All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for the daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I wanna drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take
When people run in circles its a very, very
Mad world, mad world
Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy birthday, happy birthday
And I feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me, no one knew me
Hello teacher tell me, what's my lesson?
Look right through me, look right through me
And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take
When people run in circles it's a very, very
Mad world, mad world, enlarging your world
Mad world
Chapter 21 Mad World
'Kate shot at the zombies as they charged. Isabella jumped into action and swung her sword cutting off one of their heads. Another charged at her and she swung her sword and its head rolled. These things weren't hard to kill but there were many still coming in. Isabella quickly scanned the room and found her father killing them too. AI was here it was supposed to be a quick rescue mission but it went south. Kate reloaded her gun and fired. She turned to Isabella and saw one of the zombies running to Isabella with her back turned to it. Kate ran to Isabella and tackled the thing to the ground and pinned it down and shot it right in the head. But then she felt a pain in her arm as one of the zombies bit down on her. She tried to pull away and then she felt its teeth sink into her neck.'
48 Hours Ago
"Zombies?" Isabella asked as all of AI sat at the dinner table eating dinner. "Like I'm going to eat your brains, limbs falling off, rotting people zombies?" And Cordelia nodded as she ate. "Cool." Isabella said smiling and some of the guys smiled.
"How is that cool?" Levy asked.
"It's zombies." Xander stated but that wasn't really an answer.
"It's a guy thing like pirates, machines, explosions." Willow answered to her daughter.
"Wow so zombies we get to fight zombies?" Isabella asked and Cordelia shrugged.
"Well the people she saw in her vision match to that of a zombie." Wes added in.
"So we're going to be fighting zombies like Night of the Living Dead zombies?" Isabella asked sounding a little too excited and Giles shrugged.
"It's not completely like Hollywood ok." Angel quickly added and Isabella gave him that look asking how so? "These zombies are a product of mystical forces usually in movies it's an outbreak. Two some movies portray them as idiots which…they actually are they can learn though it's basic and then they'll forget. Three alone one is easy but in hoards not so much. Four they bite you just a single bite will turn you if they don't eat you first." Angel finished.
"Sounds like the movies to me." Isabella stated.
"Well I say after dinner we do some zombie research who's up for a little zombie moviefest tonight?" Xander asked raising his hand, Isabella rose hers followed by Gunn, Spike, Evan, and Lorne. Giles sighed a little while cutting his chicken.
"I let you watch too many monster movies." Angel commented to Isabella and she smiled. She was getting close to fifteen not only that she starts high school in the fall. Angel found that hard to wrap his head around his daughter was starting high school meaning college after. Where did time go?
"So these zombies they eat people like we chicken?" Xander asked and Giles looked down at his half eaten chicken and it suddenly didn't look too appetizing anymore. "You alright there G man?" Xander asked.
"Oh yes just full." He answered as Xander kept eating.
"If there are zombies running around I'm sure we would see them." Fred commented.
"There's very few out there if they do break free then we have a problem." Spike added.
"I'm going to take a really outlandish guess but Wolfram and Hart?" Isabella asked and everyone was thinking the same thing.
"Well I say we do some research and then go full attack." Xander suggested.
"You just want to watch zombie movies all night." Anya stated and Willow smiled, Xander was just a big kid.
"Hey dad you and Spike are kinda like…zombies…" Isabella started. Angel and Spike leaned back in their chairs crossing their arms at the same time. "I'm you were both bit by something, died and then came back. You actually eat people…"
"Vampires we're vampires not zombies." Spike defended. "Besides zombies aren't smart they have the basic motor functions and thrive for one thing and that's need to feed."
"Like you?" Isabella added with that cocky smile. Angel clapped and laughed out loud while everyone giggled.
"That was good." Angel commented to his daughter but Spike didn't look so amused. "Oh right Izzy start the dishes." Isabella nodded and got up clearing some of the plates as Levy followed and Evan would join them in a minute. "Oh come on Spike," Angel looked to the vampire. "It was funny." But he said nothing. "Ok fine don't take a joke."
"So Angel," Cordelia started. "Kate?" Angel looked up and everyone was looking at him.
"Izzy!" Angel called.
"What?" She asked from the kitchen.
"Stay in the kitchen!" Angel said.
"What? Why!" She asked.
"Just stay there!" He said and there was nothing and he sighed. "And don't use your bat like hearing either." He said at a normal tone knowing she would hear it.
