...:: Illusion ::...
Elrond smiled at his oldest daughter as she ate a piece of bread and
gave a sly look to Haldir. He had noticed how his daughter had warmed
up to this Elf and was glad that someone could reach her spirit. But
the thought settled in his mind. Earlier Buffy and Haldir had shared
some things with the rest of the Elves at Lorien, including himself
and Aragorn. The plan was set and all anyone had to do was wait. Deep
within himself, a saddness lurched. How could she hold all of this in
for so long? He felt horrible because he knew that she must blame
herself for the death of his wife, her mother. Looking at her now, he
could see the faint saddness within her. It killed him to even spot
such a saddness, but just as he thought these, happiness warmed his
heart as his children were all caught in an amusing conversation
amongst each other.
Faith circled Haldir's talan with a dust which Angelus had mixed
together. Something had changed within Angelus's demeanor, but she
couldn't place a finger on it. He had disappeared an hour ago,
claiming that he was out to get some herbs. Faith wasn't stupid, she
knew something had happened but as to what it was.... She couldn't
quite place her finger on it.
Inside Haldir's talan, Angel watched Faith spread the dust he had made
around it. Haldir and Buffy had told him to act as if nothing had
changed. Their plan might just work. Angel mused to himself. He had
been blessed by Galadriel with his soul again. "God's thank the
merciful Lady." He looked ahead and saw Buffy look up at him from the
table. He also saw that Haldir's eyes followed hers to meet Angel's
black orbs. He's jealous of you, Angel said to himself. Ever since
everyone found out what had happened between Angel and Buffy a year
ago, the Elves had been particularly cautious around him.
After the party, everyone left to get into their positions up in
trees. They all awaited Angel's signal. Buffy and Haldir entered his
talan to find Faith and Angel standing, waiting for them. "Hello,
Buff." Buffy squinted her eyes at Angel. "Angel?" He took a step
towards her, Faith stood behind him in the shadows, smiling. "Don't
you remember me?" Buffy nodded, backing away. "Buff? You just called
me.... What's the matter with you?" Again, a cruel smile curved on
Faith's lips. "Hey B." Buffy looked back to her old friend. "Faith?"
Angel grasped Buffy's arm, capturing her attention once more. Haldir
came up and pushed Angel off of her. "Slow down, tiger. I wouldn't
want your beloved Buffy to get hurt." Haldir sneered and pulled Buffy
back to him.
Faith came up and threw a hit at Haldir, sending him flying into the
wall. Buffy watched on, horrified. Angel came up once more and grasped
her arm again. "I know what you're thinking. Maybe there's still some
good deep down inside of me that remembers and loves you. If only you
could reach me. Then again, we have reality." A cruel laugh escaped
Angel's vamped face as from behind, Haldir slowly stood up, rubbing
his head. Buffy broke away from him. "I will kill you before I let you
touch me. Faith... Haldir, we need to get out of here, now!" Buffy
turned toward Haldir first, as he nodded, and then to Faith, who
smiled again. "Speak for yourself, B. Me, I like it here." Buffy shook
her head, hearing a growl escape Angel. She turned to him only to feel
his fist in her mouth as she slammed into the wall and was knocked
out.
Faith watched as Angel hit Haldir as hard as he could to knock him out
to, and threw him out the window. They walked toward Buffy and Angel
smiled, cowering over her sleeping form. "One thing I've learned about
Buffy. She's so cute when she's sleeping."
Buffy grumbled under her breath to wake up and find Angel chaining her
to the wall. "Morning, sleepyhead. You know what I just can't believe?
All of our time together and we never used chains. Well, can't dwell
on the past, especially with the future we have ahead." Faith prepared
a table which was covered with a black cloth. "Bondage looks good on
you, B. The outfit is all wrong, but hey!" Buffy sneered at her former
friend. "You don't know what you're doing." Faith had gone so wrong
since the last time she had seen her. She finally has gone insane!
"Really? That's strange, because something about all of this just
feels so right. Maybe it is one of those unhappy childhood things.
See, when I was a child I used to beg my mother for a dog. Did not
matter what kind. I just wanted, you know, something to love." Faith
pulled Angel's face toward hers and kissed him passionately.
"A dog is all I wanted. Well, that and toys." She lifted the cloth
from the table to reveal torture instruments. "But mother was so busy,
you know, enjoying the drinking and passing out parts of life, that
I've never really got what I've wanted... until now." Buffy shook her
head and rolled her eyes. This is the story of a psycho's life.
