"Any alliance whose purpose is not the intention to wage war is senseless and useless"
- Adolf Hitler, "Mein Kampf"

Twice Lucky

Boca Del Inferno

Chapter 3: Alliances

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"It's a pretty dangerous place to be this time of night."

Xander stopped and slowly turned around, his eyes narrowing on a figure that was stood in the bushes, coated in darkness. He knew the voice instantly and felt venom in his stomach. Xander wanted nothing more than to slam the wooden stake into Angel's heart, preventing what he knew was going to happen.

Xander had gone back to the shops with the money he had and picked up some additional clothing. He hadn't wanted Willow to know about this part of his life, at least not yet. Let her keep her innocence for a while longer. His new clothes were all black; a jacket and tracksuit bottoms, a black hat and a bag. Those, he was currently wearing, so that if needed, he could sink into the shadows and avoid human contact. He knew, for certain, vampires would easily spot him.

Angel stayed in the shadows. "I've seen you around, you know. Watching as you hunt; while running in the mornings."

Xander knew that he would never have any hope of outrunning him. The vampire was too damn fast and strong.

"Why do you do it?"

Xander smirked. "Because no one else can."

"I can?"

"I never see you staking any vampires."

Angel shrugged his shoulders and stepped out of the darkness, the moonlight illuminating his pale face.

'And I saw a pale rider,' Xander thought grimly.

"Why do you do it? Who, or maybe I should be asking what, are you?"

Angel's face morphed, his forehead becoming more protruded and his fangs more prominent.

Xander took a step back, even though he knew it was safe. Too many memories of fighting Angelus, the Scourge of the Underworld.

"I know what you're thinking." Angel's face turned back to normal and a wry smile crossed it. "But don't worry, I don't bite."

"How do I know that?"

Angel shrugged. "You don't, I guess."

"Good call."

Angel smirked slightly. "So, what's your excuse? Why do you fight the good fight?"

"I'm on a mission from God," Xander said, with fire in his eyes.

Angel stopped dead in his tracks and looked the young man over; there was something about him that Angel could see: older somehow and a certain fire in his soul. "Tell me about it?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I did."

Angel sighed. "Try me."

"A long time ago, in a town far away, there was a story of one girl who had the power to fight all of the creatures of the night." Angel stopped walking again and looked at Xander. "She was known as the Slayer."

Angel gaped.

"She came to Sunnydale and made friends and a whole lot of enemies. Some of the friends stuck with her until the very end, while many either left or died."

"How do you know this?"

Xander smiled. "The Slayer and her friends fought and saved lives; some of them died along the way. As time went by, a great battle occurred, which forced them to leave Sunnydale. It was decided nearly ten years after that, a change was needed."

"So you came to the past to change the future?"

"Yes," Xander said. "You know anywhere we can get a drink?"

"Sure," Angel smirked. "If you're from the future, you must already know Willy's?"

Sure enough, Xander shivered.

After a short stroll, they found the small, dirty bar, crammed full of demons and vampires of different varieties.

"Hey, we don't allow kids in here!"

Xander was at the desk in a flash, his hand wrapped around Willy's shirt, pulling the barkeeper forward. "And, yet, you let all manner of creatures in here. Tell you what, you let me and Angel there buy a drink, and I'll let you live?"

Willy nodded.

"A coke, and a pint of blood for my friend."

Willy squeaked and got to it.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Angel wouldn't drink yours, he wants something clean. Don't you?" Xander looked at the smirking vampire as Angel licked his lips and found a seat.

"Fine," Willy said weakly. "Whatever you want."

Xander took the two glasses (after he paid for them) and sat down. "I have a lot of work to do, but I need your help."

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

1898

Rumania

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

Nici mort, nici de-al fiintei, Te invoc, spirit al trecerii. Reda trupului ce separa omul de animal!

Running.

It seemed as though, all his life, he was running from one person or another. This time, however, Angelus had the sense that he was running toward something, instead of away, like a fearful rabbit.

"Asa sa fie." The gypsy woman smiled as she spoke, and it was grim. Angelus tripped on his way through the bushes and stumbled into the camp. He staggered and crawled toward the burning fire.

Angelus got onto his hands and knees, as though in prayer, shivering as he looked at the elder woman and grimaced.

"Utrespur aceastui"

The orb she was looking at glowed white and then went dark. A moment later, Angelus's eyes flashed.

"It hurts, yes? Good. It will hurt more."

An Angel was born in pain and fire, confused by his birth. He looked around at his location. "Where am I?"

"You don't remember... everything you've done for a hundred years. In a moment, you will. The face of everyone you killed... our daughter's face... they will haunt you, and you will know what true suffering is."

Angel blinked in confusion. "Killed? I, I don't..."

Memories, things he'd done, killing his family…. All the people in Budapest, after the earthquake, that he and Darla killed for their blood; all the people he'd turned into a demon; the gypsy girl that proved to be his downfall. He shivered as the dark reaper of memories attacked him with its scythe. He fell to the ground and gripped his stomach.

"No..."

An Angel was born in pain and fire, no longer was he confused by his birth…

"No... No... No..."

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

"The thing that they didn't tell you and should have," Xander said as he leaned forward, "was that if you have one moment of happiness, you'll revert back to your true form."

"I'll turn back into Angelus."

"Yes."

Angel looked down, stunned, for a moment, and then it passed like the wind. He looked up and asked what was on his mind. "What happened?"

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

"I wanna torture you. I used to love it, and it's been a long time. I mean, the last time I tortured somebody, they didn't even have chainsaws."

Angelus looked down and smiled at Giles; he was getting excited, the thought of killing, maiming and torturing someone always gave him that warm fuzzy feeling inside.

"Oh, yeah. Acathla. He's an even harder guy to wake up than you are. I mean, I performed the rituals, said all the right phrases... blood on my hand. Got nothing. Big doughnut hole for my troubles. I figure you know the ritual. You're pretty up on these things. You could probably... tell me what I'm doing wrong."

Angelus approached Giles and looked down sadistically.

"But, honestly, I sorta hope you don't..." He stopped in front of him, "'Cause I really wanna torture you."

Spike was sitting in his wheelchair, and staring with a big, shit-eating grin, as Drusilla swayed happily in her crazed form.

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

"I really did that?"

The youth in front of him nodded and cringed. Xander sighed. "Yes, but we're going to prevent that and change history."

"Okay, where do we start?"

The two stared at each other for a moment.

"First on the list: Glove of Myneghon, a magical glove that allows you to control lightening. Supposedly, it's here in Sunnydale."

Angel leaned back, the leather jacket he was wearing cracking as he did.

"Any idea where?"

Xander wracked his brains, but all he remembered, all he knew, was that Angel had found it and brought it to Buffy the night Gwendolyn Post was in town.

"A crypt, somewhere in town," he replied, looking up with annoyance in his brown eyes.

"That's a lot of ground to cover."

Xander sighed and nodded, "No rest for the wicked."

Angel smirked….