"Fine!" She yelled back which made Willow smile.
"What about her?" Angel asked.
"Oh come on man she likes you so anything?" Spike asked.
"No." Angel said flat out.
"Angel," Cordelia started. "We're your friends and you can't keep your emotions bottled up," Angel nodded. "And, and the curiosity is going to kill me."
"Oh no wouldn't want that." Angel said and Cordelia scoffed. "Guys there's nothing between me and her, there never will be. She helps out, she's a friend but that's as far as it goes so drop it." Cordelia went to say something. "No, no, no, no, and no."
"Well she likes you." Xander added.
"So what?" Angel asked.
"Oh come on man I know you've been out of the dating game for a while but you have to do something about it or she's going to get led on and then she gets wishy washy with you and then her heart aches for you, then you say no, she cries and it gets ugly. But then I swoop in," Spike started.
"You've thought about this haven't you?" Angel asked and Spike stopped.
"I'm not saying I like her…" Spike then was quiet.
"What I think we're getting at," Giles started.
"I know." Angel sounded like he was getting defensive. "I know and I can understand why too but no there's nothing between us. There never was and there never will be ok so drop it." Angel demanded and got up and left.
"Touchy." Xander muttered under his breath. Giles looked to Angel as he headed into the kitchen with some more dishes. Over the years Angel and Giles have grown a bit closer mostly because of Isabella's training. Giles was the one person to Angel that had logic that really made sense.
Angel sat at his desk reading up on zombies while everyone else had Night of the Living Dead playing. Giles then poked his head in and Angel looked up at the former Watcher. Giles walked into the office and shut the door behind him and sat down in the chair in front of the desk. Angel went back to reading as Giles studied the vampire.
"I'm going to start talking and you can either listen or not," Giles started while Angel continued to stare at the book. "Kate's been around well since you've moved here and it's natural for us to think there's even a remote possibility you two are interested in one another. There's tension and I don't think it happened for a reason at all it just happened." Giles paused leaning back in the chair while taking his glasses off and began to clean them. "I know what kind man…vampire, person you are." Angel looked up. "You would betray her if you did fall in love." Angel was finally listening; finally someone was hearing him out. "You made a commitment and you're keeping it and that's not easy."
"I know most people after so long can just find new love but,"
"Angel you and Buffy share a really special bond that they don't understand. It's that they don't want to but after so many years you forget. The gang has moved on but I see you haven't you have Izzy. Dating someone else being with someone else and then looking at Izzy it wouldn't work." Giles stopped as Angel nodded.
"It's just Izzy,"
"Keeps pushing it too I know." Giles then put his glasses back on and sat forward. "Izzy knows her mother through stories and pictures. The dream helped to really understand who Buffy was but she in all reality has never known her mom. And then she sees other parents together Anya and Xander the people at school talk about their families. She may talk about you dating hoping that would complete a picture but I know if you did,"
"She wouldn't like it." Angel finished and Giles nodded.
"The dream with Buffy she wants the family, she's felt it and while Isabella is smarter than her years she's still a child a child who wants her family. She just doesn't see past that right now she doesn't understand what she's asking for. I know she understands no one can be Buffy but she doesn't understand that putting you with a woman won't make you happy and it won't complete the picture." Giles finished.
"Ok but how do I make her stop asking?" Angel asked.
"Talk to her just like anything else. Be honest how you feel and well the rest will unfold."
"And Kate?"
"Again be honest." And Angel nodded at Giles' words. "Now as far as the zombies? Anything standing out?"
Isabella was sitting at her desk in her room looking at a book and then she looked up seeing her father standing at the door way.
"What's up?" She asked and he walked in and sat on the edge of her bed and Isabella faced him.
"Izzy I want you to be completely honest with me ok," Angel started and Isabella nodded. "Can you really see me with someone other than your mom?" He asked and Isabella said nothing she just looked to her father. There was a long pause and all Angel could hear was her heart beating.
"No," Isabella said quietly and Angel nodded. "Especially after that dream I can't."
"Then why do you keep asking?" Angel asked, he needed to know from her.
"I don't know you seem like you're lonely and," Angel smiled and scooted forward.
"I'm not Izzy ok listen," Angel started. "There has been only one person I've actually loved in my almost three hundred years of existence and that's your mom. She was and I still believe the only person except you who has seen passed my demon. Who was willing to give a second chance when no one else would. I owe her for that. I've tried to let go over the years and I can't. And then seeing you it just reminds me how much I really loved her, how much I still love her." Angel finished and Isabella smiled.
