Many thanks toAbuhin for the suggestion about the baby... :)

It's a Puppet's Life

Part Three

By Marie Nomad

It was dark as a group of vampires lurked in the alleys. Cleveland had become the place where vampires prove themselves by killing Slayers. There are lots now making things harder and yet more fun.

"Okay, class." The head vampire said as he gestured to a couple of women pushing a baby carriage down the street. "That is your first target. Get the girls but give the baby to me. The one who gets the baby first will get a share of the blood and a gold star."

The newer vampires nodded as they took notes. "Can we turn the girls?" One of them asked.

"Yes, go ahead." The head vampire said, "We need all the vampires we can get."

The vampires put away their notebooks and went into their hunting mode. They rushed at the two girls who stepped back, got out their stakes and attacked the vampires. The girls were outnumbered three to two but they weren't scared. Dee and Lyta dodged and parried with the vampires. One by one, they staked each one and all of a sudden; one of the vampires grabbed the carriage and threw it to the head vampire.

"Gotcha." The head vampire said as he lifted the blanket and saw a doll holding a stake. Without warning, the doll shoved the stake into the vampire's body and he exploded into dust. Angel brushed the ashes off of his body. Dee and Lyta came up shaking the ashes off.

The puppet nodded at the ashes and said, "And that's how you do a sneak attack."

XXX

"What a night." Angel said as he walked in his room, his body looked gray from the vampire dust that stained his skin.

"Tell me about it." Spike agreed as he leaned against the door. His outfit was also covered in vampire dust. "Vampire night schools… what is this world coming too?!"

"You didn't expect those guys to just do nothing." Angel said as he took off his duster.

"But schools? What's next? Slayer and vampire basketball games?"

The two paused as they imagined slayers and vampires playing basketball and killing each other between hoops. "Okay, that was weird."

"But normal, have you seen those basketball games lately and all of the players are human!" Spike said as he shook his head. "Buffy's going to be mad as hell when she sees you like that, Pinocchio and you might not live to be a real boy." After Spike found out about his puppet form being a midway point between being a vampire and being human, he started making more Pinocchio jokes.

"She will understand." Angel said as he pounded the ashes away.

"Sure."

"Yeah."

"…"

"I'm doomed."

"Doomed to Buffy Hell."

"I'm going to get washed up. Again."

"Need help?" Spike asked as he smirked.

"No! My washer has a remote. Makes things easier."

"Careful of static cling." Spike chuckled as he walked off.

Angel sighed as he trudged to the laundry machines. He had grown used to being shorter than most of the people here and being made out of felt. He didn't even mind being called cute every time he meets someone female. However, there was one thing he hated, washing. He opened the door to the washer, put in the detergent, and set the timer. It was a gizmo Fred and Willow had conjured up after he started to get dirty and they had to figure out how to make him clean. At first, they had to put him in the regular washer and dryer but he wanted it himself so they altered it a little. It was like a normal washer and dryer except that it had a start timer so he could set the controls himself, hop in, and get washed and dried in one cycle. He spun around hitting the metal grate as he felt himself being washed inside and out. After the washing, the dryer part kicks in and he felt hot as he got dried.

Finally, he shoved opened the door and got out. "I hate being a puppet." He said as he collapsed onto the bed.

"It would be a lot easier if you don't patrol as much." Buffy said as Angel looked up to see his ex-girlfriend sitting in the chair.

"Oh, hi." Angel sat back up. "What are you doing here?"

"You were out patrolling again, weren't you?" Buffy asked as she stepped forward.

"It was just a basic fight against a vampire class." Angel replied as he fidgeted. "It wasn't like those vampires are going to try to eat me." He patted on his stuffed chest.

"But they can rip you apart, especially if they find out that you used to be Angelus. And what about Darth Vader? He's still out there doing… the stuff that demons do in their spare time."

