes, pain greeting her. She pushed herself into a sitting position and gazed around at her surroundings. She was in a cage which was in a dark room. Eve groaned and pushed herself to her feet.
"Hey," Eve shouted at the guy that was obviously guarding her. "Where am I?"
"Laterality dimension. Báróid brought you," the guard answered.
"Why?" Eve asked, resting her head against the bars. The guard shrugged. "Damnit!" Eve threw a finger in his direction and lit him on fire. But that didn't help. There were more guards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connor didn't even see the demon. The scene changed and he was once again in the past.
It's a back alley lit by Chinese lanterns. Angel breaks through into it from Lorne's bedroom. Wooden shards fly as he enlarges the opening. Cordelia steps through it, followed by Wesley, Fred, Gunn and Lorne. Then Angel half carries Darla through it.
"No. No. Go on. I can't. It doesn't matter anyway," Darla began.
"I'm not leave you, alright?" Angel assured her. "Easy. Alright." Angel pulls out his keys and tosses them towards the others. "Go get my car. It's out front."
He lowers Darla to the ground and crouches down beside her. "I got you." Cordelia makes a move to join him. "Go!" Angel ordered. All of them turn and hurry off; Lorne holding two pieces of carboard over his head to keep some of the rain off himself. After a few steps Fred stops and runs back to crouch beside Angel and Darla.
"Fred, go with them," Angel ordered.
"It's okay. They'll come back for us," Fred assured. Angel takes off his jack and slings it around Fred's shoulders.
Angel turned to Darla. "You're gonna be okay."
"No," Darla began. "No, I don't think so. Once he's gone, I won't be okay. I won't be okay at all. I don't know what I'll be. - Angel...our baby is gonna die right here in this alley. - You died in an alley, remember?"
"I remember," Angel answered.
"I want to say I'm sorry. I want to say it and mean it, but - I can't. - Aren't you gonna tell me it's okay?" Darla asked.
"No," Angel answered.
"No?" Darla asked. "It's really not, is it? We did so many terrible things together. So much destruction, so much - pain. - We can't make up for any of it. You know that, don't you." Connor stood behind Angel, looking at Darla. Tears escaped his eyes and slide down his cheeks.
"Yeah," Angel answered after a pause.
"This child - Angel, it's the one good thing we ever did together." Angel lifted Darla's hand between both of his and pressed it again his lips. "The only good thing," Darla repeated. Angel buries his face in his hands, still holding onto Darla's, and takes a sobbing breath. "You make sure to tell him that," Darla ordered.
Darla is holding one of the splinters of wood and buries it in her chest, gasping. Angel lifts his head and stares as Darla turns to dust. Where Darla was there is now a naked human infant lying in the rain, crying. The teenager infant stood behind Angel, crying as well.
The scene shifted again and he was in a warehouse (atop the bronze.) Angel is in his vamped face and Buffy has her crossbow trained on him. Angel morphs back into his human form.
"C'mon! Don't go soft on me now!" Angel ordered.
Buffy launches the bolt. It hits the wall next to Angel. "Little wide."
"Why?" Buffy gets up. "Why didn't you just attack me when you had the chance? Was it a joke? To make me feel for you and then...I've killed a lot of vampires. I've never hated one before."
"Feels good, doesn't it? Feels simple."
"I invited you into my home and then you attacked my family!" Buffy accused.
"Why not?" Angel asked. "I killed mine. I killed their friends...and their friend's children...for a hundred years i offered ugly deaths to everyone I met, and I did it with a song in my heart."
"What changed?" Buffy asked.
"Fed on a girl bout your age...beautiful...dumb as a post...but a favorite among her clan," Angel answered."
"Her clan?" Buffy asked, urging him to go on with the story.
"Romany," Angel continued. "Gypsies. The elders conjured the perfect punishment for me. They restored my soul."
"What, they were all out of boils and blinding torment?" Buffy asked coldly.
"When you become a vampire the demon takes your body, but it doesn't get your soul. That's gone! No conscience, no remorse...it's an easy way to live. You have no idea what it's like to have done the thing I've done...and to care. I haven't fed on a living human being since that day."
"So you started with my mom?" Buffy snapped.
"I didn't bite her," Angel spat.
"Then why didn't you say something?" Buffy asked.
"But I wanted to," Angel admitted. "I can walk like a man, but I'm not one," Angel continued. "I wanted to kill you tonight." Buffy looks at her bow and back at Angel. She puts the bow down on the floor and approaches him. She offers her neck.
"Go ahead." He just looks at her in silence. "Not as easy as it looks."
"Sure it is!" Buffy and Angel turn toward the voice to see Darla coming out of the shadows. Connor looks at Darla. "Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is?" Darla jumped onto a pool table.
"Bad hair on top of that outfit?" Buffy asked.
"To love someone who used to love you," Darla answered, ignoring Buffy.
Buffy looks at Angel. "You guys were involved?"
"For several generations," Darla answered for Angel.
"Well, you been around since Columbus, you are bound to pile up a few ex's. You're older than him, right?" Buffy asked. "Just between us girls, you are looking a little worn around the eyes."
Darla smiles. "I made him," she answered. "There was a time when we shared everything, wasn't there Angelus?" Darla asked Angel. "You had a chance to come home, to rule with me in the Master's court for a thousand years, but you threw that away because of her. You love someone who hates us. You're sick. And you'll always be sick. And you'll always remember what it was like to watch her die." Darla smiles again. "You don't think I came alone, do you?"
"I know I didn't." Buffy kicks the bow up into her hands and aims it at Darla.
"Hmm, scary." Darla produces two pistols from behind her back, one in each hand. "Scarier." Darla shoots Angel. Angel staggers back onto a post. Buffy looks back at Angel. "Oh, don't worry. Bullets can't kill vampires. Can hurt them like hell, but..." Darla giggles and Buffy retreats.
Darla starts shoot at Buffy. Buffy does a diving shoulder roll over a pool table and takes cover behind it. Buffy reloads the crossbow. "So many body parts so few bullets. Let's begin with the kneecaps. No fun dancing without them." She caps off a few more rounds, and the pool table takes a few hits. Buffy pops up with the crossbow and takes a shot at Darla. Darla doubles over when it hits her in the abdomen. Buffy watches as she straightens back up again. "Close, but no heart." Darla grabs the bolt, pulls it out and tosses it aside.
Willow is above them to the side. "Buffy, it wasn't Angel who attacked your mom, It was Darla!" She shouts. Darla turns toward the voice and lets loose a hail of bullets as they hug the floor for cover. Angel pulls the bolt from the wall. Darla turns her attention back on Buffy and hops up onto the pool table. Buffy jumps up, grabs the edge of the table and pulls, knocking Darla onto her back. She pushes the table away and starts to run for cover. Darla fires off a few rounds as she rides the table across the floor. Buffy leaps for cover over a glass case in a dive roll as bullets break it all around her. The pool table has stopped sliding, and Darla gets up to look for Buffy. She hops off of it and advances on the counter while shooting. Giles gets up and messes with the lighting system controls.
The strobes come on. Darla looks up at him and stops shooting. Buffy takes the opportunity to change position. Darla sees her move and lets loose another volley.
"C'mon, Buffy. Take it like a man!" Darla called out. Angel comes up behind her, roars and plunges the bolt into her back. She is surprised and cries out in pain. Darla turns to look at her attacker. "Angel?" Darla gasped then falls to the floor and bursts into ashes. Buffy rises up to see. Angel looks up from Darla's ashes at Buffy. She comes out from behind the counter. He looks at her a moment longer and then turns and leaves. Buffy is speechless and just watches him go.