"Wow," The teenager said and leaned forward and hugged her father. "I just want you happy."
"And I am as long as you're here." And the two pulled apart and Isabella nodded. "I'll always miss your mom and wish she was here but I'll never regret anything we've done." Isabella nodded and she felt like a weight was gone now. She felt like some kind of pressure was on her but now that she knew how her father felt she felt calmer. "Besides you're enough woman to handle these days." Isabella's smile grew a little more.
Kate walked into the hotel seeing Isabella at the front desk and then teen looked up smiling. Kate walked over to her.
"Your father here?" Kate asked.
"No he's gone but he'll be back in a second." Isabella said and Kate nodded. Isabella went back to reading and Kate peered in.
"Zombies?" She asked and Isabella nodded. "Interesting." It felt awkward now but Isabella brushed it off. "So," Kate started and Isabella looked up. "How are things?" And Isabella shrugged.
"We need a case like now." Isabella stated.
"Why?" Kate asked and Isabella pointed to the direction of the training room as she went back to reading and Kate walked over to the entrance and found Gunn, Wes, Xander, Evan and Connor dressed up in makeshift armor jousting. Kate walked back nodding. "I see."
"Sad isn't it?" Isabella asked and Kate laughed a little. Kate leaned up against the desk and sighed a little. Then there was a noise and Kate looked over to the training room ready to see what happened. "Oh don't worry about it." Isabella added as Kate leaned back up against the desk hearing the faint noise of the guys being boys at the moment.
"So what's up with the zombie research?" Kate asked.
"Cordelia saw zombies in a vision but they weren't attacking anyone so we're just waiting to see if there's anything else." Isabella explained and Kate nodded.
"Well how do you feel since well you know," Kate was trying to make small talk.
"I'm good, dad's good too." Isabella answered and Kate picked up tension between them.
"Well I know you and him were a little out of it after just making sure."
"Kate it's been a few months since all that so yeah I think we're ok now." Isabella assured her.
"I just know you guys miss her." Kate stated and Isabella wasn't sure where this was going.
"Well it was the first time I really got to meet my mom and have my parents together and yeah it was hard but I'm good now."
"I know it had to affect your dad because," Kate paused not sure if she should go on. "You know I wish sometimes I had met your mom she seems like a cool person."
"Yea me too." Isabella added.
"Guess your dad's been with her the longest."
"Actually mom and dad were only married for like six or seven months. They dated maybe a total of a year before then with almost a two year break in between." Isabella explained. "He still loves I mean well I'll see him cry sometimes he totally denies it too like he's got something stuck in his eye." That caught Kate's attention.
"Would your dad ever be another person?" She asked and Isabella shook her head no.
"His love for my mom is like the forever kind." Isabella answered and Kate nodded and then Spike and Angel walked in holding books. "What's all that?" Isabella asked.
"Giles' special request on everything you need to know about zombies." Spike added as they walked to the desk dropping the books and Isabella looked at the stacks. "Let's see Zombie Survival Guide, History of the Dead: Zombie Anthology, Pride Prejudice and Zombies, Resident Evil one, two and three," Isabella picked up a book looking at it.
"Zombies for Dummies?" She asked as Angel just stood there. "How to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?"
"Weapons and Tactics for the Zombie Apocalypse?" Kate asked grabbing another book.
"Yes we want to make sure we've covered everything." Spike explained as Giles came out and saw the books and looked a little confused. "Ah well I think this will do."
"I just asked for the Canbis Major volume three." Giles stated and Angel and Spike looked at each other and then the other books they got. "You did get the book I actually asked for right?" And Spike handed him the older book. "Thank you."
"Well what about these?" Angel asked to all the books they had. "I mean they can be useful right?" He then grabbed on that Isabella was flipping through.
"Hey," She scoffed.
"Like this one," Angel held up the weapons and tactics book.
"Good information I think." Spike added. Giles knew they were going to run with the idea of zombies. Then he heard something in the weapons room.
"Oh that the guys are just jousting well at least that's what they were doing a little while ago." Isabella explained as Giles stood there looking at Angel who held up the book with Spike standing next to him.
"Right," Giles then turned around and walked away. "We really need to get back to fighting evil." Giles muttered under his breath. Cordelia hadn't had a vision in two weeks and the last one she just saw zombies and nothing else. Angel set the book down and Isabella took it.
