:: Firstly I want to say how much I hope you guys liked reading this half as much as I enjoyed reading it! This is the last chapter. I'm sorry. I wanted to make it a mixture of everything, which is why there's an Angelus POV halfway through. Also there's a lot less of mean Angelus. It's not the best chapter – but I hope you like it. And also, I won't be updating things as much because not only is my computer playing up, the amount of work I actually have to do for GCSEs is a lot more than I thought. Sorry, and thank you so much for reading this fic, I really appreciate it! ::
I looked first at the heavy fighting axe now firmly embedded in the table, and then at the door to Angelus' room. I looked back at the small side table and tilted my head to see if it looked any less worrying from a different angle. It didn't. The axe handle still protruded dangerously from the table. I swallowed and tired to pull it out with one hand, but the table came too. So, with one last glance at the door, I placed my foot against the table and pulled on the axe handle with both hands. It came out suddenly and both the axe and I flew across the hallway into the opposite wall beside Angelus' door.
I scrambled to my feet hurriedly and sure enough, Angelus appeared in the doorway to his room, looking pretty pissed.
"What are you doing out here boy?" He said, frowning.
"I'm polishing your axe for you sire," I answered, holding up the axe as I took a couple of steps to my left to hide the table from view. He looked at me scrutinisingly.
"On the landing?" he said sceptically.
I nodded and then realised he was waiting for an explanation of the noise. "Oh, I um, tripped over the rug." I pointed at the rug on the floor which did indeed have a fold in it.
"Well straighten it out then," Angelus said impatiently, and I put one foot out to straighten the carpet, while still trying to hid the table from view. When I looked back up, he was frowning at me once more. "Are you up to something, boy?"
I shook my head rapidly. "No Sire."
He took in a slow, unnecessary breath then turned back into his room. I waited until the door was completely shut before I breathed out the sigh of relief and turned round to survey the damage.
The table looked fine... except for the large split that went from the edge of the table right into the centre. I turned the table round so the split was facing the wall, and then looked around thoughtfully. I spotted a similar table a little way down the hall with a vase and a doily and a slow grin crept onto my face. I looked back at the original table. I might just get away with it...
Soon I had the ridiculous doily thing that Darla loved on the damaged table, and a vase of flowers on top of that. They would never know. I picked up the axe and went to find the polish that I had been looking for when this had begun.
ANGELUS POV:
He's just fed me some rubbish about polishing my axe, when I know perfectly well that he thudded it into Darla's side-table, then proceeded to yank it out, creating the loudest thump I have ever heard from a vampire. Of course then I couldn't pretend not to hear it or he'd know something was wrong. I hope he's found a clever way to disguise it, I really don't want Darla punishing my childer – she does it all wrong. Anyway, by the time she gets back we'll have everything packed so hopefully she'll miss it.
I finished off the letter I was writing with my flowing signature, then decided I'd better find out what Will was up to. Knowing him, he's probably broken something else. If anyone had told me three years ago how much patience it would take to bring up a sane fledgling, I would've laughed at them. Right now, I'm seriously regretting not making him insane before I turned him. Drusilla was never like this. But then neither was Penn, and he was sane.
Hmm... well, Penn doesn't really count.
"William!" I called, stepping out of my room. He came bounding up the stairs a few minutes later and looked at me. I could tell he was trying to work out what mood I was in. He looks cute when he does that little head thing...
WILLIAM POV
He's tired. I can tell. If he wasn't tired he'd be out killing something. Or he'd be beating me for disturbing him earlier. Or he'd at least be walking around.
I'm not tired though, I'm bored. Angelus is just lying on the settee with his eyes closed, occasionally puffing on that cigar which is making me want one.
I fiddled with the grate of the fire and suddenly it fell down with a loud clang. Oops. Angelus' eyes popped open and he looked at me.
"Will, come away from the fire." He sat up straighter on the seat and moved up so there was room for me. I pulled my knees up underneath me like Dru did, and watched the smoke from the cigar like it was amazing. I felt Angelus' fingers in my hair and before I knew it, I was leaning into him and purring like a little kitten. I wasn't bored anymore.
"Sire? When are the girls getting back?" They had left earlier that night to some place the other side of London.
"A few days. Tuesday, maybe," he replied, and I noticed the cigar had somehow disappeared. "Gives us a good few days to get your training underway and then we're leaving for Italy."
Italy? Why were we going to Italy? "Why?" I asked, like a little three year old... which I was, actually.
"Because this place is full of beggars. And we need a holiday."
Italy... "Do we have to go across the sea?"
He laughed. "No my boy, we're going to fly there. Of course we're going across the sea, Will."
"In a boat?"
"Yes."
