Chapter VI: The odyssey.
She turns. Cold air rushes in. Her hands grip. Her lips quiver. Her heart pounds intensely. She turns. Her legs scatter across the surface. Her feet search for each other. Her breath quickens. She turns. Her arms grab hold of the softness. They squeeze. Her body trembles. She tosses. Her grip tightens.
The sheets are spread across her, covering her features. She sleeps trying to find comfort as in the one you get from a lover. She moans softly as she rolls about the bed. The dreams take hold of her. She feels his hands crawling softly through her stomach. The embrace is soothing. It's painless. She dances quietly while he softly speaks words of lust and love into her ears. She turns to him and stares into his eyes. They dance.
The room is full of young lovers in desire of one another's touch. Their bodies just a reflection. Like a house of mirrors that twirls around them. She puts her hands on his chest. His heart beats powerfully. Their bodies touch in such contrived desire that she can't take it. She cocks her head back exposing her chest and neck, inviting him to taste her. Hands meet. Lips convene with skin. Passion fills the air.
She opens her eyes in a bed-full of petals. She gazes at him from afar. He doesn't speak but she hears what he's saying. His voice is powerful, but gentle. His eyes penetrate her soul and rattle her heart. She loves him. He loves her. Their love knows no bounds. It makes her weak, yet gives her strength. It's such a beautiful irony. She sits up. Her hair flowing like waves from the deep blue sea. She acknowledges him by inviting him to lay by her. She loves him. He Loves her. It has always been and it will forever be. He walks slowly towards her. Every step he takes brings him closer to her. He walks. He lusts. She wants it too. Their love. Their passion for one another. He walks. His hands begin to dissipate. His legs and lower torso follow. He walks towards her and all that is left of her angel is just a dark silhouette embedded in her eyes. She screams for him, but he has faded. He's gone.
Willow, Gunn and Spike have been disregarding their bodies natural call for sleep for hours. They sit in the lobby of the Hyperion talking, laughing. Sharing stories about their own. They've been like this for almost 18 hours.
Willow: "Is that it?"
Gunn: "What do you mean 'is that it'?"
Willow: "Well, what happened?"
Gunn: (looks at her and bursts laughing) "Ok, ok. We left the hotel. I believe Wes was sitting over (points to the stairs leading to the courtyard) there with Cordy. We do a little reconnaissance and Angel does his thing, you know?"
Spike looks at him, raising his left eyebrow.
Gunn: "Anyway, we head out. And all this time Angel's still bitching about his coat."
Spike: "And he had the nerve to tell me to get over losing my jacket in Italy? Ponce." (drinks from a Jack bottle)
Gunn: "Hey, you got 10 new ones 30 seconds later."
Willow laughs softly.
Gunn: "Anyway, where was I?"
Willow: "Wes did the big hero walk and Angel was crying about his coat."
Gunn: "Right, so we get to Bryce's manor, and Angel and I take the back. We head in, and, long story short, we bust some heads."
Willow: "That's just so typical."
Gunn: "Tell me about it, although it's pretty good stress relief. Anyway, after it was all done, Wes takes the shackles of Virginia. Till this point we haven't even realized it why the sacrifice couldn't be done. When Yeska showed up she said the sacrifice was impure and we--"
Spike: (spits liquor by the shock) "He slept with her?!?"
Willow: "Oh. OH!"
Gunn laughs.
Spike: "I didn't think Percy was capable of closing deals during a job."
Willow: "Hahahah, go Wes."
Spike: "Oh, balls. The nightmares are gonna be worse this time than when my mum came on to--"
Gunn and Willow look at him awkwardly. Spike blushes and drinks sporadically.
Willow: "Well, I think it's safe to say that the conversation's over."
Gunn: (looks over to the stairwell and sees Buffy coming down) "Good morning."
Buffy: (startled) "Wha--?"
Spike sees her and stands up.
Buffy: (walks over to them) "Hi. Um, what time is it?"
Spike: "6:47 pm"
Buffy: "H...how long was I--?"
Spike: "Since about 8 pm last night."
Buffy looks at Spike.
Willow: "Buffy, you look really tired. Did you sleep well?"
Buffy: (spaced out) "Mm, sorry?"
Willow raises her eyebrows in concern.
Buffy: "Don't worry Will. I had a nightmare. There's nothing to it."
Gunn looks to the floor. Spike drinks from the bottle. He feels the liquor in his mouth. He tastes it as if analyzing it then swallows it hard. It's unsavory. It doesn't provide neither comfort nor distraction. They all remain quiet. Standing in the room uncomfortably; like children in a new school.
Buffy: (looks around at their faces) "Any word from Giles?"
Willow: "No. Tried calling them about an hour ago, but there's still no answer."
Buffy: "Keep trying, ok? I'll be upstairs."
Buffy walks up the stairs again. Spike stares at her as she leaves, but he doesn't move a muscle.
Gunn: (staring at thee floor) "You're not going to follow her?"
Spike drinks from the bottle again. He takes it off his lips and throws it outside into the courtyard. The bottle shatters as it hits the ground, releasing its contents all over area. Spike reclines against the steps where he's sitting and looks straight at the ceiling.
