Set: post rain of fire but before angel becomes angelus.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the show but I do own Ben and I do own Isobel.
*****Nine months in the future********
Fred gripped onto Gunn's hand as she screamed in agony. The doctors encouraged her, promising just one more push and it would all be over. Gunn held on to Fred's hand and wished he didn't feel so useless. The doctor pulled out the child and called it's a boy. Fred collapsed back on the bed and cried. Gunn stared at his son taking his first breath and then screaming as loudly as he could. He was a father.
***********Eighteen years later**************
Gunn woke up with a start. He was asleep on a chair in the lobby of the hotel. He checked his watch, half four in the morning and Ben still wasn't home. He stretched out in his chair and tried calling Ben's cell phone for the hundredth time. The same answering machine message. He didn't bother even leaving a message. He'd already left six tonight. He pulled himself off the chair and climbed up the stairs to the fourth floor. His and Fred's floor. A self contained apartment. They had intended moving out after Ben was born, to give him a nice, normal childhood but they never got around to it. And now they couldn't imagine living anywhere else. He pushed open the door to his bedroom and fell down on the bed to go to sleep. Fred mumbled a little and wrapped her arms around him. *********************************************************** Ben watched his father climb the stairs, his finger to his lips telling his girlfriend to be silent. Isobel rolled her eyes and ran her hands through her short blonde hair. She checked her watch, gone half four. She should ring her dad and tell him she wasn't coming home but then he'd argue and yell. It was easier just to do things this way. Ben slipped the door open and held it open for his girlfriend of four months. They slipped quietly up to the fourth floor. Ben had converted part of it for his room, four old rooms knocked together and a separate bathroom. He was lucky that Angel had him let do it. Isobel crept quietly behind her boyfriend. She'd never been to his room before or even into the hotel. He usually came to her apartment. She wondered how many people lived here. She knew that Ben and his parents did, his uncle Angel and some guy called Lorne. Not that she had met any of them. Ben claimed that they'd just try and break them up if they found out. She didn't mind too much it's not like he'd met her dad, but she had good reasons. He'd probably threaten to kill the boy who was corrupting his little girl. They got to the fourth floor and Ben laughed out loud 'They can't hear us up here.' He told her. 'Good' Isobel smiled and pushed him back onto his bed.
****************************************************
Angel got up early and went downstairs for his blood. As usual no one else was up and he went online to read the paper. At eight o' clock he climbed up to Ben's room and knocked on the door. 'Out of bed Ben! You have to get to college.' He yelled. No answer. Angel pushed the door open to check if he was even in there but he had been sure he'd heard him creep in after his dad went to bed. Ben wasn't in his bed but a girl was. 'He's in the shower. I'm Isobel. And do you mind leaving so I can get dressed?' she smiled at the stranger in the doorway, keeping her voice controlled trying not to go red. 'Sorry sorry I didn't know' Angel spluttered as he backed out of the room. Isobel climbed out of bed and pulled her clothes on, she grabbed her bag and pulled out a stake. 'Ben I'm off I have to get home to change before my first lecture' she called in the door. 'I'll see you for lunch at the pod.'
Isobel walked down the hallway. She paused and listened. The vampire had gone downstairs. Why couldn't she have anytime off? She followed quietly. Better to do this fast before any trouble starts. She got to the top of the flight of stairs leading to the lobby. He was halfway down the stair case. She kicked off her shoes. She jumped and placed a kick into the middle of his back. He wasn't expecting it and fell flat on his face. She pulled her stake out of her pocket and jumped on top of him, intending to stake him in the back. He rolled out of the way, quick as lightening. She landed on her feet. 'I don't have time for this to take all day. So just be a good little vamp and stay still so I can stake you.' Isobel smiled 'It won't hurt a bit.' 'Hey I've got a soul and who do you think you are coming into my home and trying to stake me?' Angel pulled back and grabbed a sword to defend himself. 'Of course you have a soul, they all do. I don't care. I kill bad things. You are a vamp also known as a bad thing.' Isobel lunged at him. She knocked the sword of his hand and punched him into the face. Angel fell to the floor. Isobel lifted her arm to stake him straight into the heart. He twisted her around so that he had be arms behind her back. 'Now I don't think you're listening to me. You are not going to stake me. What are you? The slayer.' He grabbed a piece and rope and tied her hands up deftly. 'No, I'm not the slayer. I'm a slayer. There are rather a lot of us you know.' Isobel ripped the roped apart, and prepared to attack again.
'Stop!' Ben ran down the stairs. 'What's going on?' 'Your little girlfriend is trying to stake me.' Angel answered. 'Hello? He's a vampire. You know bad evil thing that kills.' Isobel answered. 'I presume you know that they exist seeming you live with one.' 'That's my uncle Angel.' Ben stated. 'I presume that's an honouree title?' she spat back at him. 'Yes it is and since when did you got all monster killer? You're majoring in history not demonology.' He yelled at her. 'I'm out of here. Don't call.' Isobel grabbed her purse and her shoes 'And I faked it!' she held her head up high and walked out. *******************************************************
Ben looked at Angel. Angel looked back at him. 'Why does everything about my life have to be so complicated?' Ben asked. 'Because life is. Where did you find her?' Angel asked, stretching him arm. It hurt like hell. 'We have classes together at college. She seemed so nice and ordinary.' Ben sat on the steps and looked dejected. 'Why don't I make you breakfast?' Angel offered, not sure what the protocol was when your nephew's girlfriend tries to kill you. 'Not hungry. I'd better get going to classes.' Ben stood and walked out the door.
