New Way of Life
NOTE: I do not own these Angel and Buffy characters, but if you see anyone whom you do not recognize, he/she belongs to me.
A/N: This story takes place after Chosen, but before Conviction, meaning it's the summer in between. To put down a recap, Spike burned up, everyone (minus Anya) escaped on the school bus, Buffy and her friends haven't split up yet, and Angel Inc is preparing to move into W&H. On with the story…
CHAPTER 3
"Angel? Angel, can you hear us?"
Angel moaned and poked his eyes open narrowly, getting a blurred image of Fred and Wesley, who stood behind her. All pain dawned on him at once, causing Angel to let off a sharp groan, not used to such pain simultaneously.
"What's going on?" Angel managed to ask, letting off short breaths.
"Angel, it's Fred," she said gently. "Listen, we have to get you out of here. Don't worry. You're going somewhere safe."
"What do you mean?" Angel's head ached with soreness and confusion.
Gunn glanced at his watch to see that it read nine o'clock. "Get him up," he said. "That plane leaves at eleven on the dot and you know if they say eleven that means at least ten."
"Angel, come on." Wesley went around and lifted Angel up. "We have to get you out of here. Try to move."
"I…" Angel finally realized it. "My chest… it's…"
"Your heartbeat?" Lorne supplied, entering the room. "Fun sensation, isn't it? You should feel it in your lower buttocks area, even bigger rush."
"Angel, can you stand?" Wesley asked, holding him steady.
"I don't know." Angel shook his head a little. "What happened to me?" Wesley let him go and Fred immediately went to stand at his side.
"Easy, Angel," she said. "We have to get you to the airport. Charles will explain everything, but right now you're not safe here. We'll take care of everything while you're gone, OK?"
"OK," Angel agreed, not really understanding her, but feeling confused enough to go along with anything.
"I'll get the bags," said Wesley. "Fred, you and Gunn help Angel down to the taxi."
Everyone did as he directed and soon Gunn and Angel were down in the cab.
Once at the airport, Gunn checked the tickets for both he and Angel, explaining that his friend was just a little under the weather. Gunn adjusted Angel in an aisle seat on the plane while he went to sit next to the window.
Gunn sighed deeply. "Next stop Rome."
Willow stood fidgeting next to a firm faced Buffy, who had her arms crossed, in an airport. Willow carried a large sign in her hands which read, "Hi, Angel" in bold, red letters. The witch couldn't really contain herself during the first few hours of the morning, anxious over the visit. Making the sign had taken a little stress off. It was one thing when she called or went to see Angel, but watching Buffy call or see Angel was a very different story.
"People are starting to get off the plane," Willow said then looked at the clock, seeing it was almost eleven thirty.
"Noted," Buffy said.
"No familiar people yet, but I'm sure they'll be here soon."
"I know."
"See? Lots of people are leaving the plane. They're coming. They'll probably be the next ones out. They—"
"Will," Buffy suddenly cut her off. "I gotcha."
Willow nodded. "Nothing, but the positive." At that moment, Gunn walked out of the double doors that led away from the airplane, a very weak Angel leaning against him. "Gunn."
"Hey, Willow," Gunn returned the greeting.
"Oh, hug time," Willow said, going to give him a little squeeze.
"Is he OK?" Buffy asked, going up to Angel. His skin was unbelievably colorless and he seemed to be shaking a little.
"Oh, sorry," said Willow to Buffy. "Buffy Summers, this is Charles Gunn. Charles Gunn, this is Buffy Summers. You probably heard of her. She's the Slayer. Well, not the Slayer, but a definitely great Slayer."
"Heard of you," Gunn smiled a little. "Heard you got some kick ass powers."
"I do all right. Come on." She helped Gunn with Angel. "Let's get him into my car."
After retrieving the luggage, Buffy, Willow, and Gunn guided Angel out towards Buffy's dark red SUV. Gunn sat in the back with Angel while Willow sat in the passenger's seat with Buffy in the driver's. As she drove, heading to the hotel, Buffy glanced into the mirror every so often to look at Angel. He was definitely sick and he looked it. Even so, his natural mysterious good looks hadn't even come close to fading. It was just so strange, though. This Angel seemed very different from the Angel that she had seen just days before. Buffy parked in front of the hotel and slipped out of the car.
Willow got the bags out of the trunk while Buffy and Gunn steered Angel inside and into the elevator. Getting off at the fourth floor, Buffy stepped out first and went up to her room's door, unlocking it. When the door was opened, she looked to see Kennedy, Xander, and Dawn all sitting around the room.
