Guess Who's Coming With Me?

Part Five

By Marie Nomad

Buffy:

"I'm home." Buffy said as she opened the door and slumped in a chair. Her books fell over on the floor.

"Hello, how was your day?" Joyce asked as she came in.

"Oh, the usual, I had to fight the usual evil and then there are the demons. Why can't Snyder be a demon? I can kill demons." Buffy moaned as she got out a pile of papers and put it on the table.

"Just hold on for a few more months and you can leave him."

"Yeah, if I don't go insane first." Buffy sighed, "How's Angel?"

"He's fine. He's such a nice man." Joyce said as she smiled, "He's so clean when he's eating blood and but I had a little trouble with him when I gave him a bath."

"Oh that's…" Buffy paled. "A bath. You gave Angel a bath!"

"He was getting so dirty and he was in the same clothes all the time. I had to help him get cleaned or he would drown."

"Mom… Angel doesn't breathe. Don't tell me that you bathed him naked." Buffy blushed brightly at the thought of her mother bathing Angel like some child.

"Oh." Joyce paused, "I was not distracted by his… body. I'm older than he is."

"He's two hundred and fifty years old. He's older than the US."

"Well, I look older than him." Joyce reminded herself. Buffy had to laugh. Ever since, Angel and Gunn moved in, Joyce tried her best to treat them like normal people. Well, at least, she treated Gunn as 'normally' as she could, Angel, she treated like a stray dog Buffy brought home.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm sure." Joyce blushed as she thought of Angel's naked body. "I… I'm perfectly in control."

"Hey, Mrs. S." Gunn said as he came in with the groceries. "I'm back."

"Good, Charles, just put them into the kitchen." Joyce said as she shook off the blush. "Buffy, go and help Charles."

"Sure thing." Buffy went to Gunn and picked up a couple of groceries. "So, Gunn, how did you do today?"

"I'm cool. I called my crew and let them know how I was doing. I didn't tell them about the dog yet. Just that your friend was very sick and he needed help."

"Great. You could leave soon. Another slayer is coming into town." Buffy scowled, "She was called after Kendra died."

Gunn's ears perked up. "Another like you?"

"Well, I haven't talked to her yet but she's not exactly like me." Buffy scowled.

"Hey, but if she's another slayer, then she can have your back during the patrols. You know what they say, Two Slayers are better than one."

"I know. It's just that… Angel hasn't been getting any better and there's nothing I can do about it." Buffy sighed, "And I am trying to get my life back in order and this is very frustrating."

"Just give it time, Anne." Gunn wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "You can do it." He leaned in for a kiss and Buffy pulled away.

"Gunn, you know that… I mean…"

"Oh." Gunn pulled away. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"That's all right." Buffy leaned back. Things have been getting more… intense since Gunn and Angel moved in. Gunn had not lost his feelings to her and they both know it. Joyce didn't exactly know that Gunn was her boyfriend and that she still loved Angel. She and Gunn still patrol together and have some fun but that was it. "I'm going to check on Angel."

"Yeah, of course."

Buffy got up and walked down to the basement where Angel spent most of his time during the daytime, except when the curtains are down to stop the sunlight from coming in.

Angel half walked/crawled up to her and hugged her. "Nice to see you too." Buffy smiled slightly. Seeing him made her heart hurt and yet it was a good type of hurt. Every time she saw him, she remembered what happened when Angelus tried to end the world. She killed him and sent him to Hell. When she went to rescue him, it was too late. Angel, her Angel was gone forever; all that was left was some shell of a man that acted more canine than man. Still the Guardian had told her that her love would heal Angel. What did the Guardian of Hell know about love and healing? He lived in Hell since the beginning of time.

Angel let go and walked back down the stairs and showed an empty pad of paper.

"You're done with this already?" Buffy asked as she picked up the pad and saw the wads of paper. She picked up a wad to see scribbles all over it. He had been trying to draw or write again. She could sense that Angel was trying so hard to heal but it wasn't happening.

"It's okay." She said as she patted Angel on the shoulder. "I'm sure that we'll figure out how to cure you."

Angel looked down sadly. He shook his head as he held on to her legs again.

"Do you want me to read to you?"

Angel nodded as he went to a bookshelf and gave her a book. "Moby Dick? Sure." Buffy sat down and started to read. She started reading to him just so Angel could maybe relearn the English language. It made her feel a little better that she was doing something that could help him and Angel seemed to enjoy it.

XXX

Gunn:

Gunn stood in the line of the grocery store. Ever since he moved into the Summers house, he had been helping Mrs. Summers with the chores and the errands. It was surreal; he had never been in such a nice home. There were no gunshots ringing out at night, no fears of uninvited vamps getting at his throat, and there wasn't even any smells of drugs being cooked up next door. It made him wish that his sister was with him.

