Chapter 12
When Doyle left the two earlier, he headed strait for his favorite pub. All he wanted was a pint and to forget all his new responsibilities.
He sat on the stool for an hour sucking down beer after beer until his head began to swim and his bladder couldn't hold another drop. This occasion called for a good drunk but if he really thought about it, most of his occasions called for a good drunk. Whether they were good or bad he usually headed to his favorite spot and drown his thoughts in good old ale.
He meant to have a few drinks and head back to the apartment to talk to Angel about his dream and Buffy. Buffy, that was not a common name and he was sure it had to be the same girl.
His intentions were good but after several hours of drinking, all he managed to do that night was stagger back to the apartment, and sprawl out on the bed trying to stop the spinning that came with a few too many.
He woke the next morning with a pounding headache. He pulled himself out of bed and took a shower before he faced Angel. He wanted to tell him about meeting Buffy but he wasn't sure of the best way to approach him.
He was surprised to find Angel awake and in the kitchen cooking what smelled like eggs. He didn't remember having eggs in his fridge but hey who was he to quibble over the contents of his refrigerator when his stomach was growling.
He sat down at the small table in the kitchen and Angel set a plate of steaming scrambled eggs and buttery toast in front of him. He greeted him with a smile and quickly devoured the breakfast. Angel poured them both a cup of coffee which he set in front of Doyle as he took the seat across from him.
Doyle was about to comment on his not eating until he remembered that Angel was a vampire and eggs was not the usual meal he preferred.
"I heard you stagger in last night so I thought you may want something to eat after all that alcohol you drank."
"Thanks mate, it sure hit the spot. Didn't realize how many pints I kicked back till it was too late. Did I wake you?"
"No. I wasn't really sleeping anyway. I went for a walk after you came home last night. I just got in before the sun came up." Angel wasn't used to idle conversation with mortals but Doyle seemed to put him at ease and he didn't mind the company after being alone for so long.
Doyle was about to bring up his meeting with Buffy the night before when he suddenly got a blinding, bone crunching vision.
When the vision was over he slumped in the chair and his head hit the table with a loud thump. Angel jumped up and ran around the table to help Doyle up.
"Are you alright? What just happened?"
"Yea, I'm okay. Just another one of those mind numbing visions I get every once in a while. It's what I really needed to top off my splitting hang over, I'm lucky I didn't lose my eggs." Doyle sounded beat and rested his head in his hands for a moment.
"So, the Powers send you visions, what of?" Angel sat back down across from the hurt Irishman.
"People in trouble mostly….or about to be in trouble. I saw a couple in Santa Monica getting real snuggly with some of your fanged cousins. It hasn't happened yet, sometime after sun down tonight I'm guessing. Think you can go there and help 'em later?" Doyle saw this as a clear sign from the Powers that Angel was supposed to do just that.
"I guess, what do I do….just….kill them?" Angel wasn't too sure about this vision stuff but he really didn't have anywhere else to go and what would it hurt to do a little good and help the helpless.
"Look Angel…things can go two ways as I see it. You can stay here with me and fight the good fight or….you can go where ever you want and do…. what ever it is that you do. You have a chance to make a difference here you just have to decide if you want to do it. So….what's it gonna' be?" Doyle's head hurt too bad to have the proper pep talk he thought it would take to get Angle to stay. He just hoped that Angel wanted to change and do something with his life.
Angel sat back in the chair and ran his hands thru the thick black curls on his head. The Host had told him to go back to Sunnydale and face the Slayer. He wasn't sure if that was the wise thing to do. She may just stake him like she did any other vampire. Why take the chance when he could actually do something good here.
He wanted to feel needed, to help people, to try and make amends for the things he did as Angelus. Doyle said he could help him do that.
"Ok. I'll bite. Where exactly do I need to go?" If anything he would be able to take out some serious angst on some unsuspecting vamps. It could be fun.
Doyle breathed a sign of relief and told Angel about his vision and where he was needed. He felt that things were about to get very interesting.
Sunnydale
Buffy slept most of the way back to Sunnydale. Whistler had tried to ask her more questions about her conversation with the Oracles but Buffy waved her hand at him and gave him an evil stare that shut him up quickly.