"Hey," Buffy addressed them. "We have a couple of new friends. Well, one new one and one incredibly old one."
"What's up?" Gunn greeted the stranger's, entering the room.
"Angel," Dawn recognized immediately. She shot up from her seat and went to hug him. He might have left her sister and broken her heart, but Spike had tried to rape her so it almost evened out.
"Easy, girl," Gunn cautioned. "Where do I put him?"
"Oh. Over on that cot over there," Dawn pointed. "We made it up with clean sheets and a big comfy blanket. See? It's got pillows, too."
"Cool," said Gunn, going to lay his friend down on the cot.
"So this is Angel," Kennedy said, walking up to the cot to look down at the man. She then turned to Gunn. "Uh, who are you?"
"Charles Gunn," the black man said. "Just call me Gunn."
"Hey, Gunny boy," said Xander, going to shake his hand. "Name's Xander Harris."
Gunn shook his hand and said, "Call me that again and see what happens."
"Understood," Xander said right away then stared down at Angel. "Looks like dead boy's been hit hard."
"He ain't dead," said Gunn. "Don't know how, don't know why, but he's not."
"Then it's true," Buffy said, coming up. She knelt next to Angel and brushed some of his dark hair away with her hand. "Angel."
"B-Buffy?" his voice abruptly sounded.
"Angel?" Buffy's eyes grew in surprise.
"Angel?" Dawn smiled, going to stand behind Buffy excitedly.
His eyes peeled open slowly, glancing back and forth around the room. "Hey," he greeted, his voice a whisper. "It's good to see you all again… and Xander."
The room filled with laughs, minus Xander, who just made a sarcastically amused face.
"How you feel, man?" Gunn asked.
"It's like someone drilled a hole in my head and poured hot lava in," Angel replied. "Other than that, I'm good."
"I'm Kennedy," the new Slayer spoke up. "Are you dead?"
Angel smiled a little. "Doesn't really feel like it right now."
"Hi, Angel," said Willow, coming up. "It's really good to see you and on much better terms. I'm glad your soul's all tucked in nice and tight."
"Thanks to you," said Angel as his attention went to Buffy. "Hi."
"Hi," Buffy beamed. "You actually had me worried there, mister."
Angel moved around a little, moaning slightly. "You should know better."
"Take it easy," Buffy advised. "You don't have to worry about anything, Angel. We're going to find out what happened to you."
"Then we'll have cake and ice cream," Willow promised with a smile.
"I don't know why, but I'm hoping for cookie-dough-fudge-mint-chip," Angel said.
"Hey, Buffy, isn't that like your favorite ice cream of all time?" Dawn asked.
"Yeah," Buffy remembered. "I totally boycotted my tenth birth day when Mom got the wrong kind."
"Guess I know what you like," Angel said to her.
"Guess you do," Buffy smiled softly.
"Uh, hate to interrupt this happy reunion, but don't we have a couple of worries, people?" Xander chimed in.
"Xander's right," Willow hated to admit. "Kennedy, you want to help me do some research on Angel's curse? That could give us a lead."
"What about the shanshu?" said Gunn.
"Shan-who?" Dawn asked in confusion.
"That prophecy thing that says Angel might become human one day after a great darkness and some big battle or something," Gunn tried to explain. "I don't know. Wes explains it better."
"I'll phone Wesley," Willow volunteered. "I'd like to learn more about this."
"OK, guys, great," said Buffy. "Now can we please get at least close to emptiness here? Angel does need to rest."
"Sure thing, I guess," said Xander. "Oh, and Gunn I guess you'll be staying in my room. We can order room service, watch some late night cable TV, and, dare I say, raid the mini fridge."
Gunn stared at him for a moment before pointing and asking, "Who is this guy?"
"Your new roomy," said Buffy, standing. "Now could you all clear out?"
"Fine," said Willow, nudging Kennedy towards the door. "This is us, clearing."
Kennedy and Willow left out, followed by Xander. Gunn grabbed his suitcase before going after Xander. Dawn ducked into the bathroom to give Buffy a little basking of Angel time. Once they were all gone, Buffy touched Angel's face with affection. With a bit of a strain, Angel lifted up his own hand and took hold of Buffy's wrist, smiling at her. Rome might be a good getaway after all.
A/N: I know this one is a little shorter, but no fretting, people. I will be back with more. Please review!