Title: I Finally Remembered You. Part 31 - Lorne
Rating: R/NC-17 for other chapters
Pairing: Xander/Angel
Summary: AU futurefic. Slash. Xander, not Buffy, had gone to see Angel in "I Will Remember You" Years later, he finally keeps his promise.
Spoilers: All of BtVS & Ats
Warnings: M/M, mild language, more in future chapters
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Words in Italics indicate thoughts.
Lorne sat alone in the passenger area of the private jet, drinking a Seabreeze and wondering what in the hell he was doing.
He had promised himself that he and Angel were through, yet the first time Broodycakes called, here he was flying halfway across the world. I wonder if this hero business is addictive and that's why no one ever really gets out of the fight.
He felt the plane begin to land and mentally steeled himself for whoever was waiting for him.
He was a little surprised when it turned out to be Faith and Gunn, and even more surprised when they both hugged him within an inch of his life (assuming he could die, which he was pretty sure he couldn't).
The hugs were returned with equal enthusiasm.
"So, Big Green, how was Vegas?" Faith asked.
"Vegas was good, Sweetcheeks," Lorne replied.
"You're lookin' good man, rested and all that shit," Gunn said with a smile.
"You're not looking to bad yourself, Sweetness. How are you doing?" Lorne asked.
"I still got some aches and pains now and again, but I'm doing pretty good," Gunn replied, his eyes glazing a bit as he remembered his long recovery from the Black Thorn beat down.
"My man G here is a pretty decent sparring partner, reminds me of fightin' on my old stompin' grounds," Faith said with a chuckle at her fellow street kid.
"Is it the way that I get my ass kicked by little girls that brings back the memories?" Gunn said good-naturedly.
"Naw, it's the fightin' dirty that makes it feel like old times," Faith teased back.
Lorne watched his friend and the dark slayer banter flirtatiously and was glad that Gunn had found a friend in this foreign land. Glad that his former colleague had survived to make friends. He hoped that this girl would help him get over the loss of Fred and Wesley.
"So, let's get goin' so we can make it back in time for lunch. I finally convinced Geekboy to stop namin' his food after sci-fi crap, so I can enjoy lasagna without havin' to call it Klingon somethin' or other," Faith said as she hurried towards her SUV.
Lorne flashed Gunn a questioning look and received a good natured eye roll in response.
"Andrew, their cook and mini-watcher, you met him back in L.A. He's a big sci-fi fan, has a Klingon cookbook and all that crap. And no, he's no less annoying once you get to know him," Gunn supplied.
As they drove, Faith kept looking over at Lorne.
"What can I do for you, Pumpkin?" Lorne asked with exasperated fondness.
"Angel told you what's the what?" Faith asked.
Lorne glanced back at Gunn, remembering Angel mentioning that only a few people knew the whole situation.
Catching his glance, Faith assured him, "Xander told me to fill Gunn in, so he knows."
Lorne thought it was interesting that the girl who had so zealously fought for Angel a few years ago, didn't mention the vampire giving her permission to speak freely, only the boy. It made him wonder whose side she was on, and if there were even sides to choose.
"Xander's my boy, I got his back. Angel too," Faith said.
Lorne saw Gunn in the rearview mirror, nodding his head in agreement.
"Xander's a good guy, loyal as all hell," Gunn said simply.
"Cordy told me about what happened years ago, she thought it might come up, with my connection to the Powers. She said this kid was one of the good ones. She really admired him. Princess was no dummy," Lorne said.
They drove in silence for a few miles before Gunn spoke up. "Angel's more like the guy he was when I first met him, except… happier. I actually heard him laugh the other day. And he teased Spike about something. Not smacked him or yelled at him, just teased him. It was some creepy twilight zone shit."
Faith laughed. "Boytoy is good for Fang, I ain't never seen him laugh before he came here. And I think Broody is good for X, too. He doesn't seem so sad anymore."
Gunn nodded in agreement.
Lorne wondered silently about the young man he was about to meet. From the stories he'd heard from Wes and Cordelia, as well as from Faith, the boy was either a bumbling idiot or a knight in shining armor, depending on the moment.
He would like to pretend that Xander Harris was the only reason he had come to England. But he had never been truly successful at lying to himself. He missed his friends. Missed being part of a group that fought for the greater good. He'd begun missing that since before they had started working for Wolfram and Hart.
Lorne had heard that the New Watcher's Council was actually doing good work. Fighting the good fight, and he wanted to be part of that again.
And he wanted to be part of a family again.