CHP5
We were running with no idea of where we were heading. I was feeling it, the burning in my legs, in my lungs- it was getting harder to draw in a breath. This must be what it's like to be a smoker…
"Aah!" Fred's cry served to pull me out of my fog and focus on our current predicament. Looking up I couldn't help the groan of- was it … despair?
"Oh God."
My sentiments exactly. Not the best sight even in a sewer…
"There's more." Lorne shuffled closer to my side, he didn't like the swimming but I imagine dying by mob was higher on his list of dislikes.
"We gotta keep moving." Gunn ordered and he'd get no argument from us.
"Preferably away from the mob." Lorne added gently taking my arm and starting to edge away from the group of psychos stalking towards us. The last free minds in all of Los Angeles… if you didn't count Ryan and the Hell's Angels and my Dad or Sebastiá- no, can't think of them now.
"You might want to run," No one else stopped when they were tired and I wasn't going to be the one to hold us back so I straightened up and pulled away from Lorne. He let go of my arm as I stepped forward.
"Now." The others moved past me, Fred looking frightened, though confused as to why I wasn't running with them.
"Phade-."
"Run." I didn't look back, I couldn't. My focus had to be on what needed doing and keeping the mob back was the goal. I just felt so… tired.
"Connor."
Oh yeah, there he was right smack in the center, leading the mob. I shouldn't be surprised; who else did I expect it to send for us?
"Daddy dearest." He didn't smile and he'd be furious in a second.
I reached to the wall, my fingers easily dipping into the stone. The flash of silver gray coated everything. I didn't have time to be frightened by how heavy and sluggish it all felt. My fingers clutched at the stone and as I swung my arm out a thin sheet of stone slid across. I could feel them start to run but my wall was getting thicker.
"Phade!"
The pain came sharp and so fast there was nothing I could do to minimize or block it. The pounding in my head was so intense I could hardly be blamed for loosing my lunch, only I hadn't eaten so that's always a good thing… that so came out wrong-.
"Phade!" I felt hands pulling on me, felt them warm- carrying me along as we moved.
"She doesn't look good."
I tried telling them I'd be fine, it was just a little headache, (no need to worry them with how bad it really felt), nothing a good nights sleep or a moments rest wouldn't fix. Of course, I didn't know if that's all it would take.
"… there's blood…"
Who was bleeding? Why-how did they get hurt in the first place? Wouldn't that just- God, que suerte! I didn't remember there being anything sharp aside from our swords and those were gone.
"…her nose… Phade?"
"Me?" I touched a shaky hand to my face and sure enough my fingers got sticky. Now wouldn't it be gross not to mention hilarious to find them covered in boogers?
Beautiful imagery huh?
I had to blink my eyes into focus and staring back at me a bright red glob.
"Oh, I never had one of these before." And I hadn't. I just wasn't that delicate; of course, with my life at the Hyperion now I got a lot bloodier than I ever did growing up. I just never bled just to bleed…
"Guess there's always a first, huh?"
My eyes focused on Gunn; a little surprised he'd voiced my thought exactly. Talk about mind readers, he could definitely pass.
"Cupcake, love your gorgeous tan but right now you're looking a tad on the yellow side." Lorne's voice was shakier than usual; he just wasn't made for the fighting which is why he'd left Pylea in the first place. Well, that and the non-singing population.
"You taking pot shots at me already?" my sudden sluggishness wasn't helping even though I tried the snarky comments; it just wasn't working for me today. To make things worse my feet kept getting tangled up, I almost knocked us down.
"Hold up." Gunn stopped us, Lorne and Fred propped me up against the pipes and I could start to feel the shaking in my leg muscles lessen.
"Just gimme a sec." I breathed leaning over just a bit. Breathing had never seemed so hard and I wasn't a runner- odio correr, the worst torture anyone could contrive for me.
"Thought you had more stamina."
I looked at Gunn, was he getting smart with me? First Lorne's making digs at me and now him? My usual answer, some smart ass remark, took a moment to think up and then… "You try swimming in stone with four other people, reinforcing grates or building walls-." Ok, so not a great come back but hey, a little out of it here.
"Uum, guys," Fred came back fidgeting nervously which is normal for her so there was no tingling spider sense going off. "I think, umm-."
