Hope you like this chapter, what will happen in it? Read and find out obviously! Silly question. :-)
Balance chp 18: Baby don't cry
Angel punched another bringer, getting more and more pissed off and as a result, he became even stronger. He could feel it, deep within him, in his soul, Connor was in critical danger. He wasn't going to find his son alive if he didn't move it along. He could hear Connacht shouting at him to hurry, apparently he could sense it too. Angel swung around and lashed out at another Bringer. Suddenly something collided with the back of his skull and he fell to the ground, stars in his vision. He very nearly blacked out, but then,
"DAD!" Connor's voice rang out and Angel knew he was nearly out of time. He couldn't lose his son again. He wouldn't. He flipped back onto his feet and grabbed two bringers and smashed them together so hard he crushed their heads. He let them drop and snapped the neck of the next and then the next. Finally he grabbed the last one and in a fit of rage as Connor's fear seeped through his veins, he lifted the bringer in the air and brought him down onto his knee snapping his spine. He took in an unnecessary breath and looked at Connacht,
"Can you feel it?"
"Death almost smothering your son? Oh yeah, I feel it." They sprinted down the street and came to a warehouse. Connor was in there, he knew it.
"C'mon." They ran up to the door and Angel kicked it in, expecting more defences but instead the area was clear. They had a completely clear path to another door, which made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He was almost too afraid to see what was behind the door.
"Angel?" questioned Connacht, worried about his hesitation. Angel just walked forward. It felt like he was walking miles, but it was really only about twenty feet. Hand trembling slightly he pushed the door open slowly. What he found was not what he expected.
A raging fire was the first thing to be seen then Angel saw the box that was hanging above it, starting to glow orange from the flames licking it almost hungrily. The strangest sound was coming from it, it sounded like a raging ox if he was not mistaken. Then through the flames he saw a man, of whom he held nothing but anger, hate, sadness and regret. Holtz. Of course Angel knew better, he saw the truth at last. He saw The First.
"Welcome Angelus." It greeted.
"Where is he?" snarled Angel. It played dumb.
"Who?"
"Connor! Where is Connor?" Angel didn't have the time or patience for this.
"Take a guess." Angel did and he knew he was right. His son was in that metal box, being roasted alive! He rushed forward to get him out but the flames jumped and came at him and through instinct he recoiled to protect himself. He cursed the weakness of vampires as he covered his face.
"What now Angelus? Will you face up to the flames?" Angel wanted to snap, 'Of course!' but unfortunately the words stuck in his throat. "What would the point of it be? The boy's probably dead by now. But then his life was over a long time ago wasn't it?" Angel glared and said,
"Connor's just starting his life, and he will live it!" With a roar he flung himself at the box ramming into it. The wood of the roof that held the Brazen Bull broke under the strain and the box landed on the ground beside the fire having been knocked away by Angel. The noises within the bull had gotten wilder with each passing second. Angel rolled off the wood as quick as he could praying only his clothes had suffered. He groaned as he felt the flames burning his skin. He lay still for a few seconds before getting up and looking for something to open the box with. The First was shocked, it hadn't honestly expected Angel to risk being burned to dust to save Connor.
"Betcha didn't expect that now did ya?" sniggered a voice that it really detested. It glared at Connacht who beamed at it in an infuriating way. "Let me explain for you, see the love of a parent for a child is immeasurable, and you will never truly be able to comprehend it. A parent will do anything for its child no matter the cost to themselves." It glared at him then in a fit of rage it morphed into its true form. It launched itself at him intent on causing irreparable pain. But Connacht vanished before it could reach him. With a roar it tried to follow him, knowing well where he was going. In its rage it had forgotten about the father and the son.
Angel found a crowbar that was stained with blood on a table that held many torture weapons, many of which Angel had experienced himself. Now his son's blood was the one that was staining them. He shuddered as he walked, well limped as his leg was badly burned, back to the box and using the crowbar to pry the lid off. The noises were a lot quieter, they were dieing, Connor was dieing and Angel put all his strength into getting the lid off and reaching his son. At last, like a sweet mercy the lid popped off and Angel threw it away and Connor, who had long broken out of his restraints, immediately scrambled to get out. Angel reached into the box and scooped him out, forcibly reminded of when he used to scoop Connor out of his crib, only now Connor was a lot bigger and stronger. Connor struggled for freedom from him, probably thinking he was another torturer.