Gunn: (to Willow) "Guess not."
Buffy walks around the hallway and arrives at the door of Angel's room. The door's halfway open and she walks in cautiously. She finds Lorne standing in the middle of the room.
Buffy: "Lorne?"
Lorne: (turns around and faces her) "Hey there kitten. How did you sleep?"
Buffy: "So good I wish I hadn't."
Lorne: "Yeah, well... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to barge in like this."
Buffy: (smiling) "Don't worry. Just came up to hide."
Lorne: "Tell me about it. I haven't been down in hours. I just came here to say my goodbyes."
Buffy: "You're leaving."
Lorne: "Yeah, that was the plan. Now I'm not so sure."
Buffy: "Do you know where you're going?"
Lorne: "Not the slightest bit." (pauses) "I just... I just wanted to leave. It's cost me enough. It's cost everybody dearly."
Buffy: "Fine. Y...yeah, sure."
Lorne: "I know you want to believe that he can come back, sweety. I know I want that too. But, he may not. There's a good chance that he won't come back. And right now, there are three souls down there that need you to lead them."
Buffy: "I know."
Lorne: "You can't keep hiding up here forever, Buffy. And sooner or later you're going to have to talk to Spike. He needs to know."
She looks at him. Her eyes convey shock and uncertainty.
Lorne: (smiles compassionately) "Your aura's practically screaming your feelings out loud."
Buffy: (slightly embarrassed) "Oh."
Lorne: "I can see why he loved you so much."
Buffy looks at him blushing.
Lorne: (cont.) "He never talked about you much, but when he did, you could tell he still cared for you."
Buffy: "Yeah."
Lorne looks at her for a few moments. She walks past him and stands in front of the bed. She tries to do the bed, but as she flips the sheets a tear falls into it. She looks at it for a few moments. Not knowing what to do. She opens her eyes widely. She can't control the shock but she fights it nonetheless.
Lorne: "Well, I'm heading out. I, uh..."
Krevlornswath walks towards the doorway. He stops and turns towards the girl. He sees her accommodating the bed sheets of the bed. He sees her in pain, desperately trying to conceal it. He sees beyond. He sees... no. Not anymore. The future's an uncertainty. Best leave it at that.
Buffy sits in the bed. She caresses the sheets, while wiping the tears in her eyes with the other hand. She takes to her feet and turns towards the doorway and sees him there. The long black coat, the same hair, same smell. She walks towards him and locks her eyes against his. Then, without a word being uttered, she falls into his arms.
It's going to be a long night.
-- Teleute.
She turns. Cold air rushes in. Her hands grip. Her lips quiver. Her heart pounds intensely. She turns. Her legs scatter across the surface. Her feet search for each other. Her breath quickens. She turns. Her arms grab hold of the softness. They squeeze. Her body trembles. She tosses. Her grip tightens.
The sheets are spread across her, covering her features. She sleeps trying to find comfort as in the one you get from a lover. She moans softly as she rolls about the bed. The dreams take hold of her. She feels his hands crawling softly through her stomach. The embrace is soothing. It's painless. She dances quietly while he softly speaks words of lust and love into her ears. She turns to him and stares into his eyes. They dance.
The room is full of young lovers in desire of one another's touch. Their bodies just a reflection. Like a house of mirrors that twirls around them. She puts her hands on his chest. His heart beats powerfully. Their bodies touch in such contrived desire that she can't take it. She cocks her head back exposing her chest and neck, inviting him to taste her. Hands meet. Lips convene with skin. Passion fills the air.
She opens her eyes in a bed-full of petals. She gazes at him from afar. He doesn't speak but she hears what he's saying. His voice is powerful, but gentle. His eyes penetrate her soul and rattle her heart. She loves him. He loves her. Their love knows no bounds. It makes her weak, yet gives her strength. It's such a beautiful irony. She sits up. Her hair flowing like waves from the deep blue sea. She acknowledges him by inviting him to lay by her. She loves him. He Loves her. It has always been and it will forever be. He walks slowly towards her. Every step he takes brings him closer to her. He walks. He lusts. She wants it too. Their love. Their passion for one another. He walks. His hands begin to dissipate. His legs and lower torso follow. He walks towards her and all that is left of her angel is just a dark silhouette embedded in her eyes. She screams for him, but he has faded. He's gone.
Willow, Gunn and Spike have been disregarding their bodies natural call for sleep for hours. They sit in the lobby of the Hyperion talking, laughing. Sharing stories about their own. They've been like this for almost 18 hours.
Willow: "Is that it?"
Gunn: "What do you mean 'is that it'?"
Willow: "Well, what happened?"
Gunn: (looks at her and bursts laughing) "Ok, ok. We left the hotel. I believe Wes was sitting over (points to the stairs leading to the courtyard) there with Cordy. We do a little reconnaissance and Angel does his thing, you know?"
Spike looks at him, raising his left eyebrow.
Gunn: "Anyway, we head out. And all this time Angel's still bitching about his coat."