Angel winced. It had been a month since Darth Vader had showed up in Cleveland. He was seen several times fighting both demons and slayers. Most of the time, he would keep the slayers alive but beaten badly. Many of the girls decided to quit because things were getting too hard. The Watcher's Council couldn't figure out what Darth Vader was but everyone agreed that until they know more, Darth Vader was the enemy. "I had to get out. I was feeling a little cabin fever so I went out. I was being careful."

"I know but please don't go off like that again. You're not a vampire champion any more. Just focus on being a teacher and trying to find a way to become fully human again." Buffy said as she knelt down and put her hands on his face. "I lost too much already."

"Okay."

"Good." Buffy released him and walked out of the room. "I have to go off and get ready. Remember what I said."

"Uh huh."

XXX

Darth Vader looked through the various occult stuff catalogues as the storekeeper watched him carefully. "Hmmm… these look good." The dark figure said as he wrote the stuff up. "I will take one Saber of Death, a Skull of Torment, an Orb of Eternal Suffering, and a subscription of Rogue Demon Hunter Monthly."

"I see. Will you pay by cash, credit card, or soul?" The storekeeper said as he brought up the stuff.

"Cash." Darth said as he reached into his pocket and handed the man a wad of cash.

"Paper or plastic?"

"Paper."

"Here you go." The storekeeper said as he handed the tall dark figure the stuff. "I have to ask, why the mask?"

"It keeps up with the image." Darth replied as he spun around and hit his head on the door. "… I meant to do that." He stepped to the side and walked off into the shadows.

XXX

"You know that he won't listen to you." Gunn said as he and Buffy were looking over some paperwork. "I've known Angel for a long time and he's as stubborn as a mule."

"I know but what can I do?" Buffy asked, "He's going to get himself killed because he won't admit that he's not the same man he was before."

"You can't blame him. He missed that kind of thing. The feeling of walking the streets alone with nothing but a stake in your hand and a prayer in your heart… the thrill of watching a vampire explode into dust like it's the Fourth of July… the look in the woman's eyes when you save her…" Gunn said as he gazed out. "I miss that life."

Buffy rolled her eyes as she drank her coffee. "Uh huh. Okay. Look, you can't let Angel go off fighting demons especially when he looks more like a punching bag than a warrior."

"It's not like vampires eat fluff and there's no way that he can be turned into a vampire again." Gunn said as he remembered training with Angel.

Angel and Gunn stood in the training room in their sparring clothes. Gunn just stared at him. "You sure you want to do this? You're half the man you used to be."

The puppet glared at him and leapt at his throat. Before the lawyer/street fighter could react, he was pinned to the ground and Angel punched him in the face several times. Gunn struggled to breathe as he tried to yank the puppet off. "I give! I give!" He gasped out.

Angel got off and said, "Do you think that I'm still half the man I used to be?"

Gunn shook his head. "No, you're still vicious. You're a practical felt Chucky."

"Thanks." Angel said as he seemed to smile smugly.

"That puppet sure can fight. Anyway, he has been trying to be careful." Gunn finished as he drank his coffee.

"I still don't like it. I don't want anything to happen like…" Buffy took a deep breath and said, "Gunn, can I tell you a secret? I mean you can't tell anyone, not Fred, Will, especially Angel."

"Sure." Gunn nodded.

Buffy leaned over and whispered, "About several years ago, before you met Angel, before even Wesley went to LA, Angel had been turned into a human by a Morah demon's blood. I was there. We spent an entire day eating, enjoying the sunshine… having a shower together, it was magical. Unfortunately, the Morah demon lived and he tried to fight the Morah demon himself and I had to save him. Later on, Angel discovered that if he remained human, I would die. So, he asked the Oracles to reverse the day and made it so he didn't become a human and made it so no one else remembered it."

Gunn stared at Buffy. "Whoa."

