A/N: Hello, lovely people! How are ya? Good? Great. Not so good? That sucks, I feel for you. So...last chapter I had some people missing Angel.
This chapter should fix that seeing as how this entire chapter is just Wesley and Angel (happy dance). I know I left you guys with a cliffie last chapter and be forwarned, this chapter ends with a cliffie too! (evil laugher) Anywho, we're taking a little hop back in time. This chapter takes place during Giles and Buffy's review.
Okay...ready? :D :D :D
Random Disclaimer: (I don't own Buffy).
Me: (squeals) I'm so excited!
Angel: You're always excited...all the time...it's kinda freaking me out.
Wesley: I agree. She does seem to be a little...odd...
Me: Aw, you guys are so sweet! Now, go have a good little heart to heart! Don't fight that curiosity Wes!
Wesley: See? She calls me Wes too! What's so hard about Wesley? Wes-ley. It's not that difficult!
Angel: Whatever, Wes.
Me: Yeah, Wes! Whatever.
Wesley: (hangs head) I give up.
Eye of the Beholder Chapter 14
It took some well-mannered speaking, a skillful amount of colorful compliments, and last, but certainly not least, a full day of brown-nosing. However, it was all worth it because after Wesley had picked his pride up off the floor, Travers granted his request to see the vampire Angelus under the guise of 'research'.
The meandering, gloomy passage down to the dungeons was one that Wesley had only ever traveled once, and he really had no desire to do so again. Nonetheless, he knew that he must, and that motivation was enough to carry his feet down the old, uneven stone steps.
Wesley shivered as the air temperature dropped the further he descended. It wasn't like the vampires minded. They had no need for warmth, but Wesley wouldn't have minded even the feeble flame of a candle.
Finally, his feet touched the damp stone of the floor of the dungeon, or rather the 'containment area' as Travers and the higher-ups preferred to call it. Immediately, he could hear the clinking of chains as the vampires moved as close to their cell doors as the crosses would allow, unable to keep away from the tantalizing smell of fresh, warm blood.
Wesley moved as quickly as he dared past the cells, ignoring the taunts and death threats that were shouted at him. He reached the last cell, Angelus' cell, and forced himself to seem cool, calm, and relaxed. In other words, he forced himself not to look scared as hell in front of who most Watchers considered to be the most notorious vampire to ever walk the Earth.
However, Angelus was not what he was expecting. The vampire looked up at his presence for maybe a second before his eyes returned to staring broodingly at the wall opposite him. His chains lay broken on the dust covered floor that Wesley knew was not the normal dust that housewives battled.
Angelus' shirt was in tatters, one clear bite mark was visible on his right arm, and Wesley guessed that the large portion of his shoulder that looked like someone had taken a chainsaw to it had to be from a vampire that really hadn't wanted to let go.
Wesley would have imagined Angelus to be arrogant, ridiculously so. That's what it said in every piece of literature he could find. Though it was written that Angelus had gained his soul due to a Romani gypsie, most Watchers thought that it was simply a ploy or rumor.
Wesley had been one of those Watchers…but now he was not so sure.
Suddenly more nervous than before, Wesley cleared his throat awkwardly. "Um, Angelus?"
Angel thought about looking up to answer the young man, but decided he'd rather brood some more.
Wesley tried again, changing tactics. "Angel?"
Now, Angel looked up. "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did you use 'Angel' instead of 'Angelus'?" Angel questioned, but then his senses caught up to him. "You've been with Buffy," he stated surely.
Wesley was caught completely off guard. Angel had gone from a sort of calm moroseness to protective and confident in an instant. He sat up a little straighter, he was more alert. Wesley was sure he'd even seen the vampire's muscles tense as if ready for a fight.
This left him confused.
"Yes," Wesley answered the vampire's inquiry warily. "How do you know?"
"Her scent," Angel explained. "You've been near her."
"Surely, it's very faint."
"It is."
"And yet you still noticed," Wesley said, believing that there might actually be some substance in Buffy's charges, and particularly Travers' assumption that the Slayer was in love with Angelus.
Travers had discussed this with Wesley before granting him permission to see Angelus. Honestly, Wesley had found it to be ludicrous and just, well, stupid. How could a Slayer, a Vampire Slayer, love the being she was meant to kill? It just hadn't made sense to Wesley. Of course, this was only Travers assumption. The man had to believe that there was a reason, however seemingly impossible, for the Slayer's actions...or lack thereof, when Angelus had been roaming Sunnydale.
Even though Wesley thought that the idea of Buffy Summers being in love with a being such as Angelus was ridiculous...he could see the logic. Buffy was a seventeen year old girl. Angelus was, well, Angelus. It wouldn't be a stretch to think that Angelus had manipulated his way into her heart. But now, talking with the vampire, Wesley was beginning to wonder if this was much more complicated than the Watchers thought. Could Angelus possibly love the Slayer, truly?
Angel realized how his comment on Buffy's scent could be construed, and tried to find a way out of it. He shrugged nonchalantly, ignoring the fire in his shoulder. "You don't live as long as I have being careless."
