All characters belong to Joss Whedon and TNT. I am writing this and am not making any money from it. Okay, I have a bunch of WIPs but I'm working on them. Besides, this is a one-shot.
One Broken Angel
By Marie Nomad
He's in Hell. He has to be in Hell. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak and all he could see is a bright light. Angel sighed as he stared at the ceiling, how did he end up like this?
"Mr. Angel?"
Angel managed to move his head just enough to see a doctor. "Hmmm?" He muffled.
"Ah, good, you're awake. You had been in a coma for over a week. I am Dr. Loresi. Do you remember what happened?"
Angel thought back to the alley where he, Illyria, Spike, and Gunn made their last stand against a horde of demons. They fought as hard as they could but Angel lost track of everyone and felt absolutely alone. He had no way to tell what happened to everyone or even if they are still alive. "Hmmmm…" Like anyone would believe that.
"Hey, Peaches!" Spike yelled and Angel looked at him and glared at him. The bleach blond vampire was still alive or maybe even more alive and he was hurt at all. "How ya been? Well, ya won the Shanshu bet."
"Shanshu?" The doctor asked.
"Long story." Spike waved off. Angel sighed in relief. At least he knew that Spike's still a vampire and he's human. Obviously, he's human, after all, he certainly feel that way. "Anyway, Charlie and Illyria are okay too. I thought that I might stop by and see if you woke up or not and you did."
"Wshhi mam hmmm?"
"Oh yeah, I'm going to Rome, I'd take you with me but I can't move a bloke like you." Spike grinned wildly.
"HHMMK!"
Dr. Loresi sighed. "Mr. Angel, you had sustained extensive fractures along your body as well as body trauma. You broke your femur, both legs, arms, shoulders, multiple ribs, a broken jaw, and some strained muscles. You're lucky you didn't have any neural damage."
Lucky isn't a word he could think of right now. He had just turned human and what happened? He's trapped in a body cast unable to talk with Spike going off to Rome to be with Buffy and eat her cookies.
"You will be in that cast for at least a couple of months, then we can gradually get you out of that cast and into physical rehabilitation."
Angel let out a sigh. What could he do? All he could think of was he better hurry up and heal so he could enjoy being human.
XXX
It had been two weeks since he woke up and things are going fairly well. Well, as well as he could expect. He had suffered far more than being in a body cast and he was fed constantly and was taken care of by the best medical staff. Illyria and Spike visit him as much as they could when they are not fighting demons. Spike couldn't visit him during the daylight times since Angel got one of the rooms with a very nice view. He was sure that either Spike or Gunn make sure that he at least get some sun. Gunn stayed with him about every chance he got. The human was the only one who could see him and not get stares. Illyria visited him too but Angel was sure that she was just curious about the former vampire trapped in a full body cast. She didn't use her Fred form but changed her clothes and skin tone so that she looked more like a goth rather than a demon. He was grateful for that consideration.
Now, he was alone with only his thoughts. He still liked this time to reflect to himself and contemplate what he should do after he healed. He could go to Rome and try to win Buffy back but he wasn't sure if he would still be welcomed, none of the Sunnydale gang ever actually liked him. Also, what could he do with his time? Try to help the helpless in a more human way? Gunn and Wesley had done it for years, although Wesley died and Gunn nearly died a few times. Maybe, he could take a nice normal job for a few years, Gunn could forge him some identification and he could disappear into the masses.
"Hey, Bro. How's it going in there?" Gunn said as he tapped Angel's plastered fist with his own.
"Fn." The former vampire smiled slightly at him.
Gunn unpacked the usual assortment of juices and smoothies from his duffle bag. "Well, I've been doing great myself. Me and Anne's going out on a date tomorrow for some lunch. We didn't want to go out in the dark."
Angel nodded the best he could as Gunn kept on talking. He could tell that Gunn was doing his best to keep a positive attitude. The former street thug/lawyer was the last normal human on the team (except for him but he really didn't count right now).
"Oh, I got a surprise for you. Figured you might want it." Gunn reached into his duffle bag and got out a CD package. To help pass the time, he had been giving Angel a new book on tape or music CD at least once a day. Angel read the cover and saw that it was a Bible on CD, both the Old Testament and New Testament.