"Connor, Connor! It's me!" exclaimed Angel as he cradled the frail and torn body in his arms. Connor froze and looked up at him. Angel held back tears of sorrow as he gazed at his sons face for a moment. Tears had stained his cheeks. Blood caked the left side of his face from a nasty gash on his temple, and a hand shaped bruise marred his cheek. But it was the eyes that really got to him. They were broken and pain filled, shining with more tears and devoid of any happiness or innocence. All this Angel took in within the space of three seconds, before Connor suddenly latched onto him, buried his face in Angel's chest and began to positively howl. Angel quickly crouched down to set Connor on the ground and held him as he cried. He moved his hand to gently rub his back but paused as he saw Connor's back. The skin was almost all gone and all that he could see was burned badly. The back of his head was probably the same hidden by his burned hair, as was the rest of his body at the back. He settled for rocking him and whispering soft words to sooth him. Amid the agonizing sobs he could hear Connor crying,
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I want to be good, I want to be good!"
"You are good, you are good Connor, it's ok, it's ok." Angel wasn't honestly sure if his last words were for his own benefit or Connor's. Connor continued to sob, his whole body visibly shaking. Angel let his own tears fall, they dripped onto Connor's head, he'd probably have to have his hair cut off so it was as short as his, Angel found himself thinking. It's funny how a person focuses on such unimportant things when their life is unravelling. Angel felt like his was right at that moment. Connor's sobs softened and he said, his voice shaking
"Oh God dad I'm so sorry!"
"For what?"
"For everything! Cordelia, betraying you, condemning you to the ocean, everything!"
"Its ok Connor, you made mistakes, everyone does. And it doesn't mean I don't love you son."
"How can you love a monster of hell?" cried Connor trying to pull away but Angel held him close.
"You are not a monster Connor, you are my angel, you are my gift, you are my beautiful baby boy." Connor's soft sniffles stopped.
"Promise?" he asked like a child, like the child he was.
"Promise." whispered Angel. Connor seemed to just be thinking it over as he tried to sit up. But his physical injuries finally caught up with his mental and emotional ones. He gasped as he pulled the burned… whatever was left of his back.
"Easy, son, your in pretty rough shape."
"So are you." Connor pointed out. Angel remembered his own injuries and despite himself he winced as he touched his leg, which now began to sting like hell. The skin was red and black with pieces of his $250 pants sticking to it. Connor began to shiver as the air felt cold after being that box. Angel pulled off his coat, which mercifully was still together and put it on his shoulders gently. Nevertheless Connor whimpered as the cool material touched his back sending waves of excruciating pain up through his body.
"Sorry." muttered Angel. Connor shook his head before realising that wasn't a smart idea.
"Not your fault."
"Uh excuse me!" called Connacht as he reappeared in the warehouse, "What the hell are you two still doing here? Have you forgotten Calista and the whole showdown about to happen in the meatpacking district?"
"Calista!" cried Connor his eyes going massive with worry. "What's wrong?"
"Angel! You haven't told him? Ugh never leave a vampire to do a child of the vampire's job! Connor, Calista needs you, you're the last piece of the whole. Oh right you weren't there for this were you? C'mon Angel will explain on the way." and he began to walk away, but stopped and spun around when he realised that neither of them had moved. "Am I talking to a wall here!" he shouted. Angel got to his feet, wincing as he put his weight on his sore leg. Connor could barely stay sitting up so he had no chance of be able to take a single step. Angel knew there was only one way to get them there but he wasn't sure if Connor was up to it. He crouched down with his back to Connor and said
"Hold on tight to me son." Connor, catching on, slowly pulled himself onto his fathers back and gripped on tightly. Angel got to his feet marvelling at Connor's lightweight. Connor rested his head on Angel's shoulder, exhaustion setting in. Angel sighed as he felt Connor's breathing even out. He knew Connor needed to stay awake, he could easily never wake up again but he just couldn't bring himself to waking him.
"Oh c'mon, please, things are getting worse by the second!" cried Connacht looking desperate. Angel looked at him in surprise, if he didn't know better he'd swear there were tears in his eyes. Connacht must have noticed him staring because he quickly turned away and said,
"Look, I uh, I can't stay any longer, I'm draining a lot of my peoples power, and I can't let it run out. So I have to go."
"Right, sure." Angel muttered a little confused, "Uh, thank you for your help. You said the meatpacking district?"
"Yeah, you won't miss them." Connacht looked over his shoulder and gave him a small smile as a tear fell. "Bye." and he just faded away without another sound. Angel sighed and said to the unconscious Connor.
"Well kiddo, looks like we're on our own." and he began to limp as fast as he could trying not to jostle his son.
