There's No Light Without Darkness Chapter 2, an angel fanfic

See Disclaimer in Chapter one.

Enjoy.

The first rays of dawn light filtered in through the front doors of the Hyperion hotel. The Champions of Good were licking their wounds but the night had been theirs, almost. Everyone had survived the attack against the The Circle of Black Thorns, almost. They were heroes.. Almost.

"I can't b'lieve y'sent Lorne in there and 'ad 'im kill Lindsey. What in the world were you thinking!" Spike hissed at his grandsire, from across the room, in the office, the once office where they had tried to pour over a many case. Spike having calmed down from the fight, and now able to think coherently, as coherently as Spike can think that is.

Angel's eyes slowly raised from the glass that held booze, he thought it was a scotch, or a cheap knock off, it just helped numb the pain. Not the physical, but the emotional he was feeling. He could say nothing as his eyes slowly lowered once more into the amber coloured liquid.

Spike stared at Angel for a long moment, in frustration he threw his hands up in the air and stalked out, the door being left wide open, a few moments later he let out a loud yell. "The next time that bloody wanker tells us the plan, he better tell us the WHOLE bloody plan!"

Angel closed his eyes tightly, wincing as every single word hit inside somewhere deeply. He finished the rest of his drink, and settled back, letting out a soft sigh.

Upstairs in hotel room 243

The bedroom was dark, cool, and the sound of heavy breathing could be heard. The sound of a groan out of either pain or exertion breaks the almost silence. The light flickering on as Gunn fell onto his back and stared at the ceiling.

It took several moments of realization that he had survived the previous night, and even several more moments to realize that he was not alone in bed. Forcing one eye open, moving his head down even an inch which caused pain, he looked down to see Kaya laying there, beside him, though not asleep. She too was staring up at the ceiling.

"Kaya..? What.. what are you doing here?" He asked, as his eyes closed once more.

"You remember when you told me we made a difference? That without us that the vampires would be running around and creating chaos? .. Shit Gunn.. You may have been right, but now what?" She whispered softly. Trying to find answers where only more and more questions seemed to crop up.

"Heal up, keep on moving.. Find out how screwed.. we are.. and find me some pain meds. I feel like hell."

"If it's any consolation, you look like it too."

"I love you too Kaya, can't even catch a break while I'm dying."

"Oh you're so not dying!" She poked him in the side.

The only sound he could give was a whimper.

"Oops.. sorry Gunn."

Somewhere much further than the Hyperion

The room was purely white, faint whisps of smoke seeming to seep out and into every single pore, a gentle light seeming to surround all over. No noise, no smells, nothing. It was almost drab, but at the same time could fill someone with an absolute wonderment.

"What are you doing here?" The sound of a male voice, lightly kissed with an English accent, could be heard from behind him.

"…You have got to be kidding me." Lindsey Donaldson, the man who had been killed by the gentle peace loving green demon slowly turns around, looking upon Wesley Price. "This is hell." He muttered.

Wesley was sitting down on what one could assume to be the ground, looking up at Lindsey for a long moment. At least in this world, they were both intact without any sort of holes in them. He shook his head a moment. "I wish I could say it was. I believe this is some form of.. gateway into heaven, or a higher plane, just the only question remains is what in the bloody hell are you doing here?" He was getting snippy. He had so many plans, but those would never be seen. Now he could only hope to see his Fred one more time.

"Lorne shot me.." It still tasted so bitter coming out of his mouth. "Killed by the flunky." Shaking his head, he sat down as well.

Wesley looked towards Lindsey a moment with a faintly stunned look. "Lorne.. shot.. you? .. Now that's something I didn't plan on, and apparently neither did you."

Lindsey gave him a perfect 'D'uh' look before he shook his head, looking around for a moment, before looking back at Wesley. "Sometimes it's hard for a tiger to change his stripes." Is the only thing he could say. He never saw his death like this, or how he would die, or that he'd end up on the gateways to heaven. Maybe Angel had been right, he would have turned against them. He couldn't tell the future.

After a pregnant moment of silence, he turned to look back at Wesley. "Do you know how it turned out down there?" He almost was hoping that they had made it, that Eve had made it. Some sick twisted part of his heart would have liked to have seen Angel survive.

Wesley shook his head a little bit. "I have no idea what happened down there."

"Well I do." A voice was heard coming off to the side.

Both men turned around.

At the Hyperion Hotel

"So you went, killed Lindsey, go to get a Slayer then show back up behind the hotel.. To help out? .. Why?" Spike asked Lorne, as he smoked a Lucky Strike.