"Well he can read his old books we'll just read these." Spike stated and Isabella smiled as she flipped through the book.
"Whoa this is neat." Isabella said and held it up showing her dad. "We should build one and then see if it works on vampires."
"You need bait in it though." Angel said as he took the book and read the description and Isabella leaned forward.
"Xander," She said and smiled.
"There's a reason why I've always loved you." Angel commented as the two looked through the book. Kate smiled as the two were flipping through books. But Kate wasn't here for zombies she needed to talk to Angel. But now she was afraid too after what Isabella said. But Isabella was just a teen right? She doesn't understand everything just yet. Kate then looked up to Angel and he knew they needed to talk. He hated talks especially ones with relationships. Angel causally walked away with Kate following and then Spike nudged Isabella.
"Hey wanna eavesdrop?" He asked and Isabella looked up at him, stuck her hand into his face and shoved him away. "You guys are no fun."
Kate and Angel found a more secluded place to talk and the tension went through the roof. Kate didn't know how to go about this. She wanted to admit her growing feeling for him but how? Angel wanted to admit that yes she's attractive but that was it he wasn't looking for romance. There was a silences and that awkward feeling. Angel was going to let her speak first if she was ever going to speak.
"So," Kate started as Angel stood there. "You know I was just thinking wouldn't be funny sometime if we'd see each other when it's not a kill a demon thing." She stammered out. "Not funny ha, ha." Kate corrected herself as Angel stood there.
"Want to date me is that what you're saying?" Angel asked.
"No I mean," Kate was now getting nervous. "I maybe I," She paused trying to regain herself. "What I mean is,"
"I know what you mean Kate." Angel stated and Kate looked up. But then Angel turned away which made Kate really nervous.
"So what happens?" She asked and Angel faced her.
"I can't," Angel answered. "Can't do it."
"If it's about permission from Izzy I'll go through her and make sure everything goes smoothly,"
"Kate no it's not about Izzy she knows." Angel then stood there.
"It's about Buffy." Kate stated and Angel nodded. "You're a one woman kinda guy."
"Slayer but yeah." Angel didn't mean to correct her but reiterated the point. Kate nodded and looked around.
"I just maybe," She paused and turned slightly fighting back the tears of rejection. She did care for Angel and thought he was giving her hints. It had to be the dream of Buffy that changed his mind. That or he was really stubborn.
"Kate I think you're very beautiful and I'm grateful for all your help but I made a promise a long time ago." Angel finished and Kate nodded and turned back to him. Was he serious, he was still in love with someone who has been gone for almost fifteen years. "I'm sorry if I confused you,"
"But Izzy she wants you to date." Kate added.
"We talked about it and deep down she wants her mom not a mom, not a mother figure but her mom. I can't give her that so if I can't then it's just me and her." Angel thought that would be hard to do but it wasn't, he felt relief.
"Angel I really," Kate paused again and she stood there looking so sad and Angel couldn't help but feel bad for her so he went over and hugged her.
"Kate I couldn't even if I tried. I still love Buffy and I made a promise I can't if I do I would be betraying everything we had." Angel explained and he felt her nod.
"I understand." Kate then pulled away and now the tears were running. "She's a lucky girl. I guess I'll go."
"Kate," And she looked back to Angel. "I'm sorry." And she nodded and left. Isabella looked up and saw Kate hurry out and she knew what happened and went to find her dad. She found him standing there.
"Dad?" She asked and he looked up and Isabella walked over to him and they hugged.
Night had fallen, patrol was normal and now it was time for bed Angel crawled in what happened between him and Kate played in his head. He thought he should feel back but he didn't. He liked Kate as a friend but it was something she took harder. Angel closed his eyes to sleep, one way to end a bad is to sleep.
Angel sat on the edge of his bed and the door opened with a certain blonde standing in the doorway smiling.
"Please tell me you're actually you and not just what I'm dreaming." And she said nothing as she walked in sitting down next to him. He reached out and grabbed his hand and looked to the wedding ban he still wore.
"It's me." She said with a soft smile. "I can now visit you a little bit more as me instead what you come up with which I must ain't half bad." Angel smiled but the smile went away. "Angel I know what happened and its ok." She placed her hand on his cheek he nuzzled into it.
"I sense this is a business trip." Angel stated and she nodded.