***********************************************************
Isobel walked into her apartment and collapsed onto her sofa. 'Where the bloody hell have you been all night? I was worried sick. You could have been lying dead somewhere for all I knew?' Her dad yelled at her. 'Oh shut up dad. I've just had the worst night of my life so can you just leave me alone?' Isobel burst into tears and spilled the story to her dad, leaving out the bit where she slept with Ben. He wrapped his arms around his little girl and rocked her back and forth until her tears subsided and she fell asleep. He picked her up gently and carried her into her bedroom. He pulled her shoes off and placed a blanket around her. Then he grabbed his sword and went to sort out everything for her. 'Stop dad' Isobel called from her room 'I can sort this out on my own.'
********** Two weeks later*******************************
Isobel sat in the club listening to a green sprite singing 'Don't know why' in a high, squeaky voice. She giggled, her dad was ordering at the bar. He brought her back an orange juice. 'Why don't you go up and sing?' he asked. 'Because I'll be laughed out of here.' Isobel smiled at him. 'Please pet do it for your old man.' He encouraged her. 'Okay, any requests?' she inquired. 'Anything you want to sing love.' He watched her walk to the karaoke machine and sighed. It was underhanded getting her read this way but he needed to know what her future held.
Ben and Angel walked in the door of Caritas. Lorne waved over at them and beckoned them towards his post at the bar.
Isobel started to sing.
My beloved monster and me we go everywhere together wearing a raincoat that has four sleeves get us through all kinds of weather She will always be the only thing that comes between me and the awful sting that comes from living in a world that's so damn mean My beloved monster is tough if she wants she could disrobe you but if you lay her down for a kiss her little heart it would explode.
Isobel sang and smiled as she remembered her dad singing this to her mom. Lorne collapsed onto the floor. Ben ran towards the stage. Isobel ran off. The backing track continued to play. Isobel's dad ran to the bar to Lorne. He knew that Isobel could take care of herself. Angel looked up at him. 'Spike.'
A/N: The song is 'My beloved monster and me' by the Eels.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the show but I do own Ben and I do own Isobel.
*****Nine months in the future********
Fred gripped onto Gunn's hand as she screamed in agony. The doctors encouraged her, promising just one more push and it would all be over. Gunn held on to Fred's hand and wished he didn't feel so useless. The doctor pulled out the child and called it's a boy. Fred collapsed back on the bed and cried. Gunn stared at his son taking his first breath and then screaming as loudly as he could. He was a father.
***********Eighteen years later**************
Gunn woke up with a start. He was asleep on a chair in the lobby of the hotel. He checked his watch, half four in the morning and Ben still wasn't home. He stretched out in his chair and tried calling Ben's cell phone for the hundredth time. The same answering machine message. He didn't bother even leaving a message. He'd already left six tonight. He pulled himself off the chair and climbed up the stairs to the fourth floor. His and Fred's floor. A self contained apartment. They had intended moving out after Ben was born, to give him a nice, normal childhood but they never got around to it. And now they couldn't imagine living anywhere else. He pushed open the door to his bedroom and fell down on the bed to go to sleep. Fred mumbled a little and wrapped her arms around him. *********************************************************** Ben watched his father climb the stairs, his finger to his lips telling his girlfriend to be silent. Isobel rolled her eyes and ran her hands through her short blonde hair. She checked her watch, gone half four. She should ring her dad and tell him she wasn't coming home but then he'd argue and yell. It was easier just to do things this way. Ben slipped the door open and held it open for his girlfriend of four months. They slipped quietly up to the fourth floor. Ben had converted part of it for his room, four old rooms knocked together and a separate bathroom. He was lucky that Angel had him let do it. Isobel crept quietly behind her boyfriend. She'd never been to his room before or even into the hotel. He usually came to her apartment. She wondered how many people lived here. She knew that Ben and his parents did, his uncle Angel and some guy called Lorne. Not that she had met any of them. Ben claimed that they'd just try and break them up if they found out. She didn't mind too much it's not like he'd met her dad, but she had good reasons. He'd probably threaten to kill the boy who was corrupting his little girl. They got to the fourth floor and Ben laughed out loud 'They can't hear us up here.' He told her. 'Good' Isobel smiled and pushed him back onto his bed.