"Minutes up, Phade." Gunn grabbed my arm and pulled me up, kinda harsh, I thought. "We gotta move." He didn't even look at me as he said it. I looked over my shoulder and barely caught a glimpse of what had them all worked up before Gunn literally yanked me into motion. There wasn't much I could do but go along. Not that I wanted to stay behind…
"Faster, faster, much faster!" Lorne exclaimed pumping right past me and Gunn. It was funny or I would have laughed at how his voice rose with each word if it weren't for the mob of crazies running behind us.
"Angel!"
"Oh God, are we dead yet?"
I wanted to laugh, of course we weren't dead. We wouldn't be running from a psycho mob.
"Guys!" up a head Angel came out of a door and waved to us. His face changed, not the bumpy fangy look with the yellow eyes usual, this was more a shocked wide eyed look, well, that's not usually a good sign.
So what do I do?
"Hurry."
That's what I tell them and pull away from Gunn. The mob somehow doubled in size and they were really pounding the pavement to get at us.
"Phade-."
"Move!" I think the yelling helps when you want to make a point in a hurry but the mob at our backs, which now is my front, helps cut down with the arguing.
"We can't leave her!"
"Girl knows what she's doing."
I certainly appreciated her concern and Gunn's vote of confidence, if he hadn't been talking outta his ass.
One last look over my shoulder to make sure they were all safe behind Angel… no sign of Wesley.
I shook my head slightly when Angel started to close the door and come to my side. He hesitated but stopped then the silver gray light coated everything and once more, Angel glowed so bright I had trouble making out his form.
"I'll slow them down."
"Don't be long." Angel's voice echoed in the tunnel but the sentiment was obvious and appreciated. Maybe I had found a home after all.
"Be right in." and now to work…
***********
"No words, no word magic…" Wes mumbled to himself. He barely noticed the others run into the demons lair. The sphere in his hands captured his attention and everything the demon said played in his mind.
"Angel, its Connor." Fred exclaimed turning to face the vampire. Gunn and Lorne stood aside, the green demon catching his breath. "He's here."
"I know." He could smell their fear, her big eyes shifting nervously looking to each of them expectantly. Lorne straightened, his head turning to survey their 'new digs' and fixing on the closed door.
"Uh and the National Guard I think."
"Phade!" Fred exclaimed again. "We left her out there, Angel." She rushed to the door, ready to help one of their own. Fred just couldn't deal with loosing more people- friends…
"No!" Angel snaked an arm around her waist easily sweeping her away from the door. "No, Fred."
"But she's alone and bleeding- she's-." Fred's eyes welled with tears, her mind pushing forward all the bad thoughts she'd been trying no to think of, of Angel being all evil again…
"She's hurt?" he turned to the door, moving around Fred, intending to open it but stopped short. "She said she'd be here." And he had to believe Phade would come through. He hoped it was true… It was a wonder Phade stuck around with the way every one seemed to disregard her presence. Angel knew he'd caused enough problems in her personal life, with Ryan, with her father, even Sebastián was suffering.
Fred and Gunn were so involved with themselves they paid no attention to anyone else and Wes-, after the past year and everything with Connor-. Angel knew there was something wrong between them, Wesley and Phade. She'd stuck by Wes' side when the others had sided with Angel. She refused to let any of them sway her thinking-, loyalty… that's what she'd said.
"Phade!" Lorne's shocked exclamation had the vampire moving into action. He reached the door as the sweet copper scent reached his nostrils.
"Sweetie are you ok?"
From the stone floor a gentle ripple surrounded Phade as her body sluggishly rose from the gray pool. With a tentative hand Gunn reached to her, his fingers wrapping around her upper arm and pulling her further. Angel helped, easily getting her to stand though she swayed unsteadily and the smell of blood grew stronger.
"You're hurt." He stated with concern.
"N-no-o." Phade wobbled on her feet and griping her arm tighter Angel noticed the red streak on her upper lip and the smudge across her cheek.
"What happened?" he asked while raking his eyes over her. He could see no wounds anywhere.