"Yeah as always." She sighed. "But how silly of me to forget what I came to tell you guess I'm stuck here until you wake up." She added and Angel perked up a little and she scooted closer and pressed her lips to his. It was slow but he missed them. The kisses he made up in his dreams didn't serve justice to her real ones. With all their kisses it got heated and he pulled her closer. If this was the real Buffy he didn't want to wake up. He tugged at her dress, it was a pretty dress, white satin and fell on her curves nicely but that's not what he wanted. He then felt her pulling at the bottom of his shirt and he lifted his arms up so she could free him from it. He smiled and kept kissing her. This was the real Buffy he knew it was she felt so real. He then pulled the thin straps away from her shoulders and laid small kisses on her bare skin and she giggled.
She kissed his cheek and their lips met again as he pushed the dress down. This was a good dream. He towered over her and those green eyes glittered.
"Angel," She whispered, he didn't want to wake up anymore. He buried his face into her neck trying to remember all this before he woke up trying to savoir it and keep it in a special place. He looked back up to her and she was too beautiful. How did he ever get so lucky? He leaned in for a kiss and she pulled him as close as she could.
Angel laid next to her watching her sleep. He would do that all the time watch her sleep. He scooted closer and wrapped his arms around her kissing her bare shoulder, her neck and then her cheek.
"Stay with me?" He asked.
Angel eye's fluttered opened and the bed was empty. But then he swore he heard something. 'I'm always here.' Angel sat up and saw the time knowing it was getting late. Izzy was already off to school by now. He got out of bed to clean up and start the day.
As Angel made his way downstairs he heard commotion and hurried, Cordelia was having a vision. She shook and then it passed
"Well that was fun." She said as she sat up.
"More zombies?" Xander asked and Cordelia flashed him an evil eye.
"Yeah and they're going to eat people to breed more." She stated.
"Finally a case." Giles stated and they looked up at him. "What I get bored too sometimes." He defended himself.
"The zombies they're attacking people it looks like the people are trapped." Cordelia explained.
"Bait." Fred stated and everyone agreed.
"Time for zombie hunting." Xander said.
"There's a problem though," Cordelia added. "It's Wolfram and Hart."
"Of course it is." Wes commented.
"Well let's get a plan together then." Angel stated and they all nodded.
Isabella, Levy, Evan and Connor walked into the hotel a few hours later and saw everyone up and about. Isabella figured it was time to hunt the zombies. Angel didn't want Isabella to go if it was at Wolfram and Hart but she would follow anyways so there was no point in arguing.
"Izzy stay close." He said and she nodded. They still had a few hours before going. Wes and Fred were going to stake the place out and see what was going on. Angel made a plan to get inside with a floor map of the place.
"Well the south entrance isn't too heavily guarded." Xander explained. "Go in get the people and then leave.
"What about the zombies any idea how many?" Willow asked.
"Well according to the book if we want to sneak around then its best if we kill them without anything that makes a sound. Sound draws in more." Spike said and they all nodded.
"Wow it's like the video game Left for Dead." Connor added and Angel looked up and went back to the map. "We're all thinking it." Isabella smiled.
"We sneak in, free the people then sneak out, quick mission." Angel stated and they all nodded. "Alright let's go."
They parked a block away and gathered their weapons. The building itself was quiet; very few people but there might be people still there. The gang all followed Angel as he walked over to a manhole covering and opened it. He went first followed by Isabella and then everyone else.
"Keep it tight." Angel said as they moved through the tunnels with their flash lights.
"It'll be nice when he's human," Cordelia started to gripe. "No more sewers." Angel then saw the covering he wanted and lifted it up and jumped out. He helped Isabella out and she noticed he wasn't so moody today he seemed to be enjoying himself. She wasn't going to think about it as they all got out and were in the basement. Fred held a motion tracker that they snagged from this place a while ago and it came in handy.
"Ok let's move." Xander said pointing to the stairs and Angel led them and opened the door slowly. It was dark with just a few hall lights on. They all piled into the hallway and walked slowly and closely together. They all knew what do with the zombies if they came up against them. They made their way up a flight of stairs and then came to a huge lobby, the main lobby.
