Previously: I settled back onto the couch as Willow picked up the phone and called Buffy. She explained that we had jus had an encounter with Angel and that she advised her to stay in her apartment. To ward off vampires for the time being, which meant me as well, but for now I was fine on Red's couch. I closed my eyes as Willow went into her very detailed account of what had just happened and what her theories were about the 'no soul' business.

Chapter 38

Angelina hadn't slept well. Just now, she woke to the sound of Lorne humming to himself in the kitchen, making god knows what for breakfast. The sound was calming after her sleepless night. She had had a recurring dream in which she starred.

She was sprinting down an alleyway. She knew she was running from someone, someone who was a major threat, but she didn't know why.

She would race past rubbish cans, tipping as many over as she could on her escape. She would just near the entrance to the alleyway, when a pair of strong hands would grab her shoulders and pull her back inside.

She would whip around, but her attacker's face was always in shadow. All of a sudden the attacker would disappear and she would turn to the right, she dreaded this bit. This dream had occurred so often she knew what would happen.

She would turn to the right and then feel hands on either side of her head; she could feel incisors slide into the soft flesh of her neck; feel the blood slipping out of her body and then finally hear and feel the snap of her neck.

Her dream always ended with her lifeless face staring from the concrete ground, while an evil laugh could be heard retreating.

She would always wake up then; every time her hands flew to her neck. She had to make sure she was ok. The dream was just so lifelike, so real.

She lay there for a few moments, wondering whether it was worth trying to go back to sleep.

'Oh hey you're up' Lorne chirped form the doorway.

Well that was the end of the extra sleep idea. Angelina smiled sleepily and said good morning. She wasn't with it just yet. Lack of sleep did that to her.

'About last night Princess…' Lorne sat on the edge of the bed.

Angelina looked confused 'Last night?'

'You know, with the smooch you gave me?' he questioned. Did she really not remember?

Angelina racked her brain for memories of last night. All she could see right now was her lifeless face. She tried a bit harder and finally caught a glimpse of something other than her death.

'Oh. Last night' she tried to bury her head into her pillow as she giggled to herself. The look on Lorne's face last night had been priceless.

'So you remember?'

'Of course I do. Why? Didn't you enjoy your kiss goodnight?' she was joking, but she couldn't see his face gain that slightly pink tinge.

She'd backed him into a corner without realising it. Lorne had to think quickly.

'No. It was terrible, Angel, Spike or possibly even Xander could have done better' he lied.

Angelina rolled over, uncovering her face. There were several expressions on her face, but the main one was on of mock hurt.

'Angel and Spike I could understand. They've been around for years. But Xander? I'm hurt that you would say such a thing' she sat up. 'Just means I'll have to try harder does it?'

It was better when Angelina was joking and fun, it made the mornings easier. Once she had been the biggest bitch in the world, which she later admitted, just because she lacked sleep and the toaster wouldn't work. She'd broken the thing in frustration, leaving Lorne with cereal and a faulty toaster.

'Something you might want to improve on, yes. Especially if you want to keep a guy' Lorne joked, the pink fading from his green cheeks. Hopefully she hadn't noticed.

Angelina sat there and thought it over for a second, then nodded 'Ok' and she slid from the bed and headed to the bathroom.

Lorne shook his head and rushed back to the toaster, which he had left bread in. When Angelina walked into the room, Lorne was pulling slices of black toast from the toaster.

'Want pancakes or something instead?' she asked as she made her way to the pantry.

'Sure. Toast's overdone anyway' Lorne grumbled. He liked his toast.

Angelina made pancakes, and was skilled enough to flip them onto plates. It was something she had mastered while cooking pancakes for her cousins back in Australia. They loved to catch them on their plates.

Lorne and Angelina sat in comfortable silence while each of them munched down their breakfast. Lorne was the one who broke it.

'What do you have planned for tonight? Slaying?'

'Probably. Buffy says she wants me to go on a patrol with Faith or something along those lines. To get to know each other, I guess. You?'

