Sorry it's been so long. I pretty much had a beginning idea and an end idea and now I'm having trouble getting from one to the other. But here's the next installment. Oh and I consider myself well versed in Angel mythology but it is possible I can forget. So if you guys see anything that doesn't fall in line with the shows past or even dating back to Angel on Buffy feel free to let me know so I can fix it. Thanks a lot.
"Yes it's me and yes I'm still dead." Lilah replied "so can we skip the round of 20 questions?"
"What do you want?" Angel asked sternly
"Guess that's a no." Lilah mumbled. Walking forward she began explaining "You asked for a lawyer, here I am."
"So what, after all this we're just supposed to believe that the senior partners sent you to help us?" Angel asked
"Well you can believe what you want." Lilah continued "But the truth is I signed a contract and I'm legally bonded to Wolfram and Hartt. So as a building or a pile of rubble, until legal action can be taken you are still the CEO, and I am bound to help you." A less than enthusiastic look came across Lilah's face as she finished.
"Lucky us." Gunn chimed in sarcastically
"And if we don't want your help?" Angle asked
"Oh trust me you really don't want to hear what I have to say. So just give the word and I'm gone." Lilah turned as if she where leaving but stopped suddenly and turned her head "For what it's worth Spike, he did sign it."
"Hold on a minute." Spike sprung up and joined the conversation "You know about the prophecy?"
"It's my business to know everything about Wolfram and Hartt and its employee's pasts...and futures."
Angel interrupted "Spike whatever she says is a lie."
Spike replied "Good, then I'll just believe the opposite. Go on then."
Gwen came in and sat down "Well I'm on the outside of all this, and I love a good story so count me in."
"Sorry bro. But I think she's right. She is still bound to you, so maybe wouldn't hurt to hear what she has to say." Gunn said as he turned to face Lilah
Angel remained quiet in the back leaning against a support beam
Lilah began "Angel did sign the prophecy. Effectively handing it over to whomever he saw fit. Unfortunately you can't sign away something that isn't yours to begin with."
"But the prophecy is about a vampire with a soul." Gun remarked
"Open your eyes Charlie. There are two in this room alone. Unfortunately Angel has always been an, anomaly, if you will. The prophecy, well, it was never about him."
"Oh no, anomaly, now your really trying to hurt my feelings." Angel said in a dry and angry tone.
"What I mean," Lilah continued "is that you had your soul forced upon you. You never asked for it or wanted it. Spike on the other hand sought it out. Sought it out and fought for it."
"He didn't seek anything." Angel yelled "He got a piece of silicon plugged into his head. It was either not hurt anyone, or die!"
"Do you realize what it means for a vampire to want his soul?" Lilah raised her voice this time getting rather emotional "This is a creature that cares about nothing outside of its self. It exists to inflict pain, torture and destruction and that's it. It doesn't feel remorse and it doesn't stop"
"Having been one for 200 years I would never have guessed that." Angel began.
"Then you should understand better than anyone." Lilah interrupted "For a creature like that to want to feel. It has never happened in the history of anything Wolfram and Hartt has on record, and you know how complete out records are. Not only that but it defies everything we've come to know and understand about this dimension."
As Lilah paused the silence cut the room like a knife. Everyone looked at the ground accept for Spike who stared at the dead woman standing before him.
"How was it for you when you got your soul back? Not exactly a walk in the park was it?" Lilah looked at Angel, speaking quietly now. "If it makes you sleep better at night, you can believe whatever you want. But the fact still remains that the Shanshu prophecy was never yours to sign away. Which officially voids your signature."
"So I was supposed to die in that cave?" Spike asked
"Yes" Lilah answered "Unfortunately my not so brainy ex-colleague put a spin on things and screwed it all up.
"So you played a pivotal role in the apocalypse, and won your humanity. Just like the scroll says." Gunn was putting it all together slowly.
"So what happens now? Was that it, did I missed my chance?" Spike asked
"Keep fighting the good fight." Lilah said making figure quotes mockingly "You know, follow in your grandsire's footsteps." she turned towards Angel but the spot he occupied was now empty, he had vanished without a sound "Some things never change I guess." and with that she disappeared.
As Angel walked through the sewers he tried to comprehend what had just happened. There's no way there could be any truth to it. But in his heart he knew it was. Everything she said was the truth. But it shouldn't matter he thought. He voluntarily signed it away, gave up his chance. So really nothing has changed. Maybe it was the thought of Spike getting his prize. Maybe it was the difference between giving it up and having it torn away. Either way it hurt this time. Regardless, he still had the opportunity to do some good, and would continue to do it. With that he stopped and practically jumped straight up through a man whole cover out into an open street. He immediately began tracking anything he could feel that wasn't human. He needed to help someone, he needed to do some good out in the streets the way he used to. But most importantly, he just needed a good fight and it was time he went to it, instead of sitting around waiting for it to come to him.