"Yeah. Ironically, I did die again and I should've remained dead if it wasn't for Willow. I remembered everything after a botched spell of hers trying to get me to forget what happened while I was dead. I don't know if he remembered anything about that day that wasn't but I did." Buffy said as she stared at her coffee. "Now you see why I can't let Angel get himself into this demon fighting mess? Angel is closer to becoming human than he had in years. I want him to live and to become human like he should if it weren't for me."

Gunn chuckled as he leaned on his elbow. "Come on. It's different now. We have a horde of slayers, watchers, and even another vampire with a soul. Angel won't fight so hard to fight and he won't let himself die again."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because… I don't think he could handle the guilt of leaving you again." Gunn said as he gripped his cup.

"Maybe, just don't tell Angel. I don't know if he remembered himself or not but I don't want him to realize what he lost if he did forget."

Gunn stared at her. "Okay, but it would be better if you tell him. Secrets like these could bite you in the ass when you least expect it."

XXX

Jennifer was walking down the hallway with her math homework in her hand. She was taking a break with her classes and she was having a hard time with some calculus. "I don't get it. Why would a slayer need to learn calculus?" She muttered to herself as she went to Fred's room. Fred had been a great help to her and her fellow slayers with math, advice, and even some great fighting tips.

From the room, she heard some sounds, "Now, focus more, Luv. There… there!"

"Fred? Mr. Spike?" Jennifer said as she opened the door and screamed, "GAH!!!!" She turned around blushing bright red.

"What is it?" Angel exclaimed as he ran down the hall to see the open bedroom door and looked in. "SPIKE! FRED! PUT ON SOME CLOTHES!" He screamed as he closed the door. "You okay?"

Jennifer nodded. "I was just needed some help with calculus."

"Okay, find someone else." Angel comforted as he helped Jennifer to the stairs.

"I had no idea that vampires are that… big."

"…"

XXX

"What were you two doing? This is a school for confused teenage girls! The last thing that we need is two people bonking about!" Buffy screamed as she looked at the two undead people who were dressed again.

"We weren't being that into it. Yet." Spike said as he chuckled.

"We were just doing some training and I wanted to experiment." Fred said as she looked away. "I mean, it was just some manipulation of body parts and one thing led to another…"

"Too much info." Buffy moaned as she remembered her own time with Spike. "Just lock the doors next time and new rule: You must knock whenever you want to get in." She paused and looked at Illyria who was watching. "Illyria, aren't you bothered by this?"

"No. I am not bothered by the manipulation of two beings." The ex-god replied softly.

"Okay, go and make sure this won't happen again." Buffy said as she rubbed her temples.

"Thanks!" Fred said as the three left the room.

Buffy leaned back against the chair. "They are like a pair of undead bunnies."

"No, bunnies multiply, there's no way a ghost and a vampire could have kids." Angel said as he climbed onto the chair.

The slayer looked at the puppet. How did he get in without her knowing? Still, if there was one thing that never changed, it was Angel's stealthy power. "Yeah, but it has been a month since they started dating and they are already… doing it."

"Well, those two have always been somewhat impulsive." Angel said as he thought of the two. "I just hope that nothing happens to them. They both really had been through a lot."

At that statement, Buffy raised an eyebrow. She wasn't surprised that he cared about Fred. He and Fred had been friends for a long time. However, she was more stunned that he seemed to include Spike as well. "Are you saying that you actually cared about Spike?"

The puppet looked away embarrassed. "Well, the guy kinda grew on me. He treated me no differently than he would if I was a vampire. He is like a little brother to me; an annoying loud mouthed little brother who never listens but a little brother never the less. Don't tell him."

"Never." Buffy held up both hands. "So…"

"So…"

The two looked at each other. "I have to go and… teach." Angel said awkwardly as he stepped away.

"Yeah. And I have… stuff to do." Buffy nodded and the two went off.

XXX

Darth Vader sat in the airport terminal waiting for his flight. A demon in a business suit sat down next to him. He was huge with blue scales and horns. "Hiya." The demon said as he waved, "Looks like we're taking the same flight. I'm going to France. Where are you going?"