"Ok Willow, Tara," Angel stated and the two witches begun to chant. They would make a locator spell to find these people. The little lights formed and they were off. Angel and the group followed the little lights quietly checking corners and such. After making their way up a few floors the lights hovered outside a room. Angel would go first and opened the door and walked in. He stopped once he was inside and told everyone to stay back as he looked around. There wasn't anything in the room except three people on the floor tied up and blind folded. Something wasn't right though Angel thought. He thought there would be more. Then on the other side of the room a door opened and he growling noises. Then out of the little room came people. He could smell them, they were dead. They stumbled into the room, blood dripping from their mouths, they looked dead too. They saw their meal in the middle of the room and charged.
Angel quickly shut the door.
"Dad?" Isabella asked.
"We're too late." He said and everyone looked confused. "We need to go." He said and they all rushed out quietly something wasn't right. As they headed back downstairs they heard gun shots.
"Oh no." Gunn said as they headed to where they heard the gun shots and saw Kate. She gunned down a zombie.
"Kate no." Angel said yelling in a whisper voice as he ran to her. She looked up at them not understanding. "What are you doing here?"
"Helping figured the zombies was a Wolfram and Hart thing." She answered and he smiled a little. He could still see a little pain in her eyes but what happened yesterday wasn't going to break their friend ship. He couldn't help but hug her for a second. She giggled when she pulled away but she noticed Spike looked around and then to Angel.
"It was a trap." Spike said and then they heard what sound like gargling noises. They all turned to the direction and a hoard of zombies came marching out.
"Run." Angel said and they took off in the other direction as the zombies went after them. Angel managed to close the door and they heard banging and screaming from the zombies. The group kept running and had to find a way out.
"We have to get to the basement." Xander said.
"No freakin duh," Cordelia stated. The group headed down the hall but at the end were zombies wondering aimlessly.
"Back up real slowly," Angel said and they did.
"What's the plan?" Spike asked.
"Keep going up." Angel said and Spike nodded. They managed to slip away.
"Guys," Isabella spoke up and pointed to the air ducts. Angel reached up and took the grate off. Spike poked his head out into the hall and saw up and down the aisle both ways were now getting infested with zombies.
"Whatever the hell you're about to do, do it fast." Spike said as he came back in the hall. Angel grabbed Izzy and put in the duct followed by Levy, Evan and Connor. Spike also helped the others in. "Bugger." He said as the zombies saw them.
"Go." Angel said and Spike jumped up followed by Angel. They all crawled through the ducts and then Isabella looked up and down. But she saw something at the bottom. More zombies were at the bottom of the duct slowly climbing up and she scooted back.
"What is it?" Evan asked.
"We need to find another way." Isabella stated and crawled over some of the group to her dad. "There's zombies in the ducts."
"Ok everyone be careful ok." Angel ordered and they followed him as he went a different way.
"How many do you think there are?" Isabella asked.
"I don't know but I don't want to find out." Angel answered but then they all heard it. There were screams of people. It sounded like it was right under them too. He then looked to Isabella.
"We can't leave them." She said and he nodded. Angel found a grate and started to kick it down. Angel looked and saw people tied up screaming. He jumped down followed by Isabella and the others. They went and started to untie them while figuring out a way to get out. But then there was a bang on the door and there was only one door. There were zombies on this floor probably for these people and now it was a full out buffet.
"Aim for the head." Angel said as the group pushed away the people to the other side of room and the AI team held a ready stands. The door was being banged on over and over again. The prisoners screamed as they were huddled next to one another. Then the wood of the door started to splinter and crack. A few more hard poundings then door flew opened as the zombies poured in. The AI team waited until they got close and started to fight. Kate fired her gun aiming for the head.
Isabella sliced the heads off as each came near her. She stayed closed to Connor since he was the least experienced but he was holding his own rather well. Then one of the prisoners screamed as a zombie got to her. Isabella ran over to the woman as the zombie begun to rip her open. There was no way to save the woman but Isabella killed the zombie anyways. Another zombie came charging at her and she jumped in the air kicking it and then chopped its head off.
Angel just sliced his way through but one zombie brought him down. It snapped at him trying to bite him. Angel thought that was odd since he was dead but he was up an moving so it probably didn't understand as tried to get a piece of him. Then something hit the zombie and he fell to the ground for a moment. Angel looked up and it was Kate. Angel reached for his axe and slammed it against its head and it was dead. Angel got up and started again as Kate kept shooting. The zombies were slowly starting to thin away but they still kept coming. Two more of the prisoners were bit and maimed.