Alonna was doing fine in LA but she could do better. He had to take her to Sunnydale and hope that Mrs. Summers would accept her.

"Gunn?"

Gunn turned to see Willow standing behind him. "Hey, Willow. How's my favorite redhead?"

"Fine." Willow smiled slightly. "How's Angel doing? Buffy said he wasn't getting any better."

"Yeah, the dog's still not himself." Gunn said as he shook his head. "He understands stuff but… it's weird."

"I'm doing all I can to research about Angel's condition." Willow looked around. "Giles gave me books and I've been searching on the Internet. I should find something. Tell Buffy that."

"You know, you can tell her yourself. She should be home soon." Gunn said as he moved through the line.

"I did. She's been kinda tense lately."

"Well, having a boyfriend that's… sick would do that to her." Gunn frowned. "He's been acting kinda angry. You know, like he wanted to do stuff but can't. It's been getting worse."

"Worse?"

"Yeah, he's been throwing stuff sometimes and been trying to draw or write but all that came out are scribbles. Anne told me that he used to draw really good. Kinda sad to see him like that."

"Then, he should have been able to talk." Willow replied, "This is all too weird."

"You sure that Giles guy didn't hold anything back? He seems kinda shifty."

"Giles is nothing like that!" Willow yelled, "Giles is a good man. He would do anything to help Buffy and Angel."

"The old dude tried to kill me and the dog. He had a crossbow aimed at my heart. That guy has a… look in his eyes. I'm not trying to disrespect him or anything but… I don't trust him."

Willow looked at Gunn. "Well… okay, maybe Giles didn't like Angel for what Angelus did. I… I'll try to ask him about it."

"Thanks, Willow." Gunn grinned as he started to pay for the groceries.

"No problem."

XXX

Gunn opened the door. "Hey, Mrs. S." Gunn said as he came in with the groceries. "I'm back."

"Good, Charles, just put them into the kitchen." Joyce said as she came up to him with a somewhat red face. "Buffy, go and help Charles."

"Sure thing." Buffy went to Gunn and picked up a couple of groceries. "So, Gunn, how did you do today?"

"I'm cool. I called my crew and let them know how I was doing. I didn't tell them about the dog yet. Just that your friend was very sick and he needed help."

"Great. You could leave soon. Another slayer is coming into town." Buffy scowled, "She was called after Kendra died."

Gunn's ears perked up at the thought of another slayer. "Another like you?"

"Well, I haven't talked to her yet but she's not exactly like me." Buffy brushed off.

"Hey, but if she's another slayer, then she can have your back during the patrols. You know what they say, two Slayers are better than one." Gunn was ecstatic. Two slayers on the same side would really make things easier.

"I know. It's just that… Angel hasn't been getting any better and there's nothing I can do about it." Buffy sighed, "And I am trying to get my life back in order and this is very frustrating."

Gunn saw that she was getting very sad and frustrated. "Just give it time, Anne. You can do it." He leaned in for a kiss and Buffy pulled away.

"Gunn, you know that… I mean…" Buffy said as she blushed slightly.

"Oh." Gunn pulled away. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking." He was hoping that Buffy would still be his girl but that wasn't happening. How can he compete with Angel, the man who made Buffy walk into Hell to rescue? It made him a little mad that he had to compete with a middle class white man who was dead.

"That's all right. "I'm going to check on Angel."

"Yeah, of course." Gunn said as he went to the kitchen. "Hey, Mrs. S. do you need some help with the dinner?"

XXX

Angel:

His fingers won't work right. They haven't worked right since he came out of Hell. He looked at the sheet of paper and saw only scribbles. He growled as he wadded up the paper and threw it on the floor. The image was there, the words were there, but he can't express anything other than growls and a few gestures. As far as everyone could tell, he was an animal in vampire form.

"Angel?"

Angel looked up to see Joyce coming down the stairs. "Come on, you need a bath."

Angel growled at her. He didn't need a bath, he was fine.

"Now, now, don't be like that." Joyce put a leash around his neck.

He remembered being hanged in the Hyperion and he hated it. "Grrr…" He pulled away.

"Now now… we both know that you need a bath. Now, come on." Joyce urged as she tugged at the leash again.

Angel looked down as he thought of Buffy. He was being smelly and he tried to take a bath at least once in a while. He loosened up and followed the woman upstairs. All of the windows were covered and he walked into the bathroom.

"Good." Joyce started to take off his clothes.

Angel waved her away and took off his clothes. He may not be able to do much but he could at least change his clothes.