I thought about that. I'd never been in a proper boat before. And I don't like water. "How – how deep is it? The sea?"
"It's very deep, why?"
I swallowed. "No reason." He must've heard it in my voice because he shifted a little so he could look at my face.
"William – are you scared of the sea?" I didn't answer. "Will, talk to me," he coaxed, and I looked up at him. He didn't look angry, not really.
I nodded once, a tiny movement of the head, but he saw it. He smiled and pulled me closer like a small child.
"It can't hurt you. Even if you don't think you can swim, it can't hurt you because you don't need to breath remember?"
"I know... but it's so big and powerful and c-cold." I was getting scared just thinking of it. I really didn't want to go to Italy any more. I'd never been out of England in my life – or my un-life.
"I'm big, and powerful, and cold too," was Angelus' reply to that, and I though about that too. He was big and powerful and cold, thinking about it. "Are you scared of me?" he asked.
How do I answer that question. Yes of course I'm scared of him, what does he think? I looked up at my Sire, the man who has ultimate power over me, can do anything he wants, who has taken from me again and again and rarely given anything back.
"Sometimes," I whispered, wide eyed.
He smiled softly. "Good. But have I ever really hurt you?" Yes, I thought dryly, but didn't say it. "Have I ever killed you or scarred you?"
"No," I admitted.
"Then the water won't either, ok?" I nodded again.
"When are we leaving?"
"Next week. We need to have everything packed before the girls get back. Hopefully there'll be a chance to burn that table you broke upstairs before Darla finds out."
My eyes widened in shock. He didn't know about that! He couldn't! I hid it! I saw him smirk at me and raise his eye brows.
"Don't forget, my William, that I know everything. I am your Sire and you can't keep secrets from me," he whispered in my ear and I shivered.
"I'm sorry Sire, I didn't mean to –"
"It doesn't matter. I never liked it much anyway."
"William, you will pack my necessary weapons from the cellar," Angelus told me a few hours later. "I don't trust any of the minions."
I nodded and went off to find a case to pack them in. Angelus was in a good mood, which put me in a good mood. I grinned at Cassie who, to my delight, had been whipped earlier for spilling water on the carpet. I had watched gleefully. I love watching Angelus punish people, just as long as its not me or Dru.
The cellar floor was covered in the dried blood that Angelus had tipped over it when we were training. It was old, and it gave off a foul scent. I'd probably get told to scrub it off soon. Angelus didn't like having minions down here, he didn't feel they should be left with so many weapons. Not that they would have any problems getting their hands on them if they wanted to, but I guess he just didn't like the thought of tempting them.
I packed a couple of axes, a sword and a dagger into a bag and glanced around. Angelus wouldn't need many weapons on a trip to Italy for a month or so.
My stomach still churned at the thought of the sea, and I pushed it to the back of my mind. And I think I know why Angelus is going to Italy now. We've heard rumours that the Slayer is back from Palestine, that she's now in London. If we go to Italy for a while, she might be gone when we get back. Not like Angelus to run from anything, but then this is the Slayer.
"Have you finished yet Will?" Angelus called from the top of the stairs.
I got up and left the cellar. I was in the hall outside the door. "Yes," I said, handing over the bag. He took it and scanned the items inside. Seemingly satisfied, he put it down with the small but ever increasing pile of things to be taken with us.
I yawned widely. The daylight was streaming through the gaps in the curtains and I would normally have been in bed hours ago.
Angelus clipped my ear swiftly, but lightly. "Don't get back into human habits, boy," he reprimanded me sternly.
"But –" I began and he clipped it again, harder this time.
"There are certain things you need to learn. Fine tuning, if you like. We'll start with the simple things." His eyes turned amber but the rest of his face stayed as normal. I took a step backwards. Those eyes usually meant danger. "You try doing that," he commanded, his eyes returning to brown once more.
I focused and tried to change my eyes but not my face. I succeeded for a couple of seconds, before my true face was fully out. Angelus sighed and turned away.
"Keep trying, boy. I'll expect you to have mastered it within a month."
So I was left standing in the hallway with my demonic face. I kept trying, like Angelus instructed, for about ten minutes before I gave up and went to bed.
I was in my room, and falling asleep, when I felt Angelus slip in behind me. I froze, and my heart constricted as I felt him slide an arm around my waist and pull me backwards into his chest. Everything smelt so strongly of Sire that I tried to bury myself in him. It was such a beautiful smell.
He was breathing too, which meant he was probably inhaling my own scent. I suppose, when you're a vampire, everything revolves around senses. I turned slightly so I could bury my nose in the crook between his chin and shoulder, where the scent was strongest.
Sire. I still had at least a few days until Darla and Drusilla got home. Days with just me and Angelus, Sire and Childe... Father and son.