"Faith, listen to me very closely. Angel is a killer. When he's done
with me, he will turn on you." Angel picked up a knife and played with
it, then turned and gave an evil grin to Buffy and Faith. "She
is right. I probably will." Faith threw her hands up and grinned,
walking toward Buffy. "Yeah? Hmm. Guess we will just have to keep you
around for a while, then. Before we get started, I just want you to
know that if you're a screamer, feel free." Buffy watched Faith go
over to the table and pick up one of the tools and walk back over to
Buffy. "Why, Faith? What's in it for you?"
"What isn't? You know, I come to Rivendell. I'm the Slayer. The one,
the only. I do my job kicking ass better than anyone. What do I hear
about everywhere I go? Buffy. So I slay, I behave, I do the good-girl
routine. And who does everyone thank? Buffy. You're not even a
slayer!" Tears formed in the corners of Buffy's eyes as she gulped
down false fear. "It's not my fault." Faith runs the blade against
Buffy's cheek. "Everyone always asked. Why can't you be more like
Buffy? But did anyone ever ask if you could be more like me?" Angel
smirked. "I know I didn't." Buffy eyed Angel and saw him turn his back
to her. "Faith, listen to me!" Faith laughed and backed away from
Buffy. "Why? So you can impart some special Buffy wisdom, that it? Do
you think you're better than me? Do you? Say it. You think you're
better than me."
Faith had her back turned and Angel looked from her to Buffy. Buffy
stared at her back. The time was now. Angel tossed the knife onto the
balcony. There was the signal. "I am. I always have been." Faith
turned to Buffy. "Maybe you did not notice. Angel's with me." Buffy
sneered, jutting out her chin in cruel mockery. "And how did you get
him, Faith? Magic? Cast some sort of spell? In the real world, Angel
would never have touched you and we both know it." Faith stampeeded
toward Buffy, backhanding her. "You had to tie me up to beat me. There
is a word for people like you, Faith. Loser." Faith backhanded her
once more.
"I never knew you had so much rage in you." Faith turned to Angel
smiling, proudly. "What can I say? I'm the world's best actor." Angel
gave her a look of cool indifference. "Second best." A look of
surprise shadowed her face. "May I say something?" Faith turned fast
to face Buffy. She watched as the chains fell from Buffy's wrists as
Buffy held her hands up to prove to Faith she wasn't tied up. "Psych!"
Faith turned from Angel to Buffy and back again. "You played me? You
played me!" Haldir, along with Elrond, Aragorn, Galadriel, and
Celeborn burst in through the balcony. Faith pushed past Angel,
pushing him into the group. Buffy ran after Faith and kicked her.
Faith threw a punch but missed. Her flustered kicks hit, but not much.
Buffy and Faith's fight came to an end, holding knives up to each
other's throats. "What are you going to do, B? Kill me? You'll become
me. You're not ready for that, yet." Faith grabbed Buffy's neck and
kissed her forehead. Faith stood up and ran off, into the woods.
Buffy stood up, throwing the knife to the side. Haldir rushed over to
her and embraced her. She glanced over at Angel who avoided her gaze
and then to her father who smiled at her proudly. "It's finally over."
Angel shook his head. "Do not be so sure. Faith is resourceful, she
will bounce back in no time." Buffy nodded. "That may be so, but I
will be here to stop her. She was strongest while she was with you,
Angel. Now she's weak and hurt." Angel nodded. Elrond walked up to his
daughter, Haldir backed away. Elrond placed his hands on Buffy's
neck, massaging the neck. "Why did you not come to me?" Buffy
shrugged, her eyes shifted downward. "I was scared." His eyes
sparkled. "I know what happened, I do not blame you." Buffy's eyes met
her fathers. Nothing had to have been said, the feeling was mutual.
They embraced.
Buffy entered the chambers that Angel had been given. "How are you
doing?" Buffy shut the door behind her. "I've been better." Angel
walked toward her, but she moved from the spot she was in to the one
moreover. "That's not unbelieveable. You had to deal with a lot,
Buffy. I know it was hard for you." Buffy looked down at her clasped
hands. "I doubt that." Again, Angel moved toward her, but saw her back
away. "Is there anything I can do to make it better?" Buffy shook her
head and dropped her hands to her sides, looking up at Angel. "Look. I
know you only did what I asked of you. We got what we wanted." Angel
shook his head profusely. "I never wanted it to go that far." Buffy
nodded, understanding. "I know. It's not even a question of that. I'm
glad you're back, Angel." He nodded, smiling. The smile faded when the
door opened again and Haldir came in. Buffy whispered to him to give
her some time alone with Angel and he left. "I've moved on, Angel." He
nodded. "I can see that. I don't blame you, Buffy. I just hope we will
remain friends." Buffy smiled and walked to the door. Having it half-
way open, Angel hollered to her. "You still my girl?" Buffy turned to
him and gave him a faint smile. "Always."