"He gt n vb?" Angel asked.
"Damn right they do. I figured you might want to get reacquainted with the good book at least on CD until you could read the real thing." Gunn could understand Angel as clearly as if he could talk normally. Apparently, Gunn's upgrade enabled him to understand anyone with a broken jaw.
"Tnk nu so mth, unn." Angel felt eternally grateful. He wanted to get back in touch with his religious side for a long time but he couldn't since any holy object would just burn him. At least, he could listen to the bible to help pass the time when he's not being visited.
"No problem." Gunn looked down and said, "Spike's gone. He left a note, just said that he's leaving LA."
Angel's heart froze and he slumped inside his prison of a cast. "Bk t rm."
"I'm sorry." Gunn knew how much Angel wanted to go to Rome and see Buffy now that he's human. Those two had a weird rivalry over Buffy which was weird but he understood. Gunn and Wesley suffered that rivalry with Fred. "Don't worry, in a few months, you'll be walking."
"Hmmmm…" Angel muttered still depressed.
"Do you need some time alone?" Gunn asked.
The former vampire nodded slightly and then looked at the CD. "Cn u?"
"Oh sure." Gunn grabbed the CD player and put in the CD. Gently, he put the headphones over Angel's ears as usual and double checked the volume. "I'll be back in a few hours. Okay."
"Tnks."
"Hey, can't leave you all alone for too long. I'll see you later." Gunn grinned as he tapped Angel's fist. The lawyer walked out of the room again and Angel went back to brooding and listening.
XXX
A couple of days passed and Angel tried to get the images of Spike and Buffy together out of his head. At first, he tried watching the TV but every soap opera seemed to remind him of what happened between Buffy and himself. The CDs that Gunn gave him helped out a lot but he still get distracted. The former vampire sighed as he wiggled his fingers and toes trying to keep his mind off of something not so distant, the constant itching. The itching was the worse. They were in places where no one could reach them under the cast. The doctor said that it was normal but it was still annoying.
He could go back to the contemplating over his life, that's what he usually did when he was a vampire when he was imprisoned against his will. Unfortunately that involved contemplating about Buffy and everything else that went wrong in his life.
"Oh my god."
Angel looked over to see Buffy standing there looking stunned. "Hmmm?" The former vampire's heart nearly jumped at the sight of her. What was she doing here? Shouldn't she be with Spike in Rome?
"Wow, when Wesley said you were trapped in a body cast, he's not kidding."
At that, Angel nearly jumped if it weren't for the cast. "Fwa!"
"What's wrong?" Buffy walked up closer. "Can't you talk?"
Angel sighed and parted his lips to show her his wired jaw. He couldn't help at the irony of it all, after so long, he was human and with Buffy but he couldn't even talk to her.
"Oh, I'm so sorry." Buffy cringed, "I don't think that you could write either?" She sat down and put her hands around his. Angel's heart warmed but he still feel angry and frustrated. How the hell could he tell her how he feel when he can't even talk to her? "How are you feeling? Oh right, can't talk… what about yes or no questions? Can you do that?"
"Mmm hmmm."
"Good. Are you in pain?"
"Mn." Angel shook his head.
"No? That's good. Are you stuck in that thing for much longer? Okay, can't answer that… how about I guess how long and you let me know the best you can, okay?"
Angel nodded. At least she's trying.
"Days?"
"Mmmmghhhrr."
"Longer?"
"Hmmm."
"Weeks."
"Mmmmghhrr."
"Months."
Angel nodded. "Hmm."
"Oh damn. I can't imagine being stuck in a hospital for that long. Thank god for Slayer strength." Buffy traced her finger along Angel's cheek. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Hmmm." Angel stared into Buffy's eyes almost pleadingly.
"Oh right, well… can you at least try to tell me?"
"Mndru… sd… u… nidn't… rst… mi." Angel said as clearly as he could.
"Mndru… Andrew?"
"Hmm!" Angel nodded quickly.
"Okay, Andrew… Andrew said I…" Buffy frowned as she tried to piece together the message. "I didn't trust you?"
He looked down and nodded again.
