Candles were set in a specific pattern and lit. Sacred sand was
prepared and spread in a circle. Lorne threw a small bone and some sticky
black powder into an earthenware bowl, set it in the center of the circle,
and lit the contents. A ribbon of black smoke rose from the bowl, curling
lazily. "Ready?" he asked.
"I guess." Caitlin said, glancing at Angel. He nodded.
Lorne pointed to one side of the circle. "Angel, you face east. No, over to your left a bit. Caitie, you face west. Now, just close your eyes and concentrate on each other."
"We don't have to chant or hum?" She asked, half joking.
"There's a little chanting." Lorne told her. "But that's my job. You just need to relax, stay calm."
"How do I wake up, or come back, or whatever?"
"When you have the answers you seek, your quest will end."
Oh, that wasn't cryptic, she thought. She took one last look at her audience – Illyria, who stood above them on the landing, Connor, helping Lorne, and Faith and Spike, in their usual positions at the counter. Faith had found her just before she came downstairs and reminded her that no one was making her do this. "How can I not?" Caitlin had asked her mentor. "If the First is involved, or if it was part of the Senior Partner's master plan, we have to know." She'd watched Faith carefully and asked, "Would you do it?"
"You know I would." Faith had said honestly. "But that's me. I can't help feeling like I should be protecting you."
Caitlin met Angel's eyes. He seemed to be taking this all in stride, though she knew he wasn't thrilled about it. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate as she heard Lorne begin to walk around the circle, chanting softly in what sounded like Latin. She continued to focus on breathing evenly, trying to keep her mind clear, but it was difficult. After a long time passed, she had the urge to open her eyes and did so, to find herself standing just outside the circle across from...well, that wasn't Angel. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she was completely certain this was Angelus. She glanced down and was startled to see herself and Angel sitting inside the circle.
"Took you long enough." Angelus commented. "It's been, like, eight hours. The boy was starting to get worried."
"Were you worried?" She asked, trying to get her bearings. She could see Faith and Spike, playing cards, and Connor at his desk working on his laptop.
Suddenly, Angelus was in front of her. "They can't see us." He told her. He ran a hand threw Faith's leg. "They can't feel us, and they can't hear us."
"Is this how it always is for you?"
"Everyday, following my alter ego around, watching his pathetic life in my body."
"I think he thinks it's his body?"
"Why? 'Cause he had it first? What soul-boy doesn't realize it that he died. It's over. He should just go off and be dead. It's my body."
"Do you feel what happens to the body? Like, if he's drinking, do you taste it?"
He was behind her now. He rested his hand on her hip and whispered in her ear, "Do you mean, do I feel it when he makes love to his girlfriend?"
She pulled herself away, hard, even though he wasn't really holding her. "Girlfriend?"
"You didn't know? Maybe you should ask him about that."
"Yeah, I'll do that."
"I feel everything." He said suddenly. Good, she thought. He wanted to be heard. She could use that.
"I guess." Caitlin said, glancing at Angel. He nodded.
Lorne pointed to one side of the circle. "Angel, you face east. No, over to your left a bit. Caitie, you face west. Now, just close your eyes and concentrate on each other."
"We don't have to chant or hum?" She asked, half joking.
"There's a little chanting." Lorne told her. "But that's my job. You just need to relax, stay calm."
"How do I wake up, or come back, or whatever?"
"When you have the answers you seek, your quest will end."
Oh, that wasn't cryptic, she thought. She took one last look at her audience – Illyria, who stood above them on the landing, Connor, helping Lorne, and Faith and Spike, in their usual positions at the counter. Faith had found her just before she came downstairs and reminded her that no one was making her do this. "How can I not?" Caitlin had asked her mentor. "If the First is involved, or if it was part of the Senior Partner's master plan, we have to know." She'd watched Faith carefully and asked, "Would you do it?"
"You know I would." Faith had said honestly. "But that's me. I can't help feeling like I should be protecting you."
Caitlin met Angel's eyes. He seemed to be taking this all in stride, though she knew he wasn't thrilled about it. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate as she heard Lorne begin to walk around the circle, chanting softly in what sounded like Latin. She continued to focus on breathing evenly, trying to keep her mind clear, but it was difficult. After a long time passed, she had the urge to open her eyes and did so, to find herself standing just outside the circle across from...well, that wasn't Angel. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she was completely certain this was Angelus. She glanced down and was startled to see herself and Angel sitting inside the circle.
"Took you long enough." Angelus commented. "It's been, like, eight hours. The boy was starting to get worried."
"Were you worried?" She asked, trying to get her bearings. She could see Faith and Spike, playing cards, and Connor at his desk working on his laptop.
Suddenly, Angelus was in front of her. "They can't see us." He told her. He ran a hand threw Faith's leg. "They can't feel us, and they can't hear us."
"Is this how it always is for you?"
"Everyday, following my alter ego around, watching his pathetic life in my body."
"I think he thinks it's his body?"
"Why? 'Cause he had it first? What soul-boy doesn't realize it that he died. It's over. He should just go off and be dead. It's my body."
"Do you feel what happens to the body? Like, if he's drinking, do you taste it?"
He was behind her now. He rested his hand on her hip and whispered in her ear, "Do you mean, do I feel it when he makes love to his girlfriend?"
She pulled herself away, hard, even though he wasn't really holding her. "Girlfriend?"
"You didn't know? Maybe you should ask him about that."
"Yeah, I'll do that."
"I feel everything." He said suddenly. Good, she thought. He wanted to be heard. She could use that.