Elrond smiled at his oldest daughter as she ate a piece of bread and
gave a sly look to Haldir. He had noticed how his daughter had warmed
up to this Elf and was glad that someone could reach her spirit. But
the thought settled in his mind. Earlier Buffy and Haldir had shared
some things with the rest of the Elves at Lorien, including himself
and Aragorn. The plan was set and all anyone had to do was wait. Deep
within himself, a saddness lurched. How could she hold all of this in
for so long? He felt horrible because he knew that she must blame
herself for the death of his wife, her mother. Looking at her now, he
could see the faint saddness within her. It killed him to even spot
such a saddness, but just as he thought these, happiness warmed his
heart as his children were all caught in an amusing conversation
amongst each other.
Faith circled Haldir's talan with a dust which Angelus had mixed
together. Something had changed within Angelus's demeanor, but she
couldn't place a finger on it. He had disappeared an hour ago,
claiming that he was out to get some herbs. Faith wasn't stupid, she
knew something had happened but as to what it was.... She couldn't
quite place her finger on it.
Inside Haldir's talan, Angel watched Faith spread the dust he had made
around it. Haldir and Buffy had told him to act as if nothing had
changed. Their plan might just work. Angel mused to himself. He had
been blessed by Galadriel with his soul again. "God's thank the
merciful Lady." He looked ahead and saw Buffy look up at him from the
table. He also saw that Haldir's eyes followed hers to meet Angel's
black orbs. He's jealous of you, Angel said to himself. Ever since
everyone found out what had happened between Angel and Buffy a year
ago, the Elves had been particularly cautious around him.
After the party, everyone left to get into their positions up in
trees. They all awaited Angel's signal. Buffy and Haldir entered his
talan to find Faith and Angel standing, waiting for them. "Hello,
Buff." Buffy squinted her eyes at Angel. "Angel?" He took a step
towards her, Faith stood behind him in the shadows, smiling. "Don't
you remember me?" Buffy nodded, backing away. "Buff? You just called
me.... What's the matter with you?" Again, a cruel smile curved on
Faith's lips. "Hey B." Buffy looked back to her old friend. "Faith?"
Angel grasped Buffy's arm, capturing her attention once more. Haldir
came up and pushed Angel off of her. "Slow down, tiger. I wouldn't
want your beloved Buffy to get hurt." Haldir sneered and pulled Buffy
back to him.
Faith came up and threw a hit at Haldir, sending him flying into the
wall. Buffy watched on, horrified. Angel came up once more and grasped
her arm again. "I know what you're thinking. Maybe there's still some
good deep down inside of me that remembers and loves you. If only you
could reach me. Then again, we have reality." A cruel laugh escaped
Angel's vamped face as from behind, Haldir slowly stood up, rubbing
his head. Buffy broke away from him. "I will kill you before I let you
touch me. Faith... Haldir, we need to get out of here, now!" Buffy
turned toward Haldir first, as he nodded, and then to Faith, who
smiled again. "Speak for yourself, B. Me, I like it here." Buffy shook
her head, hearing a growl escape Angel. She turned to him only to feel
his fist in her mouth as she slammed into the wall and was knocked
out.
Faith watched as Angel hit Haldir as hard as he could to knock him out
to, and threw him out the window. They walked toward Buffy and Angel
smiled, cowering over her sleeping form. "One thing I've learned about
Buffy. She's so cute when she's sleeping."
Buffy grumbled under her breath to wake up and find Angel chaining her
to the wall. "Morning, sleepyhead. You know what I just can't believe?
All of our time together and we never used chains. Well, can't dwell
on the past, especially with the future we have ahead." Faith prepared
a table which was covered with a black cloth. "Bondage looks good on
you, B. The outfit is all wrong, but hey!" Buffy sneered at her former
friend. "You don't know what you're doing." Faith had gone so wrong
since the last time she had seen her. She finally has gone insane!
"Really? That's strange, because something about all of this just
feels so right. Maybe it is one of those unhappy childhood things.
See, when I was a child I used to beg my mother for a dog. Did not
matter what kind. I just wanted, you know, something to love." Faith
pulled Angel's face toward hers and kissed him passionately.
"A dog is all I wanted. Well, that and toys." She lifted the cloth
from the table to reveal torture instruments. "But mother was so busy,
you know, enjoying the drinking and passing out parts of life, that
I've never really got what I've wanted... until now." Buffy shook her
head and rolled her eyes. This is the story of a psycho's life.