'Passions' Lorne shook his head. 'Timmy's stuck in the well'

'Well that sounds exciting' Angelina laughed.

She had figured out that under the glittery exterior, Lorne was just as happy sitting on the couch in front of the TV. He'd apparently sat there a whole day before. Angelina would have gone crazy. Must be a skill that needs to be learnt.

'Well I have to go shower; Buffy wants to see me this morning. Dunno why, just got a text on my mobile before' Angelina rose from the table. 'You ok with cleaning this morning?'

Lorne nodded. 'Sure Pumpkin. You can cook tomorrow'

'Tomorrow?' Angelina raised an eyebrow. 'You have plans?'

'Not yet' Lorne grinned.

Angelina pulled a face and headed towards the bathroom. Lorne could hear the water turn on and decided to be funny. He dumped the dishes in the sink and turned the hot water tap on.

Within seconds a shriek was heard from the bathroom. He'd burnt her.

'That's for making me clean up' he joked. He'd meant to make the water really cold, as to not burn her. He'd turned the wrong tap.

Lorne quickly cleaned the dishes and hoped his next action would have the same effect as an apology.

He quickly ran into the wardrobe in the bedroom, picked out Angelina's clothing for the day and was about to knock on the door when it happened.

Angelina had been in the bathroom singing 'I'm walking on sunshine', Lore wasn't quite sure why, but he paid no attention at the time.

As soon as he had her clothes in hand, he had turned and that's when it hit him hard and fast.

Images came to his mind; flashes of Angelina's life. Her father leaving, coming to Cleveland, attending university with Willow, meeting Lorne, living with Lorne, the sparkly dress he had given her, patrolling with Faith, what may have been Halloween, then nothing. It all went black. Death.

It had hit him so hard; he hadn't had time to brace himself. He collapsed to the floor and fainted.

Angelina having heard the 'thump' of Lorne's body hitting the ground, came out of the bathroom, in clothes she had already hung on the back of the door.

The apartment was eerily quiet, where was Lorne?

She quickly ducked into the wardrobe and found him lying there, clothes in hand.

'Lorne!' she knelt beside the demon, slowly shaking him, seeing if he was conscious.

He moaned and Angelina relaxed a little. She carefully lifted him onto her hip and dragged him over to the bed, where she set him down and waited til he came round.

An hour later, Lorne opened his eyes. Angelina had left to grab a glass of water.

'Wakey wakey' she came back into the room with the glass.

Lorne groaned. He hadn't realised he was on the bed yet, only that he had hit the floor pretty bloody hard and his head was killing him. From the fall and the images, no doubt.

He sat up and Angelina handed him the glass. He gratefully took a mouthful, the water allowed his mind to clear, and the previous images to come into focus. Angelina's evitable death.

'W-would you do something for me?' Lorne's eyes were extremely serious.

'Ok' Angelina was a little concerned.

'J-just be careful ok? No 'brave heroics' today'

'Lorne, what did you see?' Angelina's voice was soft and gentle.

She hoped he would tell her, but he would only shake his head. He wasn't going to tell her, because then he knew it would probably happen.

'Ok, well I gotta go ok? Just call if you need anything.' Angelina rose from the end of the bed that she had been sitting on.

'Sure thing Sugar' Lorne nodded 'Bye'

Angelina smiled, though she was still worried 'Bye Lorne'.

As soon as Angelina left, Lorne went and showered. He had broken into a cold sweat when watching her life flash by, and now he felt like a shower was necessary.

He had to speak to someone he trusted about Angelina's circumstances. He wasn't going to worry her more than what she needed to be; He didn't know the Scooby gang all that well, though he did trust them. That only left one more person. Angel.

Lorne showered and dressed, then making sue Angelina wasn't around the corner, headed towards the motel that he knew Angel was staying in.

'Hope he's home' Lorne muttered. 'My head still hurts'

That and he realised that when he stood still, he swayed. His balance and coordination hadn't fully returned, but this was important, so he pushed on.