Kate shot at the zombies as they charged. Isabella jumped into action and swung her sword cutting off one of their heads. Another charged at her and she swung her sword and its head rolled. These things weren't hard to kill but there were many still coming in. Isabella quickly scanned the room and found her father killing them too. AI was here it was supposed to be a quick rescue mission but it went south. Kate reloaded her gun and fired. She turned to Isabella and saw one of the zombies running to Isabella with her back turned to it. Kate ran to Isabella and tackled the thing to the ground and pinned it down and shot it right in the head. But then she felt a pain in her arm as one of the zombies bit down on her. She tried to pull away and then she felt its teeth sink into her neck.
"Kate!" Isabella screamed as Isabella chopped away as she went to Kate. The zombie ripped away at Kate's neck as she screamed. The zombie looked up seeing Isabella running up it and then its head rolled. Kate fell to the ground as Isabella defended her as the last of the zombies were in the room. Isabella chopped one more head and then saw Kate on the ground bleeding heavily. "Kate?" she asked and got to the ground and did what she knew of first aid and tried to cover the bleeding wound. "Kate it's going to be ok just stay awake." Isabella has never seen a person die before let alone in her arms. The last zombie fell and everyone looked around. The last three prisoners that were alive looked around seeing all the dead bodies.
"Oh my god." Cordelia whispered looking around. No one from AI has seen so many dead bodies. Angel looked around and then saw Isabella on the floor next to Kate. He took off running to see what happened.
"Kate it's going to be ok." Isabella started to sob. Her sense of smell was in overdrive as she could smell all the blood. Kate was bleeding out and fast. She could barely speak but there were tears. "Stay awake Kate." Angel then skid to the ground and was shocked at what he saw.
"Kate?" He asked and she looked over to him. "Spike take her!" He ordered and Spike snatched up Isabella and pulled her aside. "Kate look at me stay awake we'll figure something out."
"Please, please," She coughed and begged. "I don't want to…I don't want to die."
"No you won't." Angel said as he covered the wound with his hands. "Kate stay awake."
"Angel," She whispered and with what strength she had left she let her finger tips tough his cheek. Isabella all the kids sobbed as they saw this. Kate fought for air and more tears fell.
"Kate," He then felt her finger tips slide down and she took in a gulp of air and that was it. "Kate?" Angel asked. Isabella slid down to the floor in shock. She's never seen a human die before let alone one she knew. Everyone gathered around and stood there as Angel sat up looking down at another fallen soldier.
"Dad," Isabella sobbed and he stood up backing away slowly he was in disbelief too. Just yesterday she was alive just seconds ago she was alive. Angel backed right up next to Isabella and got down to the floor holding her. She let tears fall out of pure horror and shock. "Dad?"
"Shh, it's ok." He tried to sooth her but that would be hard as they were all covered in blood and for Angel and Isabella that blood was mixed with Kate's too. Isabella never saw death come and take a human life. She never saw one of her own die either. AI was invincible they would always come through in end and alive. Death didn't come to them but now she was staring at it. The first life she saw taken away and she couldn't save it. Levy hugged Willow and Tare looked away too sobbing. Evan didn't want to see and buried his face into his mother's shoulder. Anya only saw death once of a human and that was Joyce and she didn't understand and now it made less sense. Why would someone who fought for good be allowed to die. Xander just stood there. Gunn stood there next to Connor not moving along with Giles. Giles has seen too many people die and buried too many people in his time but this didn't go unnoticed. Fred hugged Wes sobbing as he held her and Lorne stood there in silence as well. Spike stood for a moment and was in shock too as Kate lay there not moving.
Angel carried Kate out of Wolfram and Hart to a back alley knowing what was going to happen. He and Spike back in the building chopped the heads off the prisoners that got bit so they couldn't come back. Angel laid Kate's body down on the ground. He was strong as anyone but he couldn't do it right now. They had to wait for it. It wouldn't take long but they had to wait. Angel stood next to the dead body and Isabella came up to him.
"I don't understand death." She blurted out. "I understand your dead, I understand I kill, I understand mom's dead but understand death and why happens to those who care. Why it happens to those who fight for something and," Angel turned to her understand she'd never seen someone die.
"Izzy calm down ok." He pulled her aside and knelt down so they were eye to eye for the most part. "No one understands death but it happens to us all."