"Faith, listen to me very closely. Angel is a killer. When he's done
with me, he will turn on you." Angel picked up a knife and played with
it, then turned and gave an evil grin to Buffy and Faith. "She
is right. I probably will." Faith threw her hands up and grinned,
walking toward Buffy. "Yeah? Hmm. Guess we will just have to keep you
around for a while, then. Before we get started, I just want you to
know that if you're a screamer, feel free." Buffy watched Faith go
over to the table and pick up one of the tools and walk back over to
Buffy. "Why, Faith? What's in it for you?"
"What isn't? You know, I come to Rivendell. I'm the Slayer. The one,
the only. I do my job kicking ass better than anyone. What do I hear
about everywhere I go? Buffy. So I slay, I behave, I do the good-girl
routine. And who does everyone thank? Buffy. You're not even a
slayer!" Tears formed in the corners of Buffy's eyes as she gulped
down false fear. "It's not my fault." Faith runs the blade against
Buffy's cheek. "Everyone always asked. Why can't you be more like
Buffy? But did anyone ever ask if you could be more like me?" Angel
smirked. "I know I didn't." Buffy eyed Angel and saw him turn his back
to her. "Faith, listen to me!" Faith laughed and backed away from
Buffy. "Why? So you can impart some special Buffy wisdom, that it? Do
you think you're better than me? Do you? Say it. You think you're
better than me."
Faith had her back turned and Angel looked from her to Buffy. Buffy
stared at her back. The time was now. Angel tossed the knife onto the
balcony. There was the signal. "I am. I always have been." Faith
turned to Buffy. "Maybe you did not notice. Angel's with me." Buffy
sneered, jutting out her chin in cruel mockery. "And how did you get
him, Faith? Magic? Cast some sort of spell? In the real world, Angel
would never have touched you and we both know it." Faith stampeeded
toward Buffy, backhanding her. "You had to tie me up to beat me. There
is a word for people like you, Faith. Loser." Faith backhanded her
once more.
"I never knew you had so much rage in you." Faith turned to Angel
smiling, proudly. "What can I say? I'm the world's best actor." Angel
gave her a look of cool indifference. "Second best." A look of
surprise shadowed her face. "May I say something?" Faith turned fast
to face Buffy. She watched as the chains fell from Buffy's wrists as
Buffy held her hands up to prove to Faith she wasn't tied up. "Psych!"
Faith turned from Angel to Buffy and back again. "You played me? You
played me!" Haldir, along with Elrond, Aragorn, Galadriel, and
Celeborn burst in through the balcony. Faith pushed past Angel,
pushing him into the group. Buffy ran after Faith and kicked her.
Faith threw a punch but missed. Her flustered kicks hit, but not much.
Buffy and Faith's fight came to an end, holding knives up to each
other's throats. "What are you going to do, B? Kill me? You'll become
me. You're not ready for that, yet." Faith grabbed Buffy's neck and
kissed her forehead. Faith stood up and ran off, into the woods.
Buffy stood up, throwing the knife to the side. Haldir rushed over to
her and embraced her. She glanced over at Angel who avoided her gaze
and then to her father who smiled at her proudly. "It's finally over."
Angel shook his head. "Do not be so sure. Faith is resourceful, she
will bounce back in no time." Buffy nodded. "That may be so, but I
will be here to stop her. She was strongest while she was with you,
Angel. Now she's weak and hurt." Angel nodded. Elrond walked up to his
daughter, Haldir backed away. Elrond placed his hands on Buffy's
neck, massaging the neck. "Why did you not come to me?" Buffy
shrugged, her eyes shifted downward. "I was scared." His eyes
sparkled. "I know what happened, I do not blame you." Buffy's eyes met
her fathers. Nothing had to have been said, the feeling was mutual.
They embraced.
Buffy entered the chambers that Angel had been given. "How are you
doing?" Buffy shut the door behind her. "I've been better." Angel
walked toward her, but she moved from the spot she was in to the one
moreover. "That's not unbelieveable. You had to deal with a lot,
Buffy. I know it was hard for you." Buffy looked down at her clasped
hands. "I doubt that." Again, Angel moved toward her, but saw her back
away. "Is there anything I can do to make it better?" Buffy shook her
head and dropped her hands to her sides, looking up at Angel. "Look. I
know you only did what I asked of you. We got what we wanted." Angel
shook his head profusely. "I never wanted it to go that far." Buffy
nodded, understanding. "I know. It's not even a question of that. I'm
glad you're back, Angel." He nodded, smiling. The smile faded when the
door opened again and Haldir came in. Buffy whispered to him to give
her some time alone with Angel and he left. "I've moved on, Angel." He
nodded. "I can see that. I don't blame you, Buffy. I just hope we will
remain friends." Buffy smiled and walked to the door. Having it half-
way open, Angel hollered to her. "You still my girl?" Buffy turned to
him and gave him a faint smile. "Always."