They got to her house just before sun rise and she barely had enough energy to make it thru the front door. She went in and plopped down on the sofa passing out immediately from exhaustion both mental and physical.
The phone woke her from her sleep and when she answered it she heard a very irate Watcher telling her to come to his house for a meeting. She was still tired but a quick glance at the clock in the kitchen told her she had slept most of the day away. She showered and headed over to Giles arriving at dinner time.
She smelled something delicious emanating from Giles' apartment as she approached the door. The smell made her stomach growl and she had to think back very hard to the last time she actually ate food.
Things had been so crazy since Angel had disappeared and eating was at the bottom of the long list of things she let her mind think about. Now that she felt defeated all she wanted was rest and some comfort food. Maybe that would help the constant ache that was racking her body.
The whole Scooby gang was there and after they ate she told them of her visit to LA. They filled her in on the demons they faced while she was gone, and she decided to patrol with them later that night.
Nearly a month had passed since she went to LA in search of Angel. Things had gotten somewhat boring in Sunnydale since Spike and Dru had left and most nights she spent patrolling with the gang or hanging out at the Bronze.
The quieter it became in Sunnydale the more depressed the Slayer became. She started to withdraw from her friends and spent most of her time patrolling late by herself. It was easier for her to patrol than to go home and dream of the man she couldn't have. Angel plagued her dreams nightly and some of the dreams she had been having lately were bordering on horror. All sorts of scenarios were played out in her dreams.
One night she dreamed they were making love and just as they were about to climax he disappeared. Another dream that kept occurring was she would find herself in LA looking for him only to find him with another woman. The dreams only seemed to plunge her into a deeper depression that no one seemed to know what to do about.
Giles had attempted several times to talk to her about Angel but she always managed to change the subject of find a reason to leave before he got very far.
The Scooby's insisted on patrolling with her one night and for once she had been glad to have someone to talk to. The night had been uneventful and after patrolling a few cemeteries she sent everyone home and headed there herself.
She almost reached the corner of her street when she got that familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her she was being followed. She slowed down and gave what ever it was enough time to catch up with her. If they wanted to dance she would be more than willing.
She felt someone approach closer and she reached into her jacket for her stake. She spun around quickly knocking the unsuspecting predator off his feet and he hit the ground hard.
The creature let out a hiss as it hit the ground but it rolled over and was back on its feet before she could get her stake ready. "Slayer" It hissed out like a snake.
"I thought it was too quiet tonight. Lets get this over with, I have a date with Mr. Bubbles tonight and I never disappoint Mr. Bubbles."
As Buffy looked the demon over she wondered how much of a fight it would actually be. It was small, almost as short as she was. The thing was covered with scales and its eyes had a golden yellow color almost like a vampires. It had no claws but stubby looking fingers and a short tail with spikes on it. The smell was another thing entirely. It smelled like a sewer, maybe it like to swim in them she thought.
"You ttthink its ttthat easy do you?" As it spoke she noticed its tongue was split like a snake and it stuttered and spit as it spoke.
"I'm not in the mood for fun and games tonight." Buffy quipped as she lunged at the demon with her stake. It tried to dodge her but she was too fast and she plunged the stake towards where its heart should have been.
The scales on his body were like armor and when she slammed her stake into his chest it splintered into pieces. The creature back handed her and she stumbled back trying not to lose her balance. She came back at it spinning around and kicking it as hard as she could sending it flying into a near by tree.
She ran up to finish it off and was hit from behind. She fell to the ground and arched her back to get leverage to sprint back up and face the other opponent who had just made its presence know.
It was a vampire, but not the ordinary ones she was used to facing. This guy was dressed for success. He had on a business suite that looked like Armani and the shoes were even nicer. He began to laugh and the sound made Buffy's skin crawl.
"Well what do we have here? You always pick on the defenseless Slayer? I think someone should teach you to pick on someone your own size." He pulled out a tazer gun and shot her in the chest. She stumbled back stunned by the sudden attack and hit the ground; she was out cold.
"Pick her up and try not to spit on her. The master is waiting for his prize." The vampire said to the demon as he turned to walk away.