Chapter 12- Demons Can Be Heroes Too
San Francisco – Halliwell's House in the attic
Doyle shook each of their hands in a solemn, but friendly manner.
"Wow! It is nice to meet you, Francis, even though it's not under the best circumstances. I'm Paige and these are my older sisters, Phoebe and Piper. " Paige gestured to her sisters.
"I'm charmed. Please call me, Doyle, darlin'." Doyle gave her a wink and a flirtatious smile.
"He is one of the only White Lighters left now. Unfortunately we had no warning in order to stop the demons as the Elders became attacked," Leo said with a sad sigh.
"We don't know fer sure where the others are hidin' or what is to become of them. If the Elders aren't safe then their charges are no longer safe either." Doyle explained to the girls.
"What do you propose we do, Leo? We can't just hang here like live bait! Who is going to help us destroy these things and really knows a lot about these demons while you are taking charge on helping to find the surviving, hidden and wounded Elders?" Piper felt tears start to flood her eyes. Her husband will stick himself in danger no matter what happens to help save the Elders and the world in his own way. There was nothing she could do about that. But she really didn't want to see him killed. She wanted to protect him and knew he would not let her. Not just because of her vulnerable state, but also because she was a Charmed One that needed to be there for her sisters too.
"It's going to be alright, Piper," Leo wipped away Piper's tears with his less bloody hand and kissed her cheek.
"Doyle will help you guys out with information on the demons. He's an expert and knows other people who have connections to other material about the demons besides your Book of Shadows." Leo insisted, as he looked upon Piper with loving eyes. Piper looked skeptical. Leo sighed and put a comforting hand on Piper's shoulder.
"Trust me! I'll be fine. Doyle will stay with all of you until I get back. I will be a call away. I need to find and help the remaining Elders regroup and heal them before more are found and become injured or worse."
"How do expect us to believe that this new White Lighter, Doyle, has what it takes to protect us from these demons if the Elders are wounded and dying off on us?" Piper stubbornly asked as Leo disappeared from the room. "Oh this is just great!" Piper muttered to the ceiling, waving her arms frustratingly in the air.
"Great ye left me with a bunch of upset, powerful witches. Just me luck. I don't suppose ye girls would have any beer in the fridge, would ye?"
"I didn't know that white lighters drank beer. Did you, Pheebs?" Paige looked over to her sister.
"Nope, what a surprise. Something is definitely strange with that one," Phoebe rolled her eyes as she sat down on the old attic coach, looking bored.
"Well….um…some of us drink when we feel stressed or overwhelmed. In this case I'm feelin' both."
"Makes sense to me. Come with me I'll show you-" Paige was cut off suddenly as she saw Doyle fall to the floor with his head in his hands.
"Doyle? Are you okay? Say something! What happened?" Paige knelt down beside him to look into his pain filled, blue eyes.
"Ya would think that ta Powers That Be would leave a poor fellow alone after he dies a brutal death, but alas! No! No permanent vacation fer me. Gaining more powers from the Elders was jus' a pit stop!" Doyle painfully lifted his head to look at Paige.
Paige gasped in surprise.
"What? Ye think I'm crazy now? Last time I checked I still had me head screwed on, more or less, but with this headache ye can never tell."
"Your –" Paige pointed to her face and then stopped. Her sisters stood next to her speechless as they all stared at Doyle with disbelief.
"Me what?" Doyle went to touch his face and froze in shock.
"Do ye have a mirror?" Paige nodded and cautiously showed him to a mirror near the far wall.
Doyle stared into the mirror stunned at the spiked, blue face staring right back at him.
"Could ye have gotten rid of me other half after I died to put me out of me misery fer a change?" Doyle spoke loudly to the ceiling as he swung himself onto the coach and shook his face to bring back to its human form.
"You would think that ye would have at least given me a break here. Save the innocent in death, but not ta thing has changed," Doyle grimaced. He began to fall to the ground and hold his head in pain again. The ringing in his ears and pain in his head came on stronger and simultaneously.
"He's a demon! How can a white lighter be a demon? Why would Leo let a demon in our house? I'm going to get Leo." Piper was about to call Leo, when Phoebe placed a hand on Piper's shoulder and shook her head no.
"But Phoebe, I'm not going to take any chances this time. He owes me an explanation," Piper spoke authoritatively.
"Leo's busy right now. Let's grab the Book of Shadows. There's got to be something about this thing," Phoebe and Piper stormed over to where the Book of Shadows was placed and searched the pages for information on who they were dealing with while stepping over Doyle who was slumped on the floor in pain, lying in Paige's lap.
"Ah! Here it is. This guy is a Brachen demon," Piper glanced at the picture on the page and then back at Doyle.
"I'm a half Brachen demon on me pa's side and half human on me ma's side. I wouldn't hurt any of ye at all," Doyle hissed through the pain.