Buffy groaned as she was hit in the chest by a Bringer. The meatpacking district had become a war zone. Potential slayers were spread out fighting as hard as they could, but she'd seen at least two go down. Willow was zapping bringers with little bolts from her fingers as they came near her and Giles, who was helping her. Dawn and Faith were working together and Dawn was really holding her own. Buffy was torn between worry and pride at that. Spike was having a great time taking his anger at his recent torture from the bringers on any that came near him. Gunn and Wesley were watching each other's backs and Lorne and Fred were above on the roof of one of the buildings shooting arrows from crossbows at any enemy who got too close to the centre of the action. Calista and Cordelia stood facing each other, and there was a circle of free space around them, like everyone knew better then to get between them. They were throwing spells and hexes at each other and neither could get the upper hand. They were perfectly matched and Buffy knew that Calista was beginning to get panicked over it. Why couldn't she stop her? Buffy wished she knew.
"Seiza jai n'hast engai!" Cordelia shouted and threw her hand across in front of her like she was trying to scratch Calista's face! Calista screamed in agony as her head snapped back. She then staggered forward, her head hanging and she nearly collapsed to the ground. Blood dripped from her nose, but she wiped it away and snarled
"Geth na haroth castellum tol." A wave of orange light flew at Cordelia and knocked her over so she landed on the ground with a grunt. Calista panted hard, she was nearly spent, if she couldn't finish this soon she was never going to see the next sunrise. She tried to come up with another spell but couldn't and cursed herself. Cordelia had regained her footing and snarled at her,
"You are going down bitch!" and she clenched her hand into a fist and brought it down going on one knee to smash it to the ground, her eyes going white as she shouted, "Quod perditum est invenietur!" The whole ground shook violently, and many of the fighters fell, but Calista managed to remain standing. And she laughed!
"Cordelia do you not know anything about Qour-Toth?" she chortled, "Earthquakes are a constant there, I'm used to them, just like I'm used to pain, blood, tears and anger. And right now all my anger is pointed…" she raised her hand and pointed one long feminine finger at the dark 'woman', "at you!" The ground around Cordelia began to explode, hot air and fire erupted from it and rained upon her. She screamed in pain as the heat scalded her. Calista put a hand on her stomach as she felt the babies weight becoming heavier as their lives faded. Calista whimpered, thinking Cordelia wouldn't notice. Unfortunately fate had never really seemed to like her, so Cordelia did see. And she knew exactly how to destroy the stupid girl.
"You think that a little heat will stop me? Honey you don't even know what I am. But I'll let you in on a little know fact, once I have something I don't like loosing it. You took my dark champion away from me, so now I'm gonna return the favour. Since Connor's already dead there's only one thing left to take." Calista went white. Connor was dead? No it couldn't be true! But she barely had time to think about it because in that instant Cordelia chanted "Te implor doamne. Nu ignora accasta rugaminte lasa orbita sa fie vasul care-i va transporta sufletul la el." Calista's body was engulfed by a sickly green glow and she screamed in pure agony, clutching her belly and falling to her knees. The glow faded and her chin rested against her chest and as the glow left her she went limp. The bringers and the slayers all looked at her. Cordelia whispered, her voice laced with malice,
"Strange isn't it? They're there, but they're not. Pity, I hear stillborns are harder to give birth to." Buffy gasped in utter horror. Had Cordelia just done the unthinkable? Had she really just killed the babies? No, no it was impossible! Calista knelt before the enemy clutching her belly and tears began to pour down her cheeks and she let out a scream of pure pain, sorrow and fury so horrible that all who heard it had to cover their ears in pain. Calista couldn't feel the babies, they weren't in there! Physically yes, but there was no connection mentally or emotionally. Their essence was gone, they were gone.
'No, no, no, no, no, no, no!' She screamed in her head. Cordelia smirked and held her hand up palm facing the sky. A ball of red energy began to form and build up there. This would be the killing blow. She waited till Calista looked up at her and when their eyes met she threw it at her with a great force.
"Calista look out!" screamed a new voice. Angel and Connor had arrive, both looking like they'd been through a shredder! Calista covered her ears with her hands and screamed,
"STOP IT! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" and from the ground a dome of blue light formed around her and the ball of red energy dissipated as it collided with the wall. Cordelia snarled in anger. Connor's eyes popped open and in a flash he was off Angel's back and rushed forward to the dome pushing through it. They watched as he fell forward to land on the ground. He didn't get up again.
For anyone who knows Latin or just knows Angel and Buffy you may notice I just used the same spells that Willow and Cordelia used when Willow was trying to restore Angel's soul. I don't know any real Latin or spells so I just used ones that sounded cool. Sorry if that upsets anyone.
Night's Darkness