"London." Darth replied as he crossed his arms.

"Ah, nice place, so dark and damp. Nice armor, you look just like Darth Vader."

"That's what everyone tells me." Darth replied as he stared out.

"What's your name? I'm Joshuka but everyone calls me Josh."

"If I tell you, I will have to kill you. I'm a rogue demon hunter."

Josh winced as he leaned back. "Then, why are you taking a flight with demons? Aren't you human?"

"No. Ask another question and I will rip out all three of your hearts and decapitate you. That is how you kill a demon of your type." Darth said as he looked out again. The businessman nodded and rushed to another chair.

Darth looked at the piece of paper in his hands. He didn't expect the Tome of Rizulan to be in England and in that place of all places. His trip to England will be most interesting.

XXX

Phoebe Halliwell sat in her chair as she prepared her next column. As a columnist, she had a duty to help out those who need her help without using magic. It make her feel better in her life, more useful since her active powers had been negated for who knows how long. The phone rang and the woman answered, "Phoebe Halliwell."

"Hi, Phoebe, this is Angel. Remember me?"

"Yeah. How can I forget someone like you?" The witch laughed, "What is it? Darth Vader?"

"No, actually, I heard from a slayer who lived in San Francisco that you write an advice column and I need some advice from someone who deals with the supernatural like me."

"Well, okay, normally I don't do on phone advice but what is it?"

"Okay, Buffy was my first girlfriend in a hundred years. We had something but you see when I was cursed with a soul, the gypsies put in this clause that makes it so that when I enjoy a moment of perfect happiness I lose my soul and go back to being Angelus. Buffy and I made love and it was her first time."

Phoebe's jaw dropped. "And making love with someone can make a moment of perfect happiness."

"Yeah, I lost my soul, killed a friend of Buffy's and nearly destroyed the world. After that, I couldn't do it again. I went to LA and we just lost touch. I had a chance to be with her when I accidentally became human. It was perfect but I found out that we were two champions and the world needs us apart. So, I had the Oracles reverse the day and made it so I never became human. I thought Buffy had forgotten the day but I don't know now. I think she remembered."

Phoebe nearly choked up at the story. She could remember her relationship with Cole. He could have been a normal human if it weren't for the Source of All Evil. She loved him and he loved her, he had given up his power like Angel had. "Well, speaking as someone who had dealt with relationships with those dark brooding types, I think that you should tell her the truth. Try to find out what happened."

"What if she hates me for it?"

The woman smiled as she looked at the phone. "I think that if Buffy could forgive you for nearly ending the world, I think she can forgive for trying to hide this from her."

"All right. Thanks."

"No problem. If you need help getting back to Buffy, let me know. I had personal experience in this sort of thing."

The puppet hung up and Phoebe started working on the column. She looked at the phone and said, "She knows, Angel. She knows everything."

XXX

The sun was setting as Darth Vader walked out of the airport. "Soon, I will have the tome and be a step closer to ending this chaos." He looked at the map and frowned under his mask. "There's only one way to get to where I need to be." He came up to a corner and held up his hand and called out, "TAXI!"

A black taxi pulled up and a man with a distinct New York accent looked out of the window. "Hey, nice costume. Where to?"

"This address." Darth Vader said as he handed the man the paper.

"Oh, okay. Come on in."

"Thank you." The armored man stepped into the taxi and it sped off.

XXX

Buffy sat back as she thought of what was going on with Fred and Spike. She didn't have any problems with those two but it stunned her about how fast they are taking it. They are both not hindered by human things like aging and human frailties. Yet, they are going at it like there was no tomorrow. On the other hand, with their luck, there could be no tomorrow. Why can't she be that brave? She wanted to be with Angel, she really do.

"Buffy."