"Yeah, whatever. You are all the same! Here to kill or capture the Charmed Ones, but it looks like you failed, wise guy," Phoebe smirked with her hands on her hips.
"Come over here, Paige. He is not an innocent," Phoebe grabbed Paige and forcefully dragged her to the book.
"You're wrong, Phoebe. He is a good, innocent person and he is in pain and needs our help. How can you be so heartless? He hasn't done anything to us!"
"He could have done something, Paige," Piper pointed out.
"I will not do any spell with you. You do not have any proof against Doyle. I can't let you hurt him," Paige stepped aside and knelt beside Doyle again.
"How can you be sure he is good, Paige?" Piper asked, folding her arms.
"Because I can sense it. I know. Why would he have white lighters powers if he wasn't a good person?"
"That's just the thing! He isn't really fully human, Paige. He even said so himself," Phoebe nodded her head in Doyle's direction.
"Look in the book and if I'm wrong, then I'm wrong, but I'm sure that you are mistaken," Paige put Doyle's head in her lap as she waited for her sisters' reply.
"Wait a second…beside the picture it says his name and it has a star next to it with a description that says he has saved many lives in L.A. while he was living with an Angel Investigations Agency by following his visions from the Powers That Be. He gained his status as a white lighter by saving many people by risking his own life and getting zapped by a powerful laser light and dying on the scene. Look he is really telling the truth, Pheebs," Piper read and glanced at her sister curiously as the description appeared magically onto the book's page as if it were a news article.
"I'm still not quite sure about that," Phoebe shrugged, indifferently.
"I'll try to look the Angel Investigations up if that would make you feel any better," Piper insisted.
"I believe they might have moved ta the Wolfram and Hart building," Doyle replied while trying to maintain consciousness.
"Okay then. Let's get busy, sis. We have a phone call to make." Like an actress on stage, Phoebe masterfully did not show that she relished the idea of Doyle's pain as she slowly lead Piper into the hallway to make the phone call to L.A.
"Thanks, darlin' fer saving me life and taking care of me," Doyle said between painful breaths and ringing ears.
"What's going on? What do you see and can I help?" Paige pleaded as she placed her cool hand gently over Doyle's head.
"I see a blonde haired woman lying lifelessly in bed. Her face is pale and her eyes remain oddly open. I have got to get ta her before it strikes again."
"Who is she? Where is she? What strikes again?" Paige's eyes widened with concern.
"The name needs to remain confidential, but the place is in Italy. The suspect I have to find out for meself. I need ye to orb me up there coz' me power is kinda weak right now. Can ye do that for me?" Doyle asked as he put an unsteady hand on Paige's arm.
"Whatever it takes." Paige turned to gather herself together and nodded.
With Doyle's powerful touch Paige could almost feel his pain as he lent her his vision just by touching her arm. Paige could see the small bedroom and the blonde haired woman in the bed. Paige closed her eyes and let her power flow through her as she orbed herself and Doyle to the closed walk-in closet of the woman's bedroom.
"Is this okay, Doyle?" Paige whispered.
"Fine and dandy, darlin'." Doyle smiled weakly as he gave Paige a playful squeeze on the arm.
"Are you sure, Doyle? Will you be okay? Do you want me to stay with you?"
"I'll call ye if I need any help. Thank ye kindly though."
"How will I know if you're calling me though?"
"Ye will definitely know the sign. Trust me, darlin,'" Doyle said with a nervous laugh.
"I'm feelin' better, really. Ye better go before yer sisters find that ye ain't at the house," Doyle shooed Paige away and watched as Paige's blue misty light faded away.
"Now what?" Doyle asked silently to himself.
Doyle felt certain that at least one of Paige's sisters was going to call Angel. What would he tell Angel if he saw him? Hey mate, how are things down under in the City of Angels? Not really! What would he say if he saw Cordy? Now that would be an interesting affair! Somehow he was sure that facing her would be like facing the Grim Reaper again, only maybe a bit worse. After having not seen her for many years he knew he would definitely have to rehearse what he was going to say a couple of times. He could just see Cordelia Chase with an angry, upset look on her pretty features as she asks where the heck he had been all this time. What was he supposed to say? I've been caught up with lads in white robes called Elders and I'm now an angel. Would ya like to go ta the pub with me? That might be a little too much to swallow, but would she understand his situation? Would she even care? Was she over him? That was the chance that he would have to take in order to convince her and to prove that he was not afraid to show who he is and to accept himself as a human, demon and white lighter.