"Why? Because I may just be a flunky, Spikey-poo, but I figured my friends may need me." But the guilt was seen written all over his face, even as Lorne spoke, he tried to hide it. "Oh come on, stop giving me that look. Fine I'm not happy with what I did! I took a man's life. But if I had to do it all over again, maybe I would. If it meant saving your hides, I.. would do it again." He said in a softer tone, even then doubting his own words.

Spike frowned for a moment. Shaking his head for a long moment, before finally speaking, "You know mate, you're a good man, demon.. thing. Just remember that."

Lorne's eyes slowly raising up towards Spike's, who just shook his head once more and began to walk out. Lorne watched for a moment. "Spike, so are you." The demon's words spoken quietly, he was unsure if the vampire had heard them.

However, Spike did hear them. He stopped dead in his tracks, before he turned his head looking at Lorne. The faintest smirk appeared, though his eyes seemed filled with sadness. "Sure mate, sure." He turned, and continued to walk away, heading towards one of the many floors where he could perhaps find a spot of sleep, or some place where he could be alone with his thoughts.

Room 243

The room was still dark; Gunn couldn't see his own hand in front of him as his eyes opened. He could still feel the weight of Kaya beside him. His brown eyes slowly moved to the side, to look at her.

She was still awake, though didn't seem to notice that he was also. He had remembered the night he had saved her, a scared shitless freshman in college. At a sorority party that had turned into an all you can eat buffet for a small nest of vampires. A nest of vampires that Gunn and his boys had been hunting for a while, and unfortunately they had gotten there too late to save anyone but this scared, white bread girl, who shrieked when he picked her up. That could have been possibly due to the injured knee, however; he knew she was scared.

What was a guy like Gunn meant to do? He took her in after she got out of the hospital, her family disowning her, considering her crazy, though he had his suspicions it was because she had dropped out of school. She went from being this scared girl to a sister of his.

He quietly wondered why he lost touch with her. It had been a hard time in his life, his sister had been killed, he had met Angel; and he had lost touch with the one girl who seemed to need him even more. He had missed her becoming a Slayer, and apparently had missed so much. He sighed, his eyes closing.

"You do know that staring is not only rude, but annoying?" Kaya asked quietly. It sounded as if she had been crying.

Gunn rolled his eyes, sighing once more, before speaking. "Yes Kaya, I know that. I didn't want to disturb your thoughts though."

"Thoughts, nothing going on in my mind except wondering how this could have been different, is it true you were working for Wolfram and Hart?"

Gunn sighed softly, he gave a small nod of his head. "Yea, but promise me, Kaya.. You won't kick my ass until after I heal?"

Smirking, she turned her head to look at Gunn. "Okay.. but I'll have to kick your ass twice as hard."

"Gee.. thanks.. You always give me the warm and fuzzies you know that?"

"Better than frigid I guess."

A laugh for a moment, before it turns into a groan. "Ugh woman don't do that."

Spiritual Plane

"So.. let me get this right.. They made it.. all of them made it?" Lindsey seemed faintly baffled.

"That's right hand boy, and well it seems as if they're going to need a little bit more help. I got my second chance and well Pinocchio got his strings back." The beautiful woman known as Cordelia Chase looked to Wesley and Lindsey both.

Wesley shook his head. He refused to believe that he was being cheated once more of the only thing he wanted. Peace, peace and Winifred Burkle. "Impossible." He sighed softly, raking a hand through his hair.

"Wes, sorry to break it to you. But you should know by now the Powers that Be, always make the impossible possible."

Lindsey smirked, shrugging. "So does this mean if Angel kills me again, I get sent back here?"

Cordelia seemed to stare at him for a moment, then shaking her head. "That's just it Lindsey, you die, you don't come back here. Consider this as -your- chance of redemption, kind of like those old eighties movies about guys being reborn into chi.. anyways. It doesn't matter, this is it.. For both of you, otherwise it's the big fiery pit where you more than likely would get to see old colleagues and girlfriends alike. Not a pretty place I've heard."

Wesley arched an eyebrow. "Wait, you mean I would go to hell too?" He tried to think of all the good he had done, all of the times he had tried to save the lives of others, to aid Angel.

Cordelia gave a small nod of her head. "Unfortunately, there seems to be the smallest discrepancy about when you're a Watcher and a Rogue Slayer ends up killing innocents, apparently you're the one who is guilty. Odd how that works, I never understood it myself. But well there you go. And Lindsey we won't even talk as to why -you'd- be going there, I think we already know why. "

Lindsey smirked some, nodding his head.

