Chapter Three
The Apartment: 11:00 am
It was pretty much the middle of the night for him but he couldn't rest until the deed was done. He had fed the night before when he had run out into the alley just as he had had an inkling of what was happening to him. A woman approached him; she lived in the building. They had passed any number of times with no consequence so she gave no thought to her safety as she approached him when she found him doubled up with pain.
As soon as she laid a hand on his shoulder, that was it. It all came rushing back. All of the old instincts to the fore. There was no hesitation, no thought. It was a beautiful thing. And he was nice and warm when he crawled back in bed with his lover. Yes indeed, it was a beautiful thing.
With his hunger more sated than it had been in years, he would be able to treat her with the finesse that she deserved. He meant for this to be good and he meant to take his time.
If anything, being forced into one hundred years of introspection had its benefits. Angel had been a voracious reader. Ultimately mastering several languages including Russian and Latin. Ol' Liam had never been much of a student, not slow just bored. And well, once Darla came around reading a musty old book was the furthest thing from his mind not that he hadn't learned from her. He had become quite the apt pupil in all things sensual. He had traveled, seen the world - through both his own marvelously enhanced eyes and through those of his victims. He had literally drunk up knowledge. And now, he had the benefit of it all - Liam, Angelous, Angel and so would she.
In thinking of this, his amalgamation of personalities, he realized that he was now none of the above. Not the bloodthirsty scrounge of Europe, not the brooding sad sack with his heart on his sleeve and certainly not that drunken sot of an Irishman. He was someone totally different. What had he read - self -actualization? Yeah, sure that was him for sure. Finally the sum of his parts. Smarter than before, more patient, more focused, more careful in his pursuits - he might as well reap the benefits of them all. Angel's vast amount of reading, his comfort with the 21st century; Liam's Old World charm; Angelous' strength, his thirst, his quest for dominance. It was all good.
Whoever he turned out to be. He was sure on one thing - it all lead back to her. As with the rest of Angel, he carried his love for her along - soul or no soul. Past not risking any sort of mistake in safely securing her position beside of him, he had no immediate plans. Man, Angelous had changed. Once upon a time, he would have been out recruiting minions by now. Times change and if you don't change with them.. Now, he was satisfied with seeing where Buffy's demon would lead. Just the thought made his own eyes glow with yellow fire.
Continuing in his new vein, he called up his bank - thank god that Angel hadn't done something stupid with "their" money. Two hundred years could build quite a nest egg. He could afford better than this small basement apartment on the wrong side of the tracks. After the bank, then the realtor - when he first came into town he had bought a big stone house out by the beach. It had plenty of shade and bolt holes already - hello - Sunnydale! He had arranged for some new plumbing and wiring for the basement - money would buy anything - but had never moved in. It had just never felt right to Angel - too big, too comfortable, too safe - it was like he didn't deserve it. Hello? Of course he deserved it and by this time tomorrow he and Buffy would be home sweet home.
Angel looked at his watch, it was almost noon. The kiddies would be home from school soon and nosing around for their almighty leader. It would behoove him to get moving before one of them came crashing in. He traveled light. After two trips to the parking garage under the building, all of the items that meant anything to any of his many selves were ready to go leaving only Buffy.
He picked up her clothes, including her bookbag with an extensive selection of stakes. He stuffed her clothes and shoes in the bag and slug it over his shoulder before picking her up wrapped in a blanket. With one last look around the room, he whispered an incantation to cover their tracks just in case.
The Apartment: 11:00 am
It was pretty much the middle of the night for him but he couldn't rest until the deed was done. He had fed the night before when he had run out into the alley just as he had had an inkling of what was happening to him. A woman approached him; she lived in the building. They had passed any number of times with no consequence so she gave no thought to her safety as she approached him when she found him doubled up with pain.
As soon as she laid a hand on his shoulder, that was it. It all came rushing back. All of the old instincts to the fore. There was no hesitation, no thought. It was a beautiful thing. And he was nice and warm when he crawled back in bed with his lover. Yes indeed, it was a beautiful thing.
With his hunger more sated than it had been in years, he would be able to treat her with the finesse that she deserved. He meant for this to be good and he meant to take his time.
If anything, being forced into one hundred years of introspection had its benefits. Angel had been a voracious reader. Ultimately mastering several languages including Russian and Latin. Ol' Liam had never been much of a student, not slow just bored. And well, once Darla came around reading a musty old book was the furthest thing from his mind not that he hadn't learned from her. He had become quite the apt pupil in all things sensual. He had traveled, seen the world - through both his own marvelously enhanced eyes and through those of his victims. He had literally drunk up knowledge. And now, he had the benefit of it all - Liam, Angelous, Angel and so would she.
In thinking of this, his amalgamation of personalities, he realized that he was now none of the above. Not the bloodthirsty scrounge of Europe, not the brooding sad sack with his heart on his sleeve and certainly not that drunken sot of an Irishman. He was someone totally different. What had he read - self -actualization? Yeah, sure that was him for sure. Finally the sum of his parts. Smarter than before, more patient, more focused, more careful in his pursuits - he might as well reap the benefits of them all. Angel's vast amount of reading, his comfort with the 21st century; Liam's Old World charm; Angelous' strength, his thirst, his quest for dominance. It was all good.
Whoever he turned out to be. He was sure on one thing - it all lead back to her. As with the rest of Angel, he carried his love for her along - soul or no soul. Past not risking any sort of mistake in safely securing her position beside of him, he had no immediate plans. Man, Angelous had changed. Once upon a time, he would have been out recruiting minions by now. Times change and if you don't change with them.. Now, he was satisfied with seeing where Buffy's demon would lead. Just the thought made his own eyes glow with yellow fire.
Continuing in his new vein, he called up his bank - thank god that Angel hadn't done something stupid with "their" money. Two hundred years could build quite a nest egg. He could afford better than this small basement apartment on the wrong side of the tracks. After the bank, then the realtor - when he first came into town he had bought a big stone house out by the beach. It had plenty of shade and bolt holes already - hello - Sunnydale! He had arranged for some new plumbing and wiring for the basement - money would buy anything - but had never moved in. It had just never felt right to Angel - too big, too comfortable, too safe - it was like he didn't deserve it. Hello? Of course he deserved it and by this time tomorrow he and Buffy would be home sweet home.
Angel looked at his watch, it was almost noon. The kiddies would be home from school soon and nosing around for their almighty leader. It would behoove him to get moving before one of them came crashing in. He traveled light. After two trips to the parking garage under the building, all of the items that meant anything to any of his many selves were ready to go leaving only Buffy.
He picked up her clothes, including her bookbag with an extensive selection of stakes. He stuffed her clothes and shoes in the bag and slug it over his shoulder before picking her up wrapped in a blanket. With one last look around the room, he whispered an incantation to cover their tracks just in case.