****************************************************
Angel got up early and went downstairs for his blood. As usual no one else was up and he went online to read the paper. At eight o' clock he climbed up to Ben's room and knocked on the door. 'Out of bed Ben! You have to get to college.' He yelled. No answer. Angel pushed the door open to check if he was even in there but he had been sure he'd heard him creep in after his dad went to bed. Ben wasn't in his bed but a girl was. 'He's in the shower. I'm Isobel. And do you mind leaving so I can get dressed?' she smiled at the stranger in the doorway, keeping her voice controlled trying not to go red. 'Sorry sorry I didn't know' Angel spluttered as he backed out of the room. Isobel climbed out of bed and pulled her clothes on, she grabbed her bag and pulled out a stake. 'Ben I'm off I have to get home to change before my first lecture' she called in the door. 'I'll see you for lunch at the pod.'
Isobel walked down the hallway. She paused and listened. The vampire had gone downstairs. Why couldn't she have anytime off? She followed quietly. Better to do this fast before any trouble starts. She got to the top of the flight of stairs leading to the lobby. He was halfway down the stair case. She kicked off her shoes. She jumped and placed a kick into the middle of his back. He wasn't expecting it and fell flat on his face. She pulled her stake out of her pocket and jumped on top of him, intending to stake him in the back. He rolled out of the way, quick as lightening. She landed on her feet. 'I don't have time for this to take all day. So just be a good little vamp and stay still so I can stake you.' Isobel smiled 'It won't hurt a bit.' 'Hey I've got a soul and who do you think you are coming into my home and trying to stake me?' Angel pulled back and grabbed a sword to defend himself. 'Of course you have a soul, they all do. I don't care. I kill bad things. You are a vamp also known as a bad thing.' Isobel lunged at him. She knocked the sword of his hand and punched him into the face. Angel fell to the floor. Isobel lifted her arm to stake him straight into the heart. He twisted her around so that he had be arms behind her back. 'Now I don't think you're listening to me. You are not going to stake me. What are you? The slayer.' He grabbed a piece and rope and tied her hands up deftly. 'No, I'm not the slayer. I'm a slayer. There are rather a lot of us you know.' Isobel ripped the roped apart, and prepared to attack again.
'Stop!' Ben ran down the stairs. 'What's going on?' 'Your little girlfriend is trying to stake me.' Angel answered. 'Hello? He's a vampire. You know bad evil thing that kills.' Isobel answered. 'I presume you know that they exist seeming you live with one.' 'That's my uncle Angel.' Ben stated. 'I presume that's an honouree title?' she spat back at him. 'Yes it is and since when did you got all monster killer? You're majoring in history not demonology.' He yelled at her. 'I'm out of here. Don't call.' Isobel grabbed her purse and her shoes 'And I faked it!' she held her head up high and walked out. *******************************************************
Ben looked at Angel. Angel looked back at him. 'Why does everything about my life have to be so complicated?' Ben asked. 'Because life is. Where did you find her?' Angel asked, stretching him arm. It hurt like hell. 'We have classes together at college. She seemed so nice and ordinary.' Ben sat on the steps and looked dejected. 'Why don't I make you breakfast?' Angel offered, not sure what the protocol was when your nephew's girlfriend tries to kill you. 'Not hungry. I'd better get going to classes.' Ben stood and walked out the door.
***********************************************************
Isobel walked into her apartment and collapsed onto her sofa. 'Where the bloody hell have you been all night? I was worried sick. You could have been lying dead somewhere for all I knew?' Her dad yelled at her. 'Oh shut up dad. I've just had the worst night of my life so can you just leave me alone?' Isobel burst into tears and spilled the story to her dad, leaving out the bit where she slept with Ben. He wrapped his arms around his little girl and rocked her back and forth until her tears subsided and she fell asleep. He picked her up gently and carried her into her bedroom. He pulled her shoes off and placed a blanket around her. Then he grabbed his sword and went to sort out everything for her. 'Stop dad' Isobel called from her room 'I can sort this out on my own.'
********** Two weeks later*******************************
Isobel sat in the club listening to a green sprite singing 'Don't know why' in a high, squeaky voice. She giggled, her dad was ordering at the bar. He brought her back an orange juice. 'Why don't you go up and sing?' he asked. 'Because I'll be laughed out of here.' Isobel smiled at him. 'Please pet do it for your old man.' He encouraged her. 'Okay, any requests?' she inquired. 'Anything you want to sing love.' He watched her walk to the karaoke machine and sighed. It was underhanded getting her read this way but he needed to know what her future held.
Ben and Angel walked in the door of Caritas. Lorne waved over at them and beckoned them towards his post at the bar.
Isobel started to sing.
My beloved monster and me we go everywhere together wearing a raincoat that has four sleeves get us through all kinds of weather She will always be the only thing that comes between me and the awful sting that comes from living in a world that's so damn mean My beloved monster is tough if she wants she could disrobe you but if you lay her down for a kiss her little heart it would explode.
Isobel sang and smiled as she remembered her dad singing this to her mom. Lorne collapsed onto the floor. Ben ran towards the stage. Isobel ran off. The backing track continued to play. Isobel's dad ran to the bar to Lorne. He knew that Isobel could take care of herself. Angel looked up at him. 'Spike.'
A/N: The song is 'My beloved monster and me' by the Eels.