"So this is it guys, this is your chance at redemption. Unfortunately, we all know how hard this is going to be, so it's been decided that as long as you wear these amulets." She held up two silver chains that had faint glowing rocks in a pendant. "You'll have a little bit of extra strength and speed. Use them wisely."

Wesley took his own, a disparaging look upon his face. He didn't want to go back to earth, he wanted to have peace.

"Oh Wes don't look so glum, it's trendy jewelry, and will go great with those pants you love to wear." Cordelia, smiled to him; touching his arm softly.

Lindsey took his rolling his eyes. "Right, trendy. When do we go?"

Cordelia glanced towards Lindsey her lips pursing a moment, before her thin eyebrows raised. "Now."

With that the two men vanished within the mists.

Cordelia shook her head a moment with a faint sigh, her eyes lifting upwards. "Those two are going to need a lot of help."

Outside the Hyperion Hotel

Lorne was sitting outside, the sound of helicopters rampaged over head, it seemed as if LA never slowed down, not even after the end of the world had almost happened, again. He sighed, taking a sip off of a seabreeze, heavy on the alcohol.

It seemed as if things were just so broken at that moment, including his spirits. The two vampires were once more at each other's throats even if proverbially, the slayer was now wondering why she was brought into this mess, and to top it off Illyria was having issues that she would not speak of. At least Charles survived, that was one of the only good things that he could see within that moment.

He looked down to his hands, hands that he had scrubbed so many times, the green skin was slightly pink (if that was possible) due to the tragedy he had put them through. Lorne felt dirty, and he knew that there was no amount of soap that could remove the stains on his soul.

"This is insane, do you know that? Honestly. What do we do go knock on the door and go 'Hey, you killed me and he died trying to save your sorry hides, but guess what we're back?"

The voice made Lorne drop his glass, it shattered into a million pieces.

"Something like that, yes."

And that voice made him bolt upright, as he turned to see Lindsey and Wesley both walking up the pathway to the Hyperion. Both whole, not a single scratch on them.

A single whisper escaping his shocked face, "Sweet Liza Minelli."

Wesley looked up at Lorne pausing in his steps. "Hello Lorne."

"What's the matter Lorne, see a ghost?" Lindsey said with sarcasm dripping.

That's when the world turned dark for Lorne, as he fainted in his penny loafers.

Inside the Hyperion Hotel

Lorne woke up curled up on one of the circular couches that littered the lobby of the Hyperion. He could smell the alcohol that had spilled on him, his eyes closing once more. "It was all just an alcohol induced dream." He whispered to himself.

Lindsey and Wesley who were leaning against the counter, glancing around at the hotel that hadn't been in use since the Angel team had ended up at Wolfram and Hart looked to one another. Lindsey nodded his head towards Lorne, very gently. Wesley blinked and shrugged his shoulders. Lindsey then nudged him in the side and nodded with more vehemence. "Go.. go talk to him." He hissed, trying to whisper.

"Why? He'll faint again." Wesley seemed perplexed at this notion.

"Go, you know him."

"But he shot you."

"Exactly."

Wesley rolled his eyes. He slowly moved away from the counter and moved to look over at Lorne, who appeared to have fallen asleep again. Wesley turned his head, shrugging at Lindsey.

That's when the soprano octave scream happened, echoed throughout the entire hotel disturbing everyone who had bedded down for the day.

Lorne's mouth finally shut, as he tried to get up, his silk pants working against him this one time, as he found it almost impossible. "But you you.. you.. you."

"Died, we know." Volunteering the end of the sentence for Lorne, Wesley helped him up. "Though, that's changed." Lorne now standing up, touching Wesley for a moment; his face, his shoulders, back to his face, Lorne was in shock.

"Either that or a damn good cosmetic surgeon in the afterlife." He murmured, then shaking his head."

Lindsey shook his head some, propping an elbow up on the counter, as he began to count down how long it took people to get to the lobby. "One Mississippi… Two Mississippi… Three Miss –."

Spike and Kaya came flying down the stairs, Spike un-armed however Kaya carrying a crossbow. Both looking in various states of disarray and trying to find out where that scream came from.

Kaya, having not known either man didn't seem to worried about that, however the crossbow did raise up. "Lorne, you okay?" She asked, as the steely look was in her eyes, as if she would kill them both without a second glance.

"Sure sweetcheeks, peachy. For two guys coming back from the…"

Once again someone was interrupted, but this time by Spike. "Dead. You two were dead!" He couldn't believe it, shock was not the word for it. Absolutely blown away would be more apt for this vampire with a soul.

Lindsey shrugged his shoulders, his eyes on Kaya though, curiously.