"Put up another wall." She replied smiling crookedly. The sound of her heart beating rapidly drew a frown on Angel's face. He could see her color was off. The normally golden tint to her skin had yellowed considerably and dark circles had formed around her eyes. The pinkish smears under her nose the only real color to her face.
"Angel, I got it!" Wesley exclaimed but the bright bolts of light drew all eyes to the swirling ball of light in his hand.
"Ok, let's go." Angel ordered moving forward, his arm still around Phade.
"No! We can't go- that things atmosphere will kill us."
Angel stopped, his eyes looking at them.
"I can't." he'd left his son behind, kicked him out of his home, he'd let Cordy go… but he couldn't bring himself to leave them.
"You have to. Someone who knows the truth has to live… that's you, Angel."
"Hearts get in the way, right?" Fred added. Her face reflected her hope, and the encouraging nod she offered… everyone jumped as the door reverberated in its frame. Gunn ran to it putting his body as another barrier.
"But-." Angel hesitated; he couldn't just leave abandon them…
"It's alright, Angel." Phade's soft voice echoed in his mind. He turned to her sharply, lips puling back in a snarl to find her- silver eyed and smiling gently. "You're the Champion. You have to go."
Fred and Lorne passed by him, moving to help keep the door closed.
"Here." Wesley tossed him the sphere. Angel caught it, his eyes going to Phade once more. He could see she was tired yet fear was oddly absent from her scent. Hers was heavy with exhaustion.
"Hurry back oh fearless leader." Phade said with a smile. "We'll be waiting."
Angel paused; he could see from her expression that she meant it. He had to come back, they were counting on him, the entire world was at stake. With a sharp nod Angel turned and disappeared into the swirling lights.
"We can't hold it." Wes stated, his words punctuated by another thud against the door which had all four bouncing. Phade didn't like the sound of defeat in his voice. She could see the others; they were close to giving up.
'I said we'd be waiting for him and I'm not going to have Angel come back to find us all dead.'
"Yes," Phade moved towards the door gray eyes flashing. "We can." Her hands dipped into the stone around the door. It swirled lapping at the frame until it covered the edges. The insistent pounding lessened considerably with her help. Fred stepped back her mouth forming a little 'o' of wonder.
Phade stumbled, a fresh trickle of blood staining her upper lip. Her legs gave out and she fell to the ground with a piercing pain behind her eyes.
"Phade!" Fred knelt by her side, a cold hand pushing a heavy lock of hair away from Phade's face.
"I'm sorry." Phade murmured before her eyes closed and she slumped against Fred's shoulder.
"Oh God, Phade."
"She's not-." Lorne didn't finish his thought; instead he knelt beside both girls and checked for a pulse. He sighed, a relieved breath bowing past his lips.
"Strong. Just needs a little rest." But he wasn't sure about that, he couldn't even say how long she'd be out.
"For the moment we're fine." Wes surveyed the door. "We should be ok…"
"Girl has skills." Gunn asserted.
*********
"Ish me va Kai."
The words, so soft, at first I didn't think I'd heard her. She smiled leaving me confused and then her words registered.
"Afraid?"
What did I have to be afraid of? Not Jasmine, who'd be afraid of a demon able to control the entire world with 'love'. Why would I be afraid of the mob? All they'd do is tear us limb from limb, no big and why would I be afraid of never seeing my family again? So no. I don't have anything to be afraid of.
"Wake up." Her eyes shimmered silver as she spoke.
"There's work to be done, yet." Xyne smiled, serene if not a bit amused.
"Work? What work, Xyne…" but that insistent pounding kept intruding and she was gone.
"Phade?" Fred's voice echoed somewhere above and the closer I listened the more my body screamed its aches and pains. Mainly, it was my brain doing a banshee scream because, well, I'm not exactly sure why…
"Phade? She's waking up guys."
"What's all the fuss?" I grumbled and then winced as I found light piercing my retinas. I know, underground in a sewer how much light can there be? Let me say, practically none but that's how sensitive my eyes turned out to be.
"Fuss? Who says fuss anymore?" Gunn looked towards Lorne and the demon cast an uncomfortable look to me- or rather to my less than cushy cushion.
"Right. My bad."
"You ok?" Fred asked with concern.