"Oh, you can change your clothes. Good boy." Joyce congratulated as she filled the bathtub. She tested the water and looked up to see Angel naked. "Oh… wow…Now, step into tub." Joyce turned around and heard the water splash.

She turned back around and got out the soap. Angel frowned as he let the woman bathe him. It was one of the most humiliating experiences he ever had. Well, there was that time that the Immortal had captured Angelus and William and had sex with Drusilla and Darla at once. But, that was an entirely different situation.

The door bell rang and Angel's ears perked up.

Joyce pulled Angel out of the bath tub and dried him. "Go ahead and put on your clothes while I get the door. I don't want you to drown."

Angel stared at Joyce. He didn't have to breathe, he breathe mostly to keep others at ease. He had dived hundreds of feet diving for the Navy during World War II. He didn't need help to keep from drowning in a stupid bath tub. He shook his head. Now was not the time to think about it.

"Oh, Giles, what are you doing here?"

"I had some free time, Joyce." Giles said as he and Joyce came into the bathroom. Angel growled as he crouched down at him, glad that he was fully clothed.

"Angel!" Joyce scolded. "Stop that!" She turned over to Giles and smiled. "I'm so sorry. Angel always behaves well."

"Are you sure about having him in your house?" Giles whispered, "He is a vicious killer."

"I'll be fine." Joyce held up a cross. "Angel has been very obedient."

Angel's body tensed as Giles looked at him. He wanted to rip out Giles' throat so much but two things were preventing him from doing it. The fact that Joyce was in the room and that he felt guilty for what he did to the watcher. He sat down as he glared at him. He really couldn't forgive Giles for forcing him into being 'Puppy Angel'.

"Did… did you bathe him recently?"

"Oh yes. He was getting all dirty and I don't want Buffy to have to bathe him."

"You…" Giles' heart rate raced as he adjusted his glasses. "You actually bathed him? And he was…"

"Please, I am a mature woman. I… I had given baths before." Joyce said as she helped Angel up. "Now, go back down to the basement."

Angel nodded and gave a final glare/growl at Giles. He walked down to the basement and lay down on the cot set out for him. The sun was still high and he was tired. He liked to sleep during the day, no one can bother him.

Hours passed and he sensed something. He opened his eyes and saw Buffy coming down the stairs. Buffy, the one that had traveled into Hell itself to save him and treated him as much as a human (well vampire with a soul) as possible. There was Gunn, Gunn treated him somewhat well but still like a dog. At least, he actually defends his honor.

He walked the best he could to her and hugged her. She was tense and needed a hug. Buffy hugged back. "Nice to see you too."

Angel let go and walked back down the stairs and showed an empty pad of paper. He needed more paper. He wanted to fight what was going on within him. He didn't care if the poison keeps him from moving right, he had no choice.

"You're done with this already?" Buffy asked as she picked up the pad. Angel nodded as he hunched down.

"It's okay." She said as she patted Angel on the shoulder. "I'm sure that we'll figure out how to cure you."

Angel shook his head. There was no cure for him, at least if Giles have anything to say about it. He doubt Giles would help him since he wanted revenge and that he didn't want Buffy to know of his treachery.

"Do you want me to read to you?"

During his time in solitude, he had chosen a book. He went to a bookshelf and picked it out. "Moby Dick? Sure." Buffy sat down and started to read. Angel closed his eyes as he listened to her voice. It was adorable for her the way she tried to pronounce some of the whaling terminology and the way she tried to sound excited when she read the dull explanations of how to gut whales. Moby Dick was a classic tale about man verses nature. He wanted to be like that.

"Buffy! Angel! Time to eat!" Joyce called out after a few pages.

Angel lifted his head. It was after sunset, he could still tell. Buffy helped Angel up the stairs and into the kitchen where the table was set. Angel looked on the floor to see a dog dish with the name 'Angel' on it. As soon as he gets better, he's eating on the table with his blood in a glass.

He picked up the bowl and started drinking the pig's blood. It was hard to drink but at least it wasn't rat's blood. Buffy glared at her mother and got the bowl. She grabbed an empty plastic mug and carefully poured the remaining blood in the mug. "Here." She handed the mug back to him.

XXX

Willow:

"Insane vampires?" Willie asked as Willow sat across from him.

"Yes, I need to know of how to cure a mentally challenged vampire." Willow said with her resolve face on.

"I heard there is no cure. But… there is this doctor in LA who deals with demons on a regular basis. He could help you." Willie reached to the side and gave Willow a number. "He comes here pretty often on house calls. Just chant this spell and he'll come but you better have money or a very interesting case."

"My… case is interesting. Thanks." Willow put away the card and ran off. Now, she can really help Angel get back to being himself.

To Be Continued…