Disclaimer: With the exception of Aurora Halley, all characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
This takes place sometime between Season 3's "Tomorrow" and Season 4's "Deep Down."
Feedback sent to slayerbelle@go.com would be much appreciated.
CHAPTER 2
Both Scarred
Aurora Halley had always looked upon Wesley Wyndham-Pryce with adoration. There was something about him saving her life that bound her to him, irrationally and inexplicably. As a former Watcher and since he started working for (and eventually heading) Angel Investigations, he must have saved dozens of lives. If not hundreds.
*Where are they now?* Aurora wondered, her knuckles gently tapping the apartment door. *How can they just go on and not feel indebted, not feel compelled to see how goes their savior?*
Too easy to forget.
He opened the door, towel at his waist, hair still wet, his normally pale skin flushed. She almost took a step back, thought she was mistaken, she couldn't possibly have the right apartment.
"Wesley." A soft cry was all she could manage before she gave up and threw her arms around him. She knew what had happened to him but she didn't expect to find him a changed man.
He hesitated before touching her, fidgeting as someone who has been badly burned does. She would have none of it. He let some of the defenses down moments later, opting to let her in. She felt him sigh, into her hair, damp hands leaving prints on the back of her dress.
"I should get some clothes on," he said.
Aurora couldn't suppress the sad giggle. "Only if this makes you uncomfortable."
It was exactly the kind of thing they would say to one another, but he didn't laugh now.
He returned to her minutes later, completely dressed. Despite the obvious disregard for the grooming of facial hair, he seemed the same. There were things he didn't let go of even in his despair, it seemed. He still made an effort to dress well. He smelled great. There were appearances to keep, after all.
"Forgive my... lack of hospitality, Aurora. I didn't expect you. I realize that I'm out of tea or anything else to offer you..."
"We don't have time for tea anyway."
"We don't?" he seemed slightly startled, but not suspicious. At least, not right then. "And what exactly would we have time for?"
"I just want to talk."
"Talk is rare, nowadays."
"I've missed you a lot," she said softly. "I got absorbed in that life I thought I was having. I miss you, Cordelia... there were really bad times there."
She didn't show up on his doorstep just to unload her pain on him but she couldn't help it. She had no one else.
Wesley touched her eyebrow. "Your face... I just noticed now. A scar is healing. You've been attacked."
"Rebecca and I."
"The Kalderash?"
"Yes. We got away though. It was a bad day."
"We haven't seen Rebecca hovering about in a while. I'm glad she's still alive."
Aurora sighed. "Just barely. She doesn't feel like she's cut out for protecting Angel. She's sloppy, she gets caught a lot. I try... I try to let her know how important her work is, but the pressure is bearing down on her. She wants to quit."
At the sound of the name, Wesley cringed. Almost imperceptibly. He cleared his throat before he replied.
"You can't teach people how to have a mission."
"I'm beginning to learn that. Still, she has the power now. She's responsible for him. I can't let her shirk that just because she doesn't feel the need." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Aurora wanted to apologize. Arguing for the importance of keeping Angel alive was probably the last thing Wesley wanted to discuss. "I'm sorry," she said instead, talking about the other thing. The other elephant in the room. "I would have been here."
"Lots of that going around."
"What, regret?"
"You had your own battles." Empty regret.
Moments like this reminded Aurora why losing touch with these people scared her. Too much could happen in a day. An uncomfortable pause during a normal conversation foretold some sort of somber announcement. The feeling was dreadful. It also underscored how apart from their lives she was.
*Focus. No distractions.*
"Have you... spoken to Cordelia recently?" she asked gently.
No topic seemed pain-free; it was frustrating.
The way he drew in his breath -- slow, ragged, deliberate -- it was like it physically hurt. "I'm afraid I haven't been worth her time lately."
"I just think you need to give her that. You know, time."
"Sometimes I feel like I give too much time away already."
Clearly this thing called talking was not helping him at all. Aurora checked her watch. "Let's go."
"Where?"