"Como nueva." I replied sitting up. Fred helped push me upright and after a moment in which my head took it upon itself to tell me how 'unhappy' it was with what I'd been doing-.
"Wes!" Gunn's sharp tone called everyone's attention. I looked up as both men put their backs to the door which is what was making all that pounding noise.
"We can't hold it." Wes stated. I could see the apology in his eyes and then the crumbling cracks as my work came undone.
"Honey, maybe extenuating circumstances…" Lorne began with a sickly look. I knew what he was asking even though they'd all said no.
"I'm sorry. I'm not sure I'd get us all out the way I'm feeling…" each one looked at me as though I was refusing to help but I couldn't risk killing them. We could all get stuck in the stone, melded into it-. "I cou- maybe one at a time…"
"No." Wes cut in. "You're not strong enough."
My eyes turned to the widening cracks and the light piercing through the frame. It was all coming undone, more and more with each hit.
"Guess it wasn't enough." And yet the grates in the kid's lair had been solid. Now I had more questions, like was I running out of ammo?
"Time for the big fight scene." Gunn replied stepping away from the door. "On 3. 1-."
He never finished, before he could get past two the door burst open and framed in its center, Connor.
I swear the kid had this- this thing, this…evil aura all glowy and grinning.
The mob rushed in, like a swarm and I lost sight of the others. Standing I dropped the first two crazies. They all had that nauseating stench, her mark but I refused to let it slow me down any more than I already was. I don't know how long the fight lasted, seconds or minutes- it all felt the same, interminable time.
My hands were covered in blood, they got slippery, slid off the locos and somewhere I heard Fred. I grabbed another one and sent it flying. Fred's little mob went down under my 'bowling ball'.
"Was that a strike?" of course no one answered; doubt they thought it was funny. The mob was busy trying to kill us.
I noticed Wesley and Gunn holding their own with pipes. Gunn actually whacked a lady upside the head. The real kicker though, she got up. Bloody head and all, the lady got up and smiled as she went after Gunn.
I had my own to deal with and then the civi's were backed by uniforms, all of them with shiny black weapons of the deadly kind.
"Charles!" Fred's scream echoed but I found her again. A couple of crazies blocked my way and none of us was getting to her in time. I'd seen her elbow a man in the face, broke his nose. She might look all timid and mousy but Fred has her dark side, I think we all do. I was having trouble holding mine in. Hurting just felt so good, others I mean, not me in pain, that's never nice.
The little crowd around me was getting bigger and seeing as how there were too many to get out of the way I decided on one better. They all latched on, tried to hold me still and I let them. There were at least five, all holding me with more attached to them. I'd be taking down a whole bunch of crazies. The flash of silver light bathed them all and their screams echoed as I sunk.
That's how I left hem, all partially immersed in the stone. This wasn't 'swimming', I didn't want to do that again especially with so many and once in the stone I pulled away. It wouldn't have been so bad, their pain was hers, that's why the lady with the busted head got up and went again.
Jasmine was healing them all.
I just- I never expected her to leave them. The ones I sunk, maybe it was too much- either way the fight continued above. Fred was down and so was Gunn. I was more surprised to see Lorne still whacking away with his hockey stick.
Wesley, well from what I'd heard at Buffy's he'd come a long way from the geeky Watcher she remembered. I couldn't picture him all un-comfy and awkward. He was very much a man, confident and sure of himself, a reliable source of information with a certain… allure, I guess. There was this haunted look in his eyes, a sort of melancholy that pulled on you...
I know what you're thinking; 'This chic's off her rocker. She's got a hunky hubby who likes to live adventurously plus he's watching her kid and hanging with the father-in-law. What's wrong with her?'
Tell you what, nothing's wrong with me. I love Ryan. I know he's doing much more than he needs to. Except right now they need me. This is where I need to be- and Wes needs help.
I reached out and grabbed a set of legs which immediately sunk in the stone. I let go to a whole lotta screaming and repeated the process a few more times. When I rose I stood beside Wes.
"Need some help?" there were a couple of civi's left, all of them on Wes who was doing ok with the pipe.
I was a little busy myself; a group of four crazies seemed to think I was their personal punching bag. It was easy to see this wasn't going to work and dipping into the stone wasn't an option. I was already feeling the pounding in my temples start up. These nuts were hitting hard, too. Of course, stone is harder and after a moment of straight pounding the only blood was theirs.