"Angel." The woman said as she looked at the puppet. "We need to talk. Do you remember that time, after Thanksgiving, that I went into LA and we fought that Morah demon?"

Angel stiffened up as he stepped forward. He should deny it but he couldn't. "Yeah."

"Everything? Like what happened and didn't happen but did happen in some weird pre-time reversing way?" Buffy said as she tried to think.

"You remembered. How?" Angel stated.

"Oh, I died, my memory kinda gotten straightened out and wham! It just hit me." Buffy said as she leaned forward.

Angel went from scared to angry. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"What can I say? Hi, Angel, I was dragged out of Heaven and I remembered that you had thrown away your chance at happiness to try to prevent my death by only a year and a half." Buffy snapped back. "You should've at least told me before you did it. We could've changed everything. At least, you wouldn't be a puppet."

"I thought I was doing what was right. The world needed us apart. We were champions destined to be apart. At least, you seemed to take it that way when you went with Riley."

Buffy's anger started to boil. "At least he had a pulse!" Then, she clamped her hand over her mouth but the damage was done.

Angel just stared down. "What about Spike and the Immortal?"

"They… Spike was a mistake. I was feeling depressed and you were having a hard time with… whatever it is and well, it was a dark period for me. The Immortal was a one night stand or two or three. That's it. I'm sorry, Angel. I didn't mean to upset you. I knew how much you wanted to be Human."

"It's okay. You were angry. I should've asked when I started seeing what was going on." Angel said as he took her hand.

"Did you ever regret reversing that day?" Buffy asked as she tried to calm down.

"Not now. I… I've done a lot of good since then. I've done things that I couldn't have done as a human. I missed being human and I did feel bad that I didn't say anything to you until it was too late." Angel sighed as he turned around. "I wasn't ready to become human then. There was too much to do too much to redeem for. But this is different. There are more champions are out there and the Powers That Be had started on my shanshu. When my shanshu is done, the world and I should be ready then."

"That is very poetic." Buffy admitted as she felt slightly moved by the speech.

"Well, it's true. I just hope that my shanshu will be done soon. I don't like having to jump into the washer every time I need to get cleaned."

"Yeah." Buffy gazed at him.

Angel stared at her and then he opened his mouth. "Buffy… I-"

RING

"Damn it!" The puppet muttered as Buffy flipped open the cell phone.

"Buffy Summers. Yeah. What?! No! Are you sure it's him? She watched Star Wars? Okay. Thanks." The slayer hung up and rubbed her head.

"What is it?" Angel asked worried, "Is it Darth Vader?"

"Huh? Oh right, normal human hearing. Darth Vader attacked Roger Wyndam-Pryce, Wes's father." Buffy explained as she shook. "Mr. Pryce was beaten up to a pulp; he's in the hospital right now. Mrs. Pryce told the police that the assailant was wearing a Star Wars costume. The new council is in lockdown and we have our London slayers guarding the others."

"Was anything taken?"

"Manuscripts. Mrs. Pryce is going to look through everything. I don't get it. Why would Darth Vader beat up Mr. Pryce like that in London?"

"Who knows. Maybe… maybe he had a grudge against Wesley." Angel said, "Or he could be after something that belonged to Mr. Pryce. Darth Vader is such a mysterious man… we don't even know what his real name is!"

"Well, Giles is going to have us do a video conference with Mrs. Pryce and maybe she can help us find out more about our rogue." Buffy and Angel marched through the hall and saw the others in the conference room waiting.

"Glad you're here." Robin said as he turned on the video monitor. "Mrs. Pryce?"

An elderly woman appeared on the screen. She was a typical old woman with gray hair, she looked sad as she adjusted her blue dress. "Hello, can you hear me?" She asked in a distinct English accent.

Robin nodded as he stood up as straight as possible. "Yes, these people here are trying to find out about the man that attacked your husband, Mrs. Pryce. What happened?"