"I have to take you to the marina."
To be continued
This takes place sometime between Season 3's "Tomorrow" and Season 4's "Deep Down."
Feedback sent to slayerbelle@go.com would be much appreciated.
CHAPTER 2
Both Scarred
Aurora Halley had always looked upon Wesley Wyndham-Pryce with adoration. There was something about him saving her life that bound her to him, irrationally and inexplicably. As a former Watcher and since he started working for (and eventually heading) Angel Investigations, he must have saved dozens of lives. If not hundreds.
*Where are they now?* Aurora wondered, her knuckles gently tapping the apartment door. *How can they just go on and not feel indebted, not feel compelled to see how goes their savior?*
Too easy to forget.
He opened the door, towel at his waist, hair still wet, his normally pale skin flushed. She almost took a step back, thought she was mistaken, she couldn't possibly have the right apartment.
"Wesley." A soft cry was all she could manage before she gave up and threw her arms around him. She knew what had happened to him but she didn't expect to find him a changed man.
He hesitated before touching her, fidgeting as someone who has been badly burned does. She would have none of it. He let some of the defenses down moments later, opting to let her in. She felt him sigh, into her hair, damp hands leaving prints on the back of her dress.
"I should get some clothes on," he said.
Aurora couldn't suppress the sad giggle. "Only if this makes you uncomfortable."
It was exactly the kind of thing they would say to one another, but he didn't laugh now.
He returned to her minutes later, completely dressed. Despite the obvious disregard for the grooming of facial hair, he seemed the same. There were things he didn't let go of even in his despair, it seemed. He still made an effort to dress well. He smelled great. There were appearances to keep, after all.
"Forgive my... lack of hospitality, Aurora. I didn't expect you. I realize that I'm out of tea or anything else to offer you..."
"We don't have time for tea anyway."
"We don't?" he seemed slightly startled, but not suspicious. At least, not right then. "And what exactly would we have time for?"
"I just want to talk."
"Talk is rare, nowadays."
"I've missed you a lot," she said softly. "I got absorbed in that life I thought I was having. I miss you, Cordelia... there were really bad times there."
She didn't show up on his doorstep just to unload her pain on him but she couldn't help it. She had no one else.
Wesley touched her eyebrow. "Your face... I just noticed now. A scar is healing. You've been attacked."
"Rebecca and I."
"The Kalderash?"
"Yes. We got away though. It was a bad day."
"We haven't seen Rebecca hovering about in a while. I'm glad she's still alive."
Aurora sighed. "Just barely. She doesn't feel like she's cut out for protecting Angel. She's sloppy, she gets caught a lot. I try... I try to let her know how important her work is, but the pressure is bearing down on her. She wants to quit."
At the sound of the name, Wesley cringed. Almost imperceptibly. He cleared his throat before he replied.
"You can't teach people how to have a mission."
"I'm beginning to learn that. Still, she has the power now. She's responsible for him. I can't let her shirk that just because she doesn't feel the need." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Aurora wanted to apologize. Arguing for the importance of keeping Angel alive was probably the last thing Wesley wanted to discuss. "I'm sorry," she said instead, talking about the other thing. The other elephant in the room. "I would have been here."
"Lots of that going around."
"What, regret?"
"You had your own battles." Empty regret.
Moments like this reminded Aurora why losing touch with these people scared her. Too much could happen in a day. An uncomfortable pause during a normal conversation foretold some sort of somber announcement. The feeling was dreadful. It also underscored how apart from their lives she was.
*Focus. No distractions.*
"Have you... spoken to Cordelia recently?" she asked gently.
No topic seemed pain-free; it was frustrating.
The way he drew in his breath -- slow, ragged, deliberate -- it was like it physically hurt. "I'm afraid I haven't been worth her time lately."
"I just think you need to give her that. You know, time."
"Sometimes I feel like I give too much time away already."
Clearly this thing called talking was not helping him at all. Aurora checked her watch. "Let's go."
"Where?"
"I have to take you to the marina."
To be continued