"I suppose that's true," Wesley conceded, though he didn't quite believe Angel.
"Why are you here?" Angel asked suddenly, frowning slightly.
"Oh, um," Wesley fumbled. "Well, I was talking with Buffy and I share my quarters with Mr. Giles, at least for his stay here, and they both seem to—defend you. Buffy more so than Mr. Giles, and I just wondered…"
"Why?" Angel supplied helpfully, a sardonic grin on his face. "I wonder that myself."
"Oh?" Wesley prompted subtly.
Angel appraised the man in front of him for a few moments. He was young, well, compared to Angel he was baby, but that was getting too technical. Angel guess that he was in his late twenties. The young man had a lean build, though Angel doubted it was muscle. The man came across as the studious, stay-in-the-library-all-day-type.
But somehow, Angel found himself feeling as though he could trust this man. "What's your name?"
"Oh, do forgive me," Wesley said, not giving a second's thought to the fact he'd just apologized to a vampire. "Wesley Wyndam-Pryce."
"So, Wes." Angel stood up and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "What are you doing down here?"
"Coincidentally, both you and Buffy seem to prefer to call me Wes," Wesley informed him.
Angel fought a smile. "Wesley probably sounds too formal to her."
Wesley's brow furrowed. "I don't see how. She just said that Wesley took too long to say."
"That too."
"It's only two syllables!"
Angel couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him, and he didn't miss the completely shocked look Wesley made hearing the sound.
"I've never heard a vampire laugh—genuinely," Wesley said curiously, yet slightly wary.
"Probably because we can't," Angel replied. "Well, at least good-naturedly."
"You're the exception," Wesley pointed out. "You have a soul…" he trailed off in a question.
"Yes," Angel said sounding tired to Wesley's ears. "I have a soul."
"Remarkable," Wesley said almost to himself.
Angel smirked a little. "I suppose so."
Wesley studied Angel for a moment when his eyes caught a shimmer of metal on Angel's left hand. "Is that a Claddagh ring?" he asked sharper than he'd intended. Mainly because he was sure that he'd seen an identical ring on Buffy's hand this morning.
Angel pierced him with a glare for a moment, almost as if he was ready to deny it, but then he sighed and looked down at the ring. "Yeah, it is."
"It's an Irish wedding ring," Wesley stated. "The hands represent friendship, the crown—"
"I know what it means," Angel interrupted.
"—loyalty, and the heart, love," Wesley finished. "Whom do you wear it for? She must be quite the person to…"
"What?" Angel cut in. "Love me?"
"Well, yes," Wesley replied, enraptured with the tale that seemed to be beginning, or at least the potential of the tale. It could possibly solve everything.
Angel considered Wesley for a moment. For some reason, he thought he could trust him. Angel was good with people, or at least, he could read people. He knew people. Give him one glance and he could give you a gist of who that person was. His gut told him that Wesley, while easily led, had a good heart. And with the way he was asking questions, it was obvious that Wesley was curious as hell.
"She's beautiful," Angel said softly. "Inside and out…she has one of the purest hearts. She loves unconditionally—no matter what you've done…"
"She knows what you are?" Wesley inquired, growing more sure that Buffy was indeed the girl who Angel spoke of. "Everything you've done?"
Angel looked at him with agonized eyes. The pain and guilt in the brown orbs seemed depthless and Wesley had to look away for a moment. When Wesley looked back at Angel, the vampire was wearing a sad smile.
"She knows."
"And she still loves you."
"Yes."
"Then it seems like Buffy is quite a woman," Wesley stated confidently.
Angel froze. "You saw her ring," he guessed.
"Right-O," Wesley nodded. "Honestly, I'm surprised no one else has noticed."
Angel walked up to the bars of his cell, and shot his arm out, ignoring the searing, burning pain the silver caused. He grabbed a fist-full of Wesley's collar and yanked him forward so hard that Wesley only just managed to keep himself from banging his face agaisnt the cell door. Angel fixed Wesley with a glare that had Wesley's knees shaking. "If you use this against her, I won't hesitate to rip you apart," he growled. "Buffy doesn't need this. I've seen a few Slayers in my time. I've killed a few too, and believe me when I say she's the best. This whole 'Review' is because of me and what I've done and what decision I forced her to make."
"What decision?" Wesley wondered quietly, almost afraid to ask, but his curiosity got the better of him.
"Whether or not to kill me," Angel answered pained, losing his fire and releasing his hold on Wesley. He walked away from the cell door, his burnt arm hanging limply at his side. "You already know that I lost my soul a few months back, right?"
Wesley nodded.
"Buffy—she tried, she had opportunities, but…"
"She couldn't do it," Wesley finished softly, feeling a wave of sympathy roll through him that he didn't bother to question. "She couldn't kill you."