"Ouch?" looks like they didn't appreciate my funny. They charged, maybe they thought it would work, who knows, Jasmine was in control.
The first, an older man, swung at my head. He didn't react as his arm snapped and I bashed his head into the woman behind him. There was a sort of 'pop' like when you finally get a lid open on a can, neither got up. I tried not to think of what I was doing, of the families these people were leaving behind. I wasn't the only one who… their blo-, we were all to blame.
The silvery light began to thicken and the pounding in my temples had nothing to do with the people getting in some hits. I grabbed onto one and sank. I didn't know what else to do but there was more than one and it hurt. Everything hurt- I let go and came up again. When the fog cleared I saw Lorne laid out beside me. I stumbled to my feet searching for the others and found were Gunn lay knocked out, Fred on the ground, a barrel aimed at her face and then Wes. He stood alone still fighting until Connor faced him.
It moved slowly, time; Connor with the sword point down for the moment. Wes taking a step back, chest heaving as he drew in another breath… I was so slow, like pouring out molasses.
Connor raised the sword, any moment he would strike and I was stuck pushing, hitting, breaking my way through to try and stop it. We were all dead, I knew it but I couldn't just… I had to try.
'Their light extinguished…'
I had to try.
"NO! Connor-!" he threw Wesley, much to my relief, not that this was better but at least there was still a chance he'd live a little longer.
Wes hit the far wall but I couldn't get to him, not with Connor in my way.
"You have to stop."
"No, I don't." he raised the sword, a cold smile on his young face. In that moment I could see Angelus in him. The demon Angel fought so hard to contain…
"I know, she's yours and it feels… Connor, he does love you."
Why is it so hard?
Why do the Powers That Be insist on making life unbearable for these two?
They give Angel a son; show him what it's like to be a Father, to care for a small innocent being, his own flesh and blood- probably the only thing he never thought to wish or expect to have. Then it's taken away. Stolen from him, ripped out the most human part-. It hurts to see your child care more for some one else, to have them hate you, want you dead and go so far as to try it. Try and kill you… but Angel still does his best to earn Connor's love. The one thing he rightfully deserves.
"Shut up!"
I caught his sword arm; he looked so lost beneath the anger. I can't help but wonder if we aren't all lost…
"I'm not listening to your lies."
"Good," I pushed him off. "Because I'm not lying." I made a grab for the sword and missed. He'd swing it, I knew he would. Connor'd end up taking a limb if he didn't kill me first.
The sword slashed across and my arm instinctively rose to block my head. I felt the sharp blade cut into my arm and the resounding 'ping' as it bounced off.
I know I screamed.
I was scared, almost lost my arm here!
The coat of leftover stone flaked off and the thin red line where the sword managed to cut began to ooze blood. Not a lot but it definitely stung.
"You little shit."
He grinned at me which confusing, I just called him a shit, he should be pissed and then the cocking of the semi auto shed some light on the grin.
Dying had never been an issue.
I mean, I never really though of it, mine anyway. A couple of daydream fantasies of Dante six feet under but considering our less than happy past… well, who would blame me?
The year I spent with the Hell'sAngel's, there was plenty of opportunity for dying but I never thought of it.
I know, it doesn't make sense. After all that happened when I was younger, the things I saw and the- what happened… in the caves and after-.
It had been years since that, it got easy to pretend that hadn't happened. I believe it's called denial and some would say that's a river in Egypt.
But with the Hell'sAngel's - when you're in the thick of things, or shot with a poison bullet, and death, at least your personal mortality, just doesn't come up.
Something's wrong isn't it?
I turned around slowly. The bright light in my face was blinding and I had to squint. The soldier moving towards me wasn't in the National Guard uniform; come to think of it some of them looked a lot like my baby brother's friends. They'd traipse about all proud in their cami's…
"Guy?"
It couldn't be him. He wasn't supposed to be in Los Angeles anymore. He was back on base doing his 'special thingy' like Gia said last time I'd called.
"He's mine."
The light clicked, shutting off and there- a smile on his face…
"Guy."
*************