"I don't know. I was… I was watering the flowers in the garden when this peculiar man in a Darth Vader costume showed up. He knocked me out with a tranquilizer gun and the next thing I knew, I was tied up and hearing Roger being beaten up in the next room. It was horrible. I was afraid that Roger would die but there was nothing I could do." Mrs. Pryce rang her hands as she fought for the strength to continue. "Darth Vader was mad at him. Taunting him, yelling at him, he was being so sadistic. Then, he came to me, loosened the rope a little and walked off. I managed to get the rest of the rope off and called the police and the council. The only thing that is missing the Tome of Rizulan. Roger was doing some work and he always feel comfortable having his work at home especially after the last Council…"

"What was so important about the tome?" Andrew asked sounding serious for a change.

"I don't know. It was a book and Roger never told me much about it, secrecy and all. Please, you have to get rid this mad man!" Mrs. Pryce cried as she held herself. "I'm so scared."

Giles came onto the screen. "It's okay. We'll have you stay at a hotel and there will be slayer bodyguards to protect you and the other council members. There's also going to be guards in the hospital by Roger's side."

"Not for me!" Mrs. Pryce screamed. She calmed down and looked at the screen. "You are Wesley's friends right?"

"Yeah." Gunn said as he held up his hand, "I knew Wes for a long time and so has Illyria, Angel, Spike, and especially Fred." The guy said as he looked at the group.

Mrs. Pryce looked down at group stunned, especially at Angel but looked up again. "I see. Then, you have to help me. I'm worried about my daughter, Emma."

"Daughter?" Gunn repeated dumbfounded and looked at the others who looked just as stunned especially Fred and Illyria. "Wes had a sister?"

"He never told us." Angel muttered and then exclaimed as his over reactive puppet side started to show again, "Why didn't he tell us?! That guy was too secretive."

"We… we were ashamed of her." Mrs. Pryce said as she held up a portrait of a young teenage girl with dark hair and dark eyes. "Emma was such a sweet girl, always looking up to Wesley, trying her best to be like him… but after he left for Sunnydale for his assignment, she changed. She started staying out late at night, wore black all the time, hanging out with the wrong people. She wanted to be a watcher like Wesley but her father refused. He told her that she was too weak and that female watchers are no good. She ran away after that. We haven't seen her since." Mrs. Pryce sobbed as buried her face into her hands.

Buffy remembered how Dawn acted after she came back from the dead. Dawn was shoplifting and rebelling to get her attention. She was lucky not to get into any worse trouble during her 'rebellious phase'. Gunn and Angel remembered how they lost their sisters. Gunn's sister had been turned by vampires and he was forced to stake them. Angel's was worse, he had actually eaten his little sister the first night he became Angelus.

"How old is Emma?" Angel asked as he came forward.

"She is 24. I'll fax a photo of her." Mrs. Pryce said as she went to the side and faxed a picture. "After Wesley… passed on, I hired a private investigator and she told me that Emma was in LA running a vampire bar of all things. She's trying to convince Emma to come back to us but she's having no luck. Perhaps you can reason with her since you were close to Wesley."

Angel nodded and vowed, "Mrs. Pryce, I will go off and bring your daughter home to you!"

"Uhhh… that's nice." Mrs. Pryce said as she stared at him. Angel looked down at his hands and remembered that a puppet is not the best person to go off and bring back stray runaways.

"Don't worry, we'll go to." Gunn said, "I have contacts in LA and while Angel was a great private investigator."

"I'll go too." Fred said as she raised her hand.

"As will I. I am interested in meeting Wesley's sibling." Illyria joined in.

"Don't forget, Emma is running a vampire bar so she would trust a vampire. Besides, we're both English." Spike said as he raised his hand.

"Oh God, help us." Mrs. Pryce muttered as she paled and walked off screen.

Angel and the others looked at the monitor and the puppet said, "I think Mrs. Pryce doesn't have much faith in us."

To Be Continued…