"She would have," Angel said seriously. "She almost did—if I'd gotten my soul back a second later…"
Both Wesley and Angel were quiet for a moment, contemplating their own thoughts. Angel was swathed in a cocoon of guilt and worry. He'd gone far too long without seeing Buffy, and last night had been hard. She'd stayed the night with him only twenty-four hours before, and he was already addicted to holding her as she fell asleep. Now, she was going through this damn Review, which was all Angel's fault.
Wesley was completely torn by the information he'd gleaned. It was one thing to have a theory. It was another to realize that your theory was true. He'd guessed that maybe, just maybe, Angel could possibly love Buffy and she him.
Hearing it confirmed, seeing it with his own eyes, well, Wesley was stumped. He had no doubt that Angel loved the Slayer, Buffy Summers. No doubt whatsoever. Not even the best of the best could fake the emotion in his eyes. It was obvious that Angel's whole world revolved around this one, superhuman girl.
Thinking back to Buffy's feelings, Wesley realized how much he'd truly missed. She'd been so adamant. He'd asked her how she could trust him, how she could let him live.
"He has a soul." That had been her only defense. Wesley thought that her reason had lacked support…but now, after meeting Angel, after talking with him, Wesley realized that it was really the only argument she needed.
Wesley didn't know what to do. A part of him was ordering him to run up to the trial and shout what he knew. It was only his duty. He had confirmation that Buffy was indeed guilty of loving a vampire, of sparing his life. She had broken the Golden Rule, she'd spared a vampire's life. She was a Vampire Slayer. Slayers did not do that. It was not their job to divvy mercy to those they deemed worthy.
However, there was another part of him whispering in his ear to do what he thought was right. There was the little boy who'd loved to learn, but was never loved by his father. There was a little boy who'd been open to the world and everything in it. This little boy, this part of him, had been squelched...first by his father and now by the Watchers.
"What are you still doing here?" Angel asked. "Aren't you going to run off and tattle?"
Wesley remained quiet for a few moments and Angel wondered if he'd misjudged the man.
"No," Wesley said quietly. "No, I'm not."
"Thank you," Angel said sincerely and Wesley merely nodded and they were quiet again for a few more minutes.
"How'd you get down here anyway?" Angel asked after a minute. "Did you have to sign a visitor's log?" he joked half-heartedly.
"No, I kissed as much ass as I could," Wesley admitted ruefully. "It worked. Technically, I'm here for 'research.'"
"They bought that?" Angel raised his eyebrows.
"Travers is very susceptible to flattery," Wesley said dryly. "That and I'm one of his favorites. He has 'high hopes' for me," he quoted, not feeling quite so much pride now at the thought.
"Knew you were an overachiever," Angel said with a small smile.
"Like you?"
Angel chuckled humorlessly. "Not at all like me. I was living off rats in New York City alleys not four years ago."
"What?" Wesley questioned confused. All of this change had been so recent?
"You didn't think I've always been this way, did you?" Angel shook his head. "No, this…good streak is relatively new."
"What did you do before?" Wesley inquired. "Or did you always resort to alleys and rats?"
Angel shrugged, not really wanting to give too much detail. He may be getting semi-trustworthy vibes from Wes, but that didn't make him an automatic confidante. "Followed Darla around for a while, came to America turn of the century, moved around a bit."
"And ended up in an alley in the Big Apple," Wesley finished, knowing that there was much, much more to the story, but he knew not to push.
"Yeah."
"So what made you decide to fight the good fight?" Wesley said, unable to help the slight quirk of his lips.
"Whistler," Angel answered simply. Seeing Wesley's look he elaborated a little. "Demon, messenger for the Powers That Be, he showed me Buffy…"
"Love at first sight?"
Angel wore a wry smile. "Cliché, I know, but yeah."
"Wesley," a voice said from behind them, causing Wesley to spin around surprised.
"Dalton," Wes returned, hoping that he didn't look like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar. "Um, what are you doing here?"
"It's time for Angelus to join the party upstairs," Dalton answered, motioning to one of the men behind him for the keys to Angel's cell.
"Oh?" Wesley inquired. "How's it going?" he asked for both his benefit and Angel's.
Dalton grinned, "Her Watcher got escorted out, kicking and screaming. Council sacked him."
"And the Slayer?" Wesley asked further.
Dalton shrugged, his countenance losing its good humor and becoming serious. "Don't know much. Everyone's being tight-lipped about it…but I hear she's defending all her," he glanced at Angel, an action that neither Angel nor Wesley missed. "Choices."
"Well, then I guess I must be on my way," Wesley said, not looking at Angel. "I've learned all I can—not much. Not very talkative, Angelus."
"We'll see," Dalton muttered as he unlocked the cell and the two men behind him grabbed either of Angel's arms to haul him up to the trial.
Angel was pleased about two things.
One, he was getting out of this damn cell.
Two, he was going to see Buffy.
He really didn't care about anything else at the moment. The Watchers could all go to hell.
Well...there we go! The next chapter is, I think, one of my best. If you really love to hate Travers, then you'll love the next chapter! I tried to make him as evil as I could, because, well, I needed a bad guy and I don't like him anyway. lol
Reviews make my world go round,
ArthursCamelot