"Apparently, they're not." Lorne spoke softly while Wesley stood there quietly now.

Kaya didn't drop the bow. "Just say the word Lorne, and I'll put an arrow through their heart."

"She'll do it too, she's got a nasty streak for beating up people." Spike said, trying to use his normal humor to brush aside the fact he was still stunned.

Wesley looked over to Kaya now, more closely. "Who is she?" He asked to anyone in the room.

"Kaya, she's .. a slayer." Lorne offered, still finding this absolutely ludicrous.

"A slayer? I thought they were all in."

"Don't say it, don't you bloody say it!" Spike looked to Wesley.

"She can also speak for herself you know." Kaya added, keeping the crossbow up however.

"Touche, however sweetie it's okay. Put the crossbow down." Lorne motioned with his hands, still unsure of what was going on.

Slowly she lowered the crossbow, and began to walk down the steps, nudging Spike to come along with her. She still was wearing the clothes she had on during the battle last night, gore was still smeared across her pale features. "Come on Spike, sit down have a smoke and try not to look so pale, you could pass off for a vam.. Nevermind."

Spike gave her a look, narrowing his eyes faintly, however the tension seemed to move faintly from his body.

"Can someone tell me exactly why someone was…" The words going dead on his lips, as Angel came walking through the door from his office.. Staring at Wesley and Lindsey.

"Hey, you had me killed and he died trying to save your sorry hides, but guess what we're back." Lindsey said to Angel, giving the vampire who he had hated for so long a faint smirk. It seemed like a perfect irony that this vampire was now going to be his redemption.

Angel stared, first at Lindsey, then to Wesley for a long moment. His jaw dropping just a little bit, before he shook his head, his mouth shutting then re-opening as if trying to find his words to speak once more, another shake of his head. It almost looked like Angel was attempting to do a Robert DeNiro act.

The minutes seemed to drag on in stunned silence. The slayer known as Kaya was rubbing at her eyes, seemingly trying to push sleep from them, while Spike just walked around the two, checking them out. The tension in the room was mounting, so thick someone could cut it with a knife. Lorne was glancing nervously towards Lindsey every now and then while Angel remained right outside his office.

Finally the silence broke.

"So you.. mean to tell me, you two came back from the dead?" Kaya asked, trying to figure out the history between these two men with the others in the room. A new player to a very long and interesting game, she didn't have all the facts.

"It appears as if we have been set upon the task of helping you. To gain our way into heaven, we have been given another chance at mortality." Wes spoke, as he sat down. His eyes looked over to the slayer a moment. "What are you doing here?" He asked, figuring he may as well speak to the only person who was talking.

Shrugging her shoulders, she glanced around for a moment before speaking. "Lorne brought me, figured help would be needed." She pulled out her cigarettes, lighting up a clove as she then stretched out her left knee, the one that had been injured so long ago. Her face grimaced, she needed her brace but she didn't have it with her.

"You're hurt." He spoke walking over towards her, to look at the wound, finding it odd that the Slayer hadn't healed any from last nights warfare.

"Old wound, it acts up every now and then.. Thanks for the concern though." Looking up to him, as she exhaled the smoke through her nose, her tough girl attitude faintly showing through once more, her eyes glancing to Lindsey then to Wesley. She felt faintly uncomfortable with the simple fact she had no idea what was going on, though it didn't seem that not many in the room did.

"So the powers brought y'both back. Now ain't that somethin'. Charlie boy is gonna find this interesting I think." Spike said from around his Lucky Strike.

"Gunn? Is he okay?" Wesley asked, turning his attention onto the bleach blonde vampire.

"Almost didn't make it, but he's doing all right." Glancing to Kaya to confirm, seeing the small nod of her head, he nodded. "Doing all right."

Angel finally shook his head. "So what's the catch? You two come down to make nice and then kill us when you let you in with open arms?" His sarcasm and disbelief showing themselves bald faced.

Lindsey gave a faint smirk. "You'd like that wouldn't you? To get another chance to kill me, but it's not going to happen Angel. We were sent here to help you out. And well we got to see your little sweetheart Cordelia." He sneered, his anger coming to full force.

Angel took two steps towards Lindsey. "I don't believe you." His voice strained through clenched teeth. "I don't believe they would bring you back."

"Then what about me Angel?" Wes asked quietly. "Do you trust me?"

Angel's eyes then looked towards Wes, his mouth gaping open once more.

On the Higher Plane

"Okay, Okay I was wrong.. They ALL need help. Specially that Kaya girl, coloured hairstreaks went out like last year."