He wasn't sure how or why he was chosen to become a white lighter out of all the other people in the world. In all of history not one demon has ever become a white lighter. Either they ended up in hell or if they were lucky they ended up in oblivion safe from the tortures of eternal damnation. What makes me any different? Is it coz' I'm half human or is it 'coz I sacrificed meself to save the other half demons? I helped save many folks, demon or human, with the Powers That Be and that wasn't anythin' special. It didn't make any sense to him. If he was a white lighter then why did he still look like a half Brachen demon at times and have the migraines and visions from the Powers That Be? No wonder the girls were hesitant on trusting him. How could the Charmed Ones explain or accept a demon white lighter when they have battled and killed many demons to protect themselves? He could understand their position to act as they did towards him. He would have done the same if he saw a demon white lighter too, especially under the dangerous circumstances of the Hoygles appearing as human white lighters or charges.
He needed to find more sources on these dark demon warriors as soon as possible.
Doyle peaked through the closet door to find Buffy Summers lifelessly on the bed with a sheet over her and pillows propping her head up. Next to her was a younger girl who dangled on the bed and seemed to be not moving or breathing normally. They both looked pale and sickly and not the natural sick look that people get when they have caught a virus. More like a transparent look that made them both look like a zombie of some sort.
Who was he supposed to save and how was he supposed to explain himself if someone walks in and sees him standing close to the two dead looking girls? That would definitely be an unpleasant state indeed.
As Doyle was thinking up a plan of action he saw a blonde haired man walk into the room to sit next to the girls and rest his hand to feel both of their necks.
The man stopped suddenly and looked up as if he could sense something.
Doyle froze. It was Spike! The vampire that almost had Angel tortured to death and by the looks of it, he seems to be the one who has tortured and hurt the girls. Anger welled up within Doyle as he gathered up the courage to barge out of the closet with one of Buffy's stakes.
"What the bloody hell do you think you are doing?" Spike grabbed the stake before Doyle could stab him and shoved him on the floor.
"Ye killed those two girls. Ye killed Buffy and are going ta turn them both into vampires!"
"Am I now? Bullocks! Do you see any puncture wounds in the girls necks, fly boy?" Spike grabbed Doyle by the hand and forcefully pulled him from the ground to show him Dawn's and Buffy's necks.
"Not really." Doyle studied the girls closely. Their necks were both puncture free.
"Who are you? Are you some annoying mate of Xander's or something that is trying to watch me fall again?"
"Who's Xander? Ye don't remember me, do ya?" Doyle tilted his head a bit to courageously look Spike straight in the eye. He felt weak for a moment. Maybe Spike was just about to have his meal when he interrupted. Maybe this was not such a good idea after all. Doyle carefully stepped back a few paces. Fer the love of – I'm gonna be the main course. Jus' what I needed after almost being killed by a few witches!
"I'd think I would definitely remember a block head when I saw one. Wait a second….You do look a bit familiar. Ah…yes! You're Captain Forehead's sidekick!" Spike started to laugh as he took a step closer to Doyle and saw Doyle take a quick step back. This should be bloody fun, Spike thought. This guy thinks I'm still on a killing spree! Spike laughed at Doyle's reaction. The man didn't even notice a change in him.
"Well I guess ye have remembered me after all." Doyle took in a deep breath and decided to remain calm. He was a white lighter after all. White lighters couldn't die again, could they? He was determined to take the chance regardless of the consequences. Doyle needed answers and was determined to get them one way or another.
"So where is the old poofter? Is he brooding more than usual these days?" Spike grinned. This scarecrow has developed courage. This should be interesting.
"I haven't seen Angel fer a long time. He doesn't even know that I'm here."
"Then why are you in this sodding house alone and unarmed?"
"My name is Doyle and I'm in here coz' I gotta vision of Buffy and …"
"Dawn? The girl next to her is Dawn, her sister."
"Yeah that would be the other girl in me vision. I need some answers and I need them now! What did ya do to the girls? Were ya going to eat them? Aye or nay?"
Spike grinned. He could play this game forever. This Irishman was definitely treading on dangerous waters if he was not sure of Spike's own intentions. Spike purposefully waited to answer to see Doyle's reaction.
Doyle's face turned blue with thorns coming out of his face like a porcupine. Spike was stunned at the man's transformation beside him. After all these years Spike has only seen the softer side of Doyle. What a difference! Spike chuckled.
"Well, well, well… the jellyfish has grown a spine. What an improvement, mate."
"Answer my question. What did ya do to the girls and what do ye mean when ye said watch ye fall again?"
"Well now! Those are two questions and I believe you wanted one question answered." Spike folded his arms and waited to see what Doyle would do next.
Doyle flew forward and grabbed Spike by the throat. His strength surprised Spike and actually caught the blonde haired vampire off guard.
"Answer me, ye monster! NOW!" Doyle glared at Spike. Spike took Doyle's hand off of him and sighed. It seemed like nobody would ever believe that he would never hurt Buffy or Dawn.