Spike: "And he had the nerve to tell me to get over losing my jacket in Italy? Ponce." (drinks from a Jack bottle)
Gunn: "Hey, you got 10 new ones 30 seconds later."
Willow laughs softly.
Gunn: "Anyway, where was I?"
Willow: "Wes did the big hero walk and Angel was crying about his coat."
Gunn: "Right, so we get to Bryce's manor, and Angel and I take the back. We head in, and, long story short, we bust some heads."
Willow: "That's just so typical."
Gunn: "Tell me about it, although it's pretty good stress relief. Anyway, after it was all done, Wes takes the shackles of Virginia. Till this point we haven't even realized it why the sacrifice couldn't be done. When Yeska showed up she said the sacrifice was impure and we--"
Spike: (spits liquor by the shock) "He slept with her?!?"
Willow: "Oh. OH!"
Gunn laughs.
Spike: "I didn't think Percy was capable of closing deals during a job."
Willow: "Hahahah, go Wes."
Spike: "Oh, balls. The nightmares are gonna be worse this time than when my mum came on to--"
Gunn and Willow look at him awkwardly. Spike blushes and drinks sporadically.
Willow: "Well, I think it's safe to say that the conversation's over."
Gunn: (looks over to the stairwell and sees Buffy coming down) "Good morning."
Buffy: (startled) "Wha--?"
Spike sees her and stands up.
Buffy: (walks over to them) "Hi. Um, what time is it?"
Spike: "6:47 pm"
Buffy: "H...how long was I--?"
Spike: "Since about 8 pm last night."
Buffy looks at Spike.
Willow: "Buffy, you look really tired. Did you sleep well?"
Buffy: (spaced out) "Mm, sorry?"
Willow raises her eyebrows in concern.
Buffy: "Don't worry Will. I had a nightmare. There's nothing to it."
Gunn looks to the floor. Spike drinks from the bottle. He feels the liquor in his mouth. He tastes it as if analyzing it then swallows it hard. It's unsavory. It doesn't provide neither comfort nor distraction. They all remain quiet. Standing in the room uncomfortably; like children in a new school.
Buffy: (looks around at their faces) "Any word from Giles?"
Willow: "No. Tried calling them about an hour ago, but there's still no answer."
Buffy: "Keep trying, ok? I'll be upstairs."
Buffy walks up the stairs again. Spike stares at her as she leaves, but he doesn't move a muscle.
Gunn: (staring at thee floor) "You're not going to follow her?"
Spike drinks from the bottle again. He takes it off his lips and throws it outside into the courtyard. The bottle shatters as it hits the ground, releasing its contents all over area. Spike reclines against the steps where he's sitting and looks straight at the ceiling.
Gunn: (to Willow) "Guess not."
Buffy walks around the hallway and arrives at the door of Angel's room. The door's halfway open and she walks in cautiously. She finds Lorne standing in the middle of the room.
Buffy: "Lorne?"
Lorne: (turns around and faces her) "Hey there kitten. How did you sleep?"
Buffy: "So good I wish I hadn't."
Lorne: "Yeah, well... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to barge in like this."
Buffy: (smiling) "Don't worry. Just came up to hide."
Lorne: "Tell me about it. I haven't been down in hours. I just came here to say my goodbyes."
Buffy: "You're leaving."
Lorne: "Yeah, that was the plan. Now I'm not so sure."
Buffy: "Do you know where you're going?"
Lorne: "Not the slightest bit." (pauses) "I just... I just wanted to leave. It's cost me enough. It's cost everybody dearly."
Buffy: "Fine. Y...yeah, sure."
Lorne: "I know you want to believe that he can come back, sweety. I know I want that too. But, he may not. There's a good chance that he won't come back. And right now, there are three souls down there that need you to lead them."
Buffy: "I know."
Lorne: "You can't keep hiding up here forever, Buffy. And sooner or later you're going to have to talk to Spike. He needs to know."
She looks at him. Her eyes convey shock and uncertainty.
Lorne: (smiles compassionately) "Your aura's practically screaming your feelings out loud."
Buffy: (slightly embarrassed) "Oh."
Lorne: "I can see why he loved you so much."
Buffy looks at him blushing.
Lorne: (cont.) "He never talked about you much, but when he did, you could tell he still cared for you."
Buffy: "Yeah."
Lorne looks at her for a few moments. She walks past him and stands in front of the bed. She tries to do the bed, but as she flips the sheets a tear falls into it. She looks at it for a few moments. Not knowing what to do. She opens her eyes widely. She can't control the shock but she fights it nonetheless.
Lorne: "Well, I'm heading out. I, uh..."
Krevlornswath walks towards the doorway. He stops and turns towards the girl. He sees her accommodating the bed sheets of the bed. He sees her in pain, desperately trying to conceal it. He sees beyond. He sees... no. Not anymore. The future's an uncertainty. Best leave it at that.
Buffy sits in the bed. She caresses the sheets, while wiping the tears in her eyes with the other hand. She takes to her feet and turns towards the doorway and sees him there. The long black coat, the same hair, same smell. She walks towards him and locks her eyes against his. Then, without a word being uttered, she falls into his arms.
It's going to be a long night.
-- Teleute.