"But she saved me and dad shouldn't that do something like," Isabella was starting to become incoherent now and Angel shook his head. "If there is such a thing as a merciful god then why?" She started to sob. She wasn't crying out of Kate's loss entirely but out of the idea someone was good and fought for what was right was killed. "Wouldn't he have saved her," Angel shook his head. He felt his heart being crushed as Isabella cried. He had no answer about death. He died once but that doesn't explain it. "It's not fair,"
"Life isn't fair death chooses everyone. The world is cruel and harsh. It takes and most of the time feels like it doesn't give back. I know I lost your mom and felt like I was dying too. I wanted you and her not just one or the other." Angel paused. "I don't understand Izzy no one does." She nodded with tears falling and he hugged her. He didn't realize just how innocent is daughter still was, how fragile she was, tiny, breakable, her heart could be crushed so easily. He had forgotten how young she really is how she's never seen death especially to someone she cared about. Kate became a friend to everyone and now she was gone. She saved Angel's life and his daughter's. It wasn't fair that someone who saves a life or the lives many dies. Doyle was one and Buffy was another. Too many he loved died already and he sided with Isabella it wasn't fair but it happened. Isabella buried her face in his shoulder sobbing for Kate. She was never coming back. Angel kissed her head and cupped her cheeks and tears fell from him too. "Izzy I'm so sorry." She nodded; he didn't want her to see death ever. Like Buffy he wanted to keep her safe, keep her heart safe from evil, everything that was broken, everything wrong, he just wanted Isabella to be safe. And he felt like he failed tonight in keeping her safe in this insane, this insane and mad world. Isabella hugged him again and then looked to Kate's body. She quickly pulled away from Angel and her eyes widen. Angel turned around knowing what she saw. Angel stood up and motioned for someone to take Isabella away. Wes came running over and then handed Angel a gun.
Giles took Isabella into the safety of the group as Angel walked over to Kate's body and knelt down. He picked up a heartbeat, very faint but it was there. It was happening Kate was turning. He leaned in and heard her breathing slowly and then she twitched slightly. This wasn't going to be easy to do, take one of yours. She twitched some more and he stood up. As he stood up Kate's eyes opened. They weren't her hazel color no they were red and where the hazel color was it icy and cold green. The group watched Kate twitch knowing she was coming back. Angel backed away for a moment as this new thing was waking. The body rolled over slowly and sat up looking around.
"Kate," Angel started it looked to him not because it knew its name but that was the first sound it heard. "Kate I'm so sorry." Angel looked to the body as it sat there as if it was thinking its next move. "I'm sorry about everything especially this and not giving what you wanted." He paused as she slowly got up. Angel backed away a little. "Thank you for saving my daughter not once and even twice but three times, thank you." The body stood up and gained its footing and Angel turned back to the group as Isabella stood there watching. "Close your eyes." He said to his daughter and she turned to Giles covering her ears burring her face into his chest. Angel turned back to Kate as she growled and walked over to Angel. She got right in front of him and he held her back with one hand. "Forgive me." He pulled her close enough to point the gun to the side of her head and pulled the trigger and her body fell to the ground. No one moved, no one made a sound. Angel dropped the gun staring at another dead friend. He never had to kill one of his own before. Then he felt a rain drop and then another and then another. The lightening cut the sky and the thunder clapped. The night said it all how the group felt as they all stood there. What just happened? Why? Why did they lose someone else? Why?
And there's chapter 21. Not much to say. The zombies came from Angel Season 4 if anyone recognized it. It was a trap seeing if Wolfram and Hart could take AI out but AI didn't come out scot free though. I did say the Angel/Kate thing would end never said how. She did help save Angel and Isabella. But her death won't go out meaning nothing so hang tight. Yes I know Angel used a gun but that was the cleanest and most dignifying way I could think of. The Buffy dream also plays a role later on as the story ends and The Gift begins. I think I mentioned in one of the last chapters that after this story is done I will re-rewrite The Gift and everything will actually tie together and The Gift won't seem as quick. So for those who are waiting for this story to be completed before reading The Gift don't read The Gift until I start re-writing it. I'm not going to remove the original post just going to post the newer version and no it won't be like Star Wars where Lucas added crap like changing the Ewok song ok not going to rant. It'll be like Lord of the Rings where we got a ton of cool extra footage that's how The Gift will be. Some of it will change but not too much. More to come, comments and reviews are welcomed thanks for reading.
Song: Mad World by Tears for Fears this version is the Gary Jules version which I find it better and more haunting when you listen to it.