"I don't believe this!" Buffy got up and walked across the room. "How could he do this? I specifically told him to help Angel out as much as possible and to warn him about working with Wolfram and Hart. I didn't tell him that I don't trust him. Oh God." Buffy nearly fumed. "What was he thinking?"
"Mn dno." Angel muttered.
"Hypothetical question." Buffy sighed as she walked back and sat down beside his bed. "I'm sorry. I should have called you or something. I'm sorry."
"sm k."
Buffy frowned. "You know, this whole wired jaw thing is getting irritating. It's like the return of cryptic guy."
"Hmp! Mi midsn li mhr."
The slayer looked at Angel's frustrated eyes. "Okay, I guess you didn't like it either."
"Hmmmpt!"
"I'm sorry." Buffy reached down and kissed him on the cheek. "I guess that there are more reasons that you didn't call me?"
"Hmm hm."
"Well, I suppose I can wait until you can actually talk before we try to fight. Not even I want to argue with a guy in a full body cast with a wired jaw." Buffy sighed as she ran her hand through Angel's hair.
Angel smiled slightly. He paused. He had to know how Wesley could tell Buffy about what happened to him. He was dead according to Illyria and she was not the type to lie. "Hd di wsli tl u?'
"What?"
"Wmmm-liiii?"
"Riley? He's fine, married and expecting a baby."
"Wmm li! Wmmli!"
"Wesley? You want to know how Wesley called us?"
Angel nodded. He had to know what happened to him or if there was some imposter.
"Well, Wesley left a message and said that you were here and need me. Something about Shan's sue. Funny, he kinda sounded different but all those Giles type English accents sound the same to me. Anyway, why?"
"Hmm." Angel shook his head. It must have been Spike. Buffy never heard Spike in his original Welsh accent and maybe he could pull off a 'Wesley' impersonation. But, why didn't Spike take advantage of him being like this? No matter how long he knew the blond vampire, he could never fully understand him.
"Now, you are being cryptic on purpose." Buffy glared at him and then she put her head on his casted chest. "Why can't our reunions ever be easy?"
"Mi dn mew." Angel answered as honestly as he could. He really didn't know why getting back with Buffy was a challenge every time no matter how hard they tried.
"Right." Buffy paused, "I did miss you but I was just so busy you know, with the whole slayer thing."
"Mi mew." Angel replied. Okay, he did feel threatened by Buffy's relationship with the Immortal but he wouldn't go that way, not yet. At least, not until he and Buffy can get over this small communication hurdle.
"Well, maybe, I should go." Buffy started to get up.
"HHHMMMM!" Angel quickly tried to grab on to Buffy's hand which was onto his. He didn't want Buffy to leave yet. He want to be with her and he didn't know when she would come back.
"Huh?" Buffy saw Angel's fingers trying to hold on to hers. "You want me to stay?"
"Hmm." He nodded and sighed in relief as Buffy sat back down.
The slayer pondered on what to do. "It's very hard to hold a decent two-way conversation but I can talk and you can listen."
"Hmm hm." Angel relaxed as he smiled slightly at her.
"Okay, where to begin?" Buffy asked as she wrapped her fingers around his. She sat at the edge of the bed and used her other hand to trace his body cast. "I can tell you about what Spike and I did while you were gone."
At that Angel let out a very loud moan. No, he cannot listen to any more details about Spike's sex with Buffy. Spike had tortured him with the details even when he was at Wolfram and Hart.
"I'm joking." Buffy said as she tapped Angel's nose. "I'm not that much of a bitch."
Angel glared at her.
"Okay, very bad Buffy. I'm sorry." Buffy hugged Angel around the waist being careful not to break the fiberglass. "Forgive me?"
"Mls." Angel said as affectionately as his broken jaw would allow.
Even though she couldn't understand him, she could tell he was saying something nice. "I'm glad. I can tell you about Dawn and the others. You would not believe what happened to us in the past year." Buffy started as she straightened up and talked away.
Angel listened as Buffy talked some more. Here he was, in the hospital, human, trapped in a itchy body cast with no real way to talk, with the love of his life next to him talking and holding his hand. There was no other place he would rather be.
The End?