He gave an unnecessary sigh. Here goes another explanation.
"I was not going to hurt the gurls. It so happens I'm taking care of them and they mean a lot more to me than you or anyone else will ever know."
"How do ye expect me to believe ye after all the pain ye put Angel through by torturing the hell out of him? Either ye are a good actor or this is one hell of a trick."
Spike rolled his eyes. This guy had some guts walking in here and accusing him.
"Bloody hell! You wanted to know what I meant by fall again. Well lets just say I fell for a girl. A girl who by the laws of the universe should be my worse enemy. She didn't want me unless I had the spark, the missing link. I traveled for awhile until I found a demon who made me a deal. I was tortured and put to the test in return for my spark back. So you see everyone is waiting for me to return to the dark side and to make a mistake, but I bloody well won't give them the satisfaction because I'm a changed man."
Doyle gave Spike a round of applause. He had to hand it to Spike, the vamp did have talent.
"Nice speech! Ye almost had me believin' ya fer a second. Where did ya get it from, Dear Abby?" Doyle raised his one eyebrow in a mocking way.
"Now hold on a second, mate. I was actually telling you the sodding truth!" Spike started to feel his anger burn past the surface and felt his face change.
"Ye sure are a good story teller for an English vampire, but that's not enough to make me believe in yer tales."
"Why you little son of a-" Spike vamped out and grabbed Doyle's leather brown coat collar as Doyle pulled on Spike's ear. Spike shoved Doyle to the other side of the room and punched him in the face. Shock registered as he saw Doyle get up quickly from the blow and slam him in the nose and then in the gut. Spike punched Doyle's face and Doyle whacked Spike's face right back. Their fight was like a tennis match with their heads as the tennis balls. Doyle's face was less full of blood than Spike's was because it was protected by the spikes on his face, but blood still trickled down his nose. Spike's face and hands were covered with blood. They both were sore, but pride caused them to ignore their pain.
Suddenly the bedroom door swung open and Willow and Xander stood frozen staring in the doorway.
"Jeeping Jitterbug, Spike! What the hell are you doing fighting in Buffy's bedroom with a total stranger? Who in the name of Zeus are you and why is Dawn unconscious?" Xander ran to Dawn's side and checked her pulse.
"He's a demon and was going to hurt Buffy!"
"I'm half demon fer yer information and I was not goin' to hurt anyone. I jus' gotta a vision that someone was in trouble and I found this bag of bones next to them. I thought he was goin' to hurt them, so I tried to kick his no good arse," Doyle replied in defense.
"Wait a minute. I could have sworn I called a doctor over. Where is he, Xander? Don't you find this odd?"
"Yeah, but we used to live in Deadsville and I find that weird and odd are going to be as close to normal as we are ever going to get. Don't know where the doc is Wills, but I'd like to know more about our new friend. I think I'm beginning to like this guy already. Anyone who can beat up and pick on Spike is a friend of mine! What's your name, young chap?" Xander stuck his hand out with enthusiasm.
"I'm Doyle. Ye two are…?"
"I'm Xander and this is Willow. It's a pleasure to meet you, good sir."
"Pleased to make both yer acquaintances. Can ye tell me why ye have a vampire like Spike in ya house?"
"Good question. He's Buffy and Dawn's bodyguard and friend. He has a soul now." Willow chimed in.
"A soul? Really?" Doyle looked up at Spike with uncertainty.
"I told you so, blue porcupine face!" Spike grimaced as he left the room.
"Well now that I've got that settled, what happened here with the two girls?"
"We don't know. It's a mystery to us. I mean I think it's a natural virus, but I'm not sure." Willow said with a sigh as she glanced sadly at the two sisters crumpled and slumped on the bed.
"May I have a check?" Doyle asked as he looked to Xander for permission.
"Are you a doctor?" Xander's eyes filled with hope.
"Not really, but I have new healing powers. I'm sort of like an angel ye might say."
"A demon who is also an angel with healing powers. Really interesting and odd! Now I've heard and seen just about everything!" Xander muttered as he gestured Doyle to the bed.
"May I ask if you have ever used your powers and if you have any life insurance of any kind," Xander bit his bottom lip still unsure of how to handle the situation, but let Doyle in anyway. He was desperate to get his Dawnie and Buffster back.
"Not really used any of me powers yet, but I've been trained by the best angel there is, so there should be no problems whatsoever."
"That's okay, Doyle, we're ready when you are." Willow held onto Xander's hand tightly. Magic had consequences and she hoped her friends came back safely. For some reason she trusted this guy and had a feeling that he could help them in more than one way.
"Do your thing and work that magic!" Xander nodded his head to Doyle to give him the permission to go ahead.
Doyle reached out his hands and placed them on Buffy and concentrated with all his might as a powerful, blue